Atlanta's Only True Crime Tour
Tragedy in Terminus
The Basics
$100 per person. Ages 13+ only.
Tour starts at 10:00am and takes around 4 hours.
Most of this tour happens outdoors, so dress appropriately for the weather and wear comfortable shoes. We will only go inside for a couple of stops (Westview Abbey, Murder Kroger, and -if we're lucky- the GBI Museum).
Soda, sparkling water, and bottled water are provided for free on this tour. You are welcome to buy any additional food and beverages when we stop at Murder Kroger.
This is a combination walking and driving tour. Atlanta is a car-brained city, so we'll be driving to most locations then hopping out for the stories.
All of Ms. Froggy's tours are designed for small groups of up to 7 guests.
You can make this into a private tour by booking all 7 seats on an already scheduled tour.
The Itinerary
• West End: We'll visit a murderer's grave in Westview Cemetery, home to the Westview Abbey and Mausoleum. We briefly skate past the last home of Roberta Elder A.K.A. Mrs. Bluebeard.
• Downtown: We'll begin at Atlanta Children's Eternal Flame Memorial, the Fulton County Courthouse, the Ellis Hotel, and Centennial Olympic Park, site of the 1996 Olympic bombing.
• Murder Kroger: We'll take a break for refreshments here and find out why, despite gentrification and rebranding efforts, this old nickname just won't go away. We also discuss the case of Leo Frank and Mary Phagan.
• Old Fourth Ward: We'll visit the historic neighborhood and discuss the all-but-forgotten Atlanta Ripper.
• Bonus stop: Occasionally, we are able to get into the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's true crime museum. It is only open on weekdays with advanced reservations. The further in advance you book, the more likely it is that we will be able to get in. But it is never a guarantee!
Hotel guest Daisy McCumber jumped from the 11th floor during the Winecoff Hotel Fire. She suffered severe injuries but ultimately survived.
The Details
We all know that Atlanta has a reputation. In fact, the city had the highest murder rate in the nation and the third highest homicide rate in 1991. Throughout its history, Atlanta has been home to tragedies that altered its history and changed its residents' lives forever.
On this tour, we will explore some of Atlanta's most infamous murders and crimes, some historic and some contemporary, including solved, unsolved, and reopened cases. This is not a ghost tour! This is real life.
We will learn about historic murders, including the magician murderer linked to the Coca-Cola heir and the lynching of Leo Frank for the murder of Mary Phagan. We will discuss the serial killings of the Atlanta Ripper, Mrs. Bluebeard, and the Atlanta Child Murders. We'll cover spree killing at the Fulton County courthouse and the manhunt for the Centennial Olympic Park bomber. We'll talk about the Winecoff Hotel Fire, the deadliest in American history. And we'll take a break for refreshments at an unusually beloved local landmark, Murder Kroger.
In addition to the details of the crimes themselves, we will discuss the historic context of the events and the role of local leadership and the media in shaping public opinion and often driving the outcomes of criminal trials.
This four-hour guided tour takes guests to crime scenes, graves, and monuments linked to the darkest chapters of Atlanta's history.
• Bonus stop: We will TRY to get into the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's true crime museum. It is only open on weekdays with advanced reservations. The further in advance you book, the more likely it is that we will be able to get in. But it is never a guarantee.
Undertaker and Special Officer Addison Turner displays the weapons found at the scene of a murder-suicide at Briarcliff Mansion, home of Asa "Buddie" Candler, Jr., heir of the Coca-Cola Company.
Scenes from Past Tours
The Tribute to Olympism and Hellenism sculpture shielded some visitors from the bomb blast in Centennial Olympic Park in 1996. There is still shrapnel embedded in the artwork.
Westview Abbey and Mausoleum, the largest structure of its kind in the world, is set in the largest cemetery in the Southeast. Built in 1943 in the Spanish Plateresque style with 11,444 crypts inside.
