Walter Arthur Sims (September 19, 1880 – November 26, 1953) was an American politician.

Biography

Born in

Dawson County, Georgia Dawson County is a county located in the north-central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 26,798 up from 22,330 in 2010. The county seat is Dawsonville. Dawson County is included in the Atlanta-S ...

, (near Ball Ground), he was the son of John Newton Sims (18481919). The family moved to

Buckhead Buckhead is the uptown commercial and residential district of the city of Atlanta, Georgia, comprising approximately the northernmost fifth of the city. Buckhead is the third largest business district within the Atlanta city limits, behind Downt ...

in 1892, and Walter was educated in public schools. He graduated from the

University of Georgia , mottoeng = "To teach, to serve, and to inquire into the nature of things.""To serve" was later added to the motto without changing the seal; the Latin motto directly translates as "To teach and to inquire into the nature of things." , establ ...

in 1899 and began a twenty-five-year law career in

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

. In 1903, he married Edna Belle Cheshire, daughter of Napoleon Cheshire (after whom

Cheshire Bridge Road Cheshire Bridge Road is a mainly north–south thoroughfare of Atlanta, Georgia, USA traversing the Morningside-Lenox Park and Lindridge-Martin Manor neighborhoods from Piedmont Avenue to Buford Highway just north of Interstate 85. While the co ...

is named). He served as councilman of Atlanta's

Ninth Ward The Ninth Ward or 9th Ward is a distinctive region of New Orleans, Louisiana, which is located in the easternmost downriver portion of the city. It is geographically the largest of the 17 Wards of New Orleans. On the south, the Ninth Ward is bound ...

. He was twice elected mayor of Atlanta (both times defeating James L. Key) promising to clean up the police department after a gambling scandal which also included an anti-Catholic platform. During his tenure, the Spring Street Viaduct was completed, the north half of which still stands after the southern half was rebuilt in 1996. He also built two new schools, not from bonds but from general revenue, and he also paid off a $1,000,000 deficit left over from the previous

Key Key or The Key may refer to: Common meanings * Key (cryptography), a piece of information that controls the operation of a cryptography algorithm * Key (lock), device used to control access to places or facilities restricted by a lock * Key (map ...

administration. In 1923, he proposed building an airport, sending alderman

William Hartsfield William Berry Hartsfield Sr. (March 1, 1890 – February 22, 1971), was an American politician who served as the 49th and 51st Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia. His tenure extended from 1937 to 1941 and again from 1942 to 1962, making him the longest-s ...

to find a suitable location.

Candler Field Candler may refer to: People * Candler (surname) Places * Candler, Florida, an unincorporated town in Marion County * Candler, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Candler, North Carolina, an unincorporated town in Buncombe County * Candler Count ...

proved to be the best, and in 1925 the city leased it (the first five years were free) and the next year won a lucrative

U.S. Mail The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U. ...

route. In 1924, he opened the city's Municipal Market (today's Sweet Auburn Curb Market). He is buried in Arlington Memorial Park, in

Sandy Springs, Georgia Sandy Springs is a city in northern Fulton County, Georgia and an inner ring suburb of Atlanta. The city's population was 108,080 at the 2020 census, making it Georgia's seventh-largest city. It is the site of several corporate headquarters, i ...

. 1880 births 1953 deaths Mayors of Atlanta University of Georgia alumni People from Dawson County, Georgia 20th-century American politicians Critics of the Catholic Church {{GeorgiaUS-mayor-stub