Heading South? Don't miss Atlanta's historic countryside in Kennesaw, GA, home to the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History and Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. The Southern Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate, was named "Travel Attraction of the Year" by the Southeast Tourism Society and received a "Best Idea" award from the Georgia Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus, and both venues were recently voted best historic site for families by the readers of Our Kids Atlanta magazine. Kennesaw Mountain also earned a 2003 Readers Choice Award for Favorite Historic Site from Georgia Magazine.
The Southern Museum is a must-see destination for train and Civil War enthusiasts; it is the home of the world-famous locomotive, the General that was stolen by Union spies during the Civil War's exciting Great Locomotive Chase. Led by James J. Andrews, the spies, most of who hailed from Ohio, were chased by Confederate Conductor William Fuller and stopped just before they reached the Tennessee line. Some of the spies were among the first recipients of the Medal of Honor, and the Museum has Sgt. John Scott's medal on display. The daring raid is captured in a short film.
The Museum also houses two other permanent collections, including Railroads: Lifelines of the Civil War and Glover Machine Works: Casting a New South. The Railroads collection details how railroads were used to ship troops, weapons, and medical supplies during the war. An integral part of the Railroads collection are the James A. Liesendahl Collection and the George Wray and Family Collection, which feature a wide variety of rare Confederate weaponry, uniforms, personal items, musical instruments, and other items that illustrate life during this period of national strife.
The Glover Collection chronicles the role industry played in rebuilding the South after the Civil War. This interactive collection features the only full-scale belt-driven