Sharp's Travels

We have talked about going to the Civil War Museum in Kennesaw and today was the day.

We were ready to head out by 10:30 am. The traffic wasn’t bad. It was located about 20 miles from Atlanta, just off HWY 75. First we did the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History in Kennesaw.

We read about the personal accounts of life during the Civil Was through the photographs, weapons, uniforms, and personal effects of the soldiers and learn the vital role the railroads played during the conflict.

Glover Machine Works worked tirelessly to build locomotives that helped rebuild the South after the Civil War. Located here is a full-scale reproduction of a belt-driven locomotive assembly line. It shows you the building process, including a pattern shop, factory equipment and two locomotives in various stages of completion.

We saw an exciting movie on the Great Locomotive Chase when Conductor William Fuller chased Andrews Raiders when they stole the locomotive “The General” to cut off the rail supply lines to the South. The General is restored and on site there.

We also visited Kennesaw Mountain, a 2,888 acre National Park, where in 1864 William T Sherman’s advance toward Atlanta was delayed for two weeks at Kennesaw Mountain by Confederates under General Joseph E Johnston. The unsuccessful attack produced 3,000 casualties, primarily at Cheatham Hill. Fifty years later, surviving Illinois veterans dedicated a monument at that location to their fallen comrades. Preserved here are the strong earthwork trenches largely responsible for the temporary Southern victory and the remains of a tunnel that was being dug to blow up the enemy.

We returned home by 6:30pm and caught up on a few favorite TV shows.