For decades, a beloved wooden sign on Atlanta’s eastern edge welcomed passersby and bid them farewell.

The rustic, weathered marker — with simple painted letters that read “Leaving Atlanta” on one side and “Welcome to Atlanta” on the other — stood along Ponce de Leon Avenue. It inspired a book title, graced an album cover and became a photo backdrop for countless Atlantans departing the city or coming home.

Then, suddenly within the last year, it vanished — and no officials seemed to know what happened. Just as unexpectedly, a new sign appeared in recent days. The current version is taller and planted about a yard from the empty place its predecessor left behind.

“It’s a part of the fabric of the park and of the community,” said Sandra Kruger, executive director of the Olmsted Linear

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