Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park is a great place to learn about the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain and the Atlanta Campaign of the Civil War. It is located at 900 Kennesaw Mountain Dr, Kennesaw, GA 30152. The park is nearly 3000 acres and includes 11 miles of original entrenchments and 22 miles of interpretive hiking trails. It is one of the largest green spaces in metropolitan Atlanta and attracts more than two million visitors per year. The park features a museum that tells the story of the 1864 battle.
Guests of the park will be able to learn about the history of the Civil War and the emergence of railroads in the South following the war. They can also check out the Glover Machine Works exhibit, which is the only fully restored belt-driven locomotive factory in the country. The museum also includes the General locomotive, which was stolen during the Andrews Raid in 1862.
Before the Civil War, the area was home to the Cherokee. Their land stretched from Kentucky to Alabama and Georgia. They lived in settlements and held Indian schools. Their capital, New Echota, was a center of Cherokee life. But their efforts to adopt white ways were not enough to save their land, and the United States government forced the Cherokee to move to lands west of the Mississippi. This was known as the Trail of Tears.
The park has a history museum where visitors can view more than 1,500 Union and Confederate artifacts. The exhibits include items found during the war, as well as the Medal of Honor won by the United States Colored Troops. In addition, visitors can view rare battle flags from the USCT regiments. Learn more.
Visitors can also pay a visit to the Marietta Confederate Cemetery, which was established in 1863 and was the main burial ground for the Confederates during the Civil War. During the war, around 3,000 Confederate soldiers were reinterred at the cemetery. The cemetery also contains the grave of Civil War sketch artist Alfred Waud.
Visitors will also find an abundance of wildlife at the park. Birds and snakes such as indigo snakes, black vultures, and rare limpkins are found in the park. There are also two nature trails winding through the cypress swamp. The park also has a 375-acre lake that is popular with boaters. The park also has two museums and offers year-round programming.
Visitors may also want to take the time to visit the Gordon-Lee Mansion, built by James Gordon between 1840 and 1847. This house served as the headquarters of U.S. Gen. William Rosecrans during the Battle of Chickamauga, which occurred between Sept. 16 and 19 of 1863. It is the only remaining original building used during the Battle of Chickamauga. The Gordon-Lee Mansion is also a bed and breakfast for guests to enjoy year-round. Next article.
