What Atlanta kids did for fun in 1984, according to WAGA-TV

What did Atlanta kiddos do for fun 30 years ago? It’s the one question that no one asks when readers submit queries for CL’s annual Answers Issue. But thanks to the Internet, now we have an idea.

In this 30-minute 1984 show produced by WAGA-TV, “Heather” and “Jason” are bored children whose lives take a turn for the INCREDIBLE after they find a “magical map” filled with fun activities located throughout metro Atlanta. We’re shown a house where kids are taught how to make faces out of lettuce! There’s Six Flags! A gymnastics complex! A fishing hole! The Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra and the Purple Cow, the kid-produced newspaper! There’s even a stop by the drama camp where yours truly spent two summers trying to learn “jazz dance” as a wee lad. The video itself is a wonderful snapshot into 1980s Atlanta, but there’s an added bonus: commercials. (Thanks, Tim Ryles, former director of Georgia Consumer Affairs (?!?), for telling us about Food Giant’s packaged meats.)

The real magic happen at the end when Heather and Jason follow the map to the final location: a treasure chest. Inside they find... a guide viewers could get by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope to WAGA-TV. Solid gold, right there.

(A tip o’ the hat to friend of CL Chris Hassiotis and local auctioneer Pecanne Log for the find. UPDATE, 7:08 p.m. @KvnRyn points out that /r/atlanta’s squirrellevel, who claims he’s Jason from the video, uploaded the clip.)