3 , ▁ 1 9 6 1 . ▁It ▁was ▁the ▁largest ▁in ▁the ▁country ▁and ▁could ▁handle ▁over ▁six ▁million ▁travel ers ▁a ▁year ; ▁the ▁first ▁year ▁nine ▁and ▁a ▁half ▁million ▁people ▁passed ▁through . ▁In ▁March ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁the ▁longest ▁run way ▁( 9 / 2 7 , ▁now ▁ 8 R ) ▁was ▁; ▁run way 3 ▁was ▁ ▁and ▁run way ▁ 1 5 ▁was ▁ ▁long . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁the ▁air port ▁was ▁named ▁William ▁B . ▁H arts field ▁Atlanta ▁Airport ▁after ▁former ▁Atlanta ▁mayor ▁William ▁B . ▁H arts field , ▁who ▁had ▁died ▁that ▁year . ▁The ▁name ▁change ▁took ▁effect ▁on ▁February ▁ 2 8 , ▁which ▁would ▁have ▁been ▁H arts field ' s ▁ 8 1 st ▁birth day . ▁Later ▁that ▁year ▁the ▁name ▁became ▁William ▁B . ▁H arts field ▁Atlanta ▁International ▁Airport . ▁ ▁The ▁air port ' s ▁terminal ▁until ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁was ▁off ▁Virginia ▁Avenue , ▁on ▁the ▁north ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁air port . ▁Six ▁pier ▁conc ourses ▁radi ated ▁from ▁a ▁central ▁building . ▁Const ruction ▁began ▁on ▁the ▁present ▁mid field ▁terminal ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁under ▁the ▁administration ▁of ▁Mayor ▁May n ard ▁Jackson . ▁It ▁was ▁the ▁largest ▁construction ▁project ▁in ▁the ▁South , ▁cost ing ▁$ 5 0 0 ▁million . ▁The ▁complex ▁was ▁designed ▁by ▁Stevens ▁& ▁Wil kin son , ▁Smith