Auburn Avenue was at one time known as Wheat Street. In 1893, a group of white citizens went to the city council and petitioned to change the name to Auburn because they thought it sounded more sophisticated. However, it wasnt the whites who made Auburn Avenue sophisticated, but instead the ambition and entrepreneurial spirit of Atlantas diverse African American community. With over $200,000,000 in new and proposed development, plus a shiny new streetcar, Auburn Avenue is once again poised for prosperity.