\Mountain View was originally called Rough & Ready. The name came from the Rough and Ready Tavern, which was a stagecoach stop on the line from Macon to Upper Georgia. The town was later the site of the first railroad station south of Atlanta on the Macon and Western Railroad, 13 miles from the terminus at East Point, Georgia. In August 1864, prior to the Battle of Jonesborough, the Rough and Ready Tavern served briefly as headquarters for Confederate General William J Hardee. Its name was changed when it was incorporated as a city in 1956. The name "Mountain View" refers to the fact that, on a clear day, one can see Stone Mountain 20 miles to the east. The slogan, "Gateway to Clayton County," was featured on the city seal. Mountain View was a city from 1956 to January 1978, when the Georgia General Assembly voted to repeal the city charter. During his four terms in office (1972-1977) Mayor Ray King, though popular with his constituents, was charged with bribery, nepotism, conspiracy, assault, and violating the city charter by accepting an illegal salary. Rather than reform the city leadership, Clayton County sought to dissolve Mountain View entirely. —(Edited from the Mountain View Wikipedia entry)

Submitted by: Anthony Knuppel