[3][4][5] Atlantic was founded in October 1868 by Franklin H. Whitney, B.F. Allen, John P. Cook, and others.

The nearby Rock Island Railroad was important in deciding the actual location of the town, and to this day, the old depot sits at the north end of Chestnut Street.

[6] A log cabin stands in Atlantic City Park with a historical plaque bearing the following inscription: A Link With the Past This 14 by 18 foot log cabin was built by John Gingery in 1863 in what was called Five Mile Grove located two miles northeast of Atlantic.

John left Stark County where he had been raised and has become a school teacher.

John Gingery married Mary Hyatt of Audubon County, Iowa on April 28, 1866.

The Rotarians and Boy Scout troop 60 dismantled the cabin and numbered each log for rebuilding purposes.

It was the hope of the Atlantic Rotary Club that this cabin would typify the early history in Cass County and in the State of Iowa.

He marked the center at current day 6th and Chestnut and then plowed two furrows 100 feet (30 m) apart all the way up to the railroad, just north of Second Street.

[6] Since 1929, Atlantic is noted for the Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company, which bottles and distributes drinks from The Coca-Cola Company to Iowa and parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Missouri.

KSOM 96.5 FM is a 100,000 watt station that reaches more than 22 counties with studios in Atlantic.

[citation needed] KS 95.7 offers classic rock music and is the home and away voice of the Atlantic High School Trojans.

Many of the Atlantic High school sporting events are also live video streamed by KS 95.7.

KJAN AM 1220/FM 101.1 features local news, sports, weather, farm and information 24 hours a day.

Atlantic is served by Interstate 80 on 3 exits approximately 7-10 to the north, the primary one being a multiplex of US-6 and US-71.

US-6 runs mostly east/west through downtown, providing connection to Council Bluffs/Omaha and Des Moines.

Until 1970 the Rock Island Railroad Atlantic depot served a daily Council Bluffs - Chicago train.

[18][19] The railroad has one daily job, a local known as “The Rover”, that starts and ends its shift in Atlantic.