Millions have seen her over the last 20 years, welcoming arriving passengers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport as they ascend into the arrivals hall.
The girl, arms outstretched in front of the ring fountain at Centennial Olympic Park has become nothing short of iconic in its time at the airport. Officially, the work is known as the "Spirit of Atlanta" by artist Deborah Whitehouse, but for countless people, it has been a part of life in Atlanta as long as they can remember.
Last year, the mural was covered by a giant advertisement for new hometown company Porsche, who moved their American headquarters to a site near the airport. However, the Porsche ad didn’t last long, and many travelers were likely surprised to see the image, which has been a fixture for more than two decades, once again welcome visitors to the city and welcome Atlantans home.
Now the AJC reports that the mural is going away, again, this time in favor of a large digital promotion screen. It doesn't come as a major surprise — the spot is seen by hundreds of thousands of travelers departing Hartsfield-Jackson regularly — as the visibility makes it ideal to generate ad revenue and awareness of things to see and do in Atlanta.
But while this time, the replacement is more permanent, this may not be goodbye. In order to "memorialize" the mural, airport officials indicate it could potentially be included as one of the items on the digital loop.
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