Blast from the past
Georgia’s Civil War history comes alive when you explore the many Civil War parks and sites the state has to offer. Georgia played a significant role in the Civil War with several major battles being fought on the state’s soil. The Georgia Civil War Commission and the National Park Service are largely in charge of maintaining and operating the following parks, forts and battlefield sites, which all offer a unique glimpse at some of the bloodiest battles fought in America.
Chickamauga National Battlefield
Near Lookout Mountain in Walker County (Northwest Georgia)
Contact: (706) 866-9241
Web site: nps.gov/chch
Admission: No charge
This 5,200-acre battlefield is part of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park. It was the first and largest of four parks that were established by Congress in memory of the Civil War. The battlefield is operated by the National Park Service, and it’s considered one of the best-preserved battlefields to date. Visitors will experience more than 1,300 signs and monuments, historical plaques, wayside exhibits, trails and a 7-mile auto tour. The battlefield has been improved over the years to better relay the action that was experienced during the war.
Pickett’s Mill Battlefield State Historic Site
Paulding County
Contact: (770) 443-7850
Web site: pickettsmillpark.org
Admission: Adult $3, Senior $2.50, Youth (6-18) $1.75
Considered the best-maintained and preserved historic battlefield in the nation, Pickett’s Mill is a 765-acre park in northwest Georgia. Start at the visitor’s center, which offers a 15-minute video presentation of the Battle of Picket’s Mill, one of the bloodiest battles during the Civil War. The museum showcases several artifacts from the war, such as a 12-pound Howitzer cannon that is used in reenactments and nighttime events. After the museum tour, guided and self-guided walking trails are available. The trails allow visitors to experience the natural terrain and dense woods from the battle where more than 2,000 men risked their lives. The three trails offered are the white, red and blue trails ranging from one to three miles.
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
Just west and north of Marietta
Contact: (770) 427-4686
Web site: nps.gov/kemo
Admission: No charge
More than 5,200 soldiers died in battle at Kennesaw Mountain, one of the most gruesome battles of the Atlanta Campaign. The battle started on June 19, 1864 and ended almost a month later. The Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park preserves the site of this battle and it’s the third most visited battlefield park in the nation. The park offers stories on nature, history and national parks for children and guided mountain hikes for adults, but activities and events change frequently at the park to attract new guests. The new 11,9000-square-foot visitor center offers a wealth of knowledge about the battle with a vast selection of relevant books and films.
Fort Pulaski National Monument
Cockspur Island (Savannah)
Contact: (912) 786-5787
Web site: nps.gov/fopu
Admission: $3 (16 and older), No charge (15 and under)
Fort Pulaski stands on more than 5,000 acres of coastal marshes, and it was built around 1830 under the direction of Robert E. Lee, then a recent West Point graduate. The purpose of the five-sided massive structure was to protect Cockspur Island and the city of Savannah from being invaded by naval forces. Today, it captures the attention of visitors because of its size. It covers about nine acres and has a total circumference of 1,580 feet with a height of 32 feet. The fort is enclosed by a wet moat, and it’s estimated that nearly 25 million bricks were used to construct the fortress. Guests who visit can experience musket and soldier demonstrations, ranger presentations, guided fort tours and cannon firing.
Fort McAllister State Historic Park
Bryan County (Southwest of Savannah)
Contact: (912) 727-2339
Web site: gastateparks.org/info/ftmcallister
Admission: $2.50 to $4
This 1,700-acre park is located between the Ogeechee River and Red Bird Creek. Fort McAllister was a Confederate earthwork fortification that was attacked seven times before it was capture by General William T. Sherman in 1864. Guests can take a self-guided tour by walking around the fort and through the interior, and a 32-pound smoothbore gun that fires cannonballs is on display. If the self-guided tour doesn’t excite you, then walk through the museum to see Civil War shells, weapons and artifacts.
Andersonville National Historic Site
120 miles south of downtown Atlanta
Contact: (912) 924-0343
Web site: nps.gov/ande
Admission: No charge
This historic site is comprised of the Andersonville National Cemetery, the National Prisoners of War Museum and the Andersonville Prison, which was once Camp Sumter. Andersonville National Cemetery was established to honor more than 12,000 soldiers, and the cemetery is still an active burial site for veterans. The National POW museum has a bookstore, research library, exhibits and a 20-minute film narrated by retired General Colin Powell. Camp Sumter was one of the largest military prisons during the Civil War with a population of nearly 45,000 Union soldiers, and today the size of the prison captures guests’ attention.
Fort Jackson
Chatham County (Savannah)
Contact: (912) 232-3945
Web site: chsgeorgia.org/Jackson
Admission: Students and seniors (55 and up) $4.25; Military and AAA $3.75; No charge Children (6 and under)
Fort Jackson, also known as Old Fort Jackson, was built before the Civil War in 1802, and is the oldest standing fortress in the United States. The fort was named after James Jackson, Georgia governor and Revolutionary War soldier. Fort Jackson was built to defend the city of Savannah from naval attack. Today, the Coastal Heritage Society maintains the fortress and surrounding area with no help from the state or local government. Visitors can watch a short film discussing the history of the fort and experience cannon firing demonstrations, which occur daily during the summer.
Stone Mountain Park
Atlanta
Contact: (770) 498-5702
Web site: stonemountainpark.com/
Admission: $8 entrance fee per car
This park has been coined “the official playground of Atlanta.” Stone Mountain Park comprises 3,200-acres located just outside of Atlanta. It is open year-round and has various indoor and outdoor activities for the family. The centerpiece of the park is the Confederate memorial carved on the mountain, featuring 90-foot by 190-foot carvings of Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, and Stonewall Jackson. The carved figures are said to be larger than Mount Rushmore and took almost 60 years to complete. There are also two museums located within the park that showcase Civil War artifacts, paintings and dioramas. The park offers visitors a wide range of activities from 15-miles of nature trails and a day of fishing in the 363-acre lake to dining at Southern-style cooking restaurants and shopping at handmade arts and crafts gift shops.
Old Governor’s Mansion
Milledgeville
Contact: (912) 543-4545
Web site: www2.gcsu.edu/mansion/
Admission: $3
Located on South Clark Street in Milledgeville, the Old Governor’s Mansion dates back to 1838. Ten Georgia governors resided in the Greek revival style home from 1838 to 1868. State governors George Crawford, Howell Cobb and Joseph E. Brown all called the Old Governors Mansion home and held political speeches there. In 2001, the mansion was restored after several years of historical and material research. The mansion was established as a National Historic Landmark in 1973, and today it’s considered a house museum. The museum offers visitors a chance to understand how people’s lives in Georgia changed over time and how these changes shaped the state into what it is today.
National Civil War Naval Museum at Port Columbus
On the Chattahoochee River (Columbus)
Contact: (706) 327-9798
Web site: portcolumbus.org/
Admission: $6.50 (Adults); $5 (Students); $5.50 (Seniors)
The National Civil War Naval Museum opened in 1962 and was originally intended to demonstrate Georgia’s role in making weapons for the Confederacy during the Civil War. The museum expanded in 2001 and has become an attraction for families and groups of students. There are more than seven exhibits offered for guests to visit including the USS Watch Witch Project, the CSS Jackson, the USS Monitor and the CSS Albemarle.
