In Search of the Old South

In Search of the Old South

Gone With the Wind enthusiasts coming to Atlanta for the first time are often disappointed to discover that Scarlett O'Hara's beloved plantation, Tara, was no more real than Scarlett herself. But history buffs can find antebellum treasures in towns like Marietta and Kennesaw (about 20 mi northwest of Atlanta) and Roswell (about 23 mi north of Atlanta).

Marietta was occupied by Union troops in the summer of 1864 as they marched south toward Atlanta. The town square and some other buildings were burned, but many of the gracious old homes remained. The Marietta Museum of History (1 Depot St. NE, Marietta. 770/528-0431. www.mariettahistory.org), on the 2nd floor of the historic 1845 Kennesaw House, traces the history of Cobb County. The Marietta Gone With the Wind Museum (18 Whitlock Ave. 770/794-5576. www.mariettaga.gov/gonewind) pays homage to the movie with props and costumes.

A few miles north of Marietta are two sights not to be missed by Civil War buffs. The 2,884-acre Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield (Old U.S. 41 and Stilesboro Rd., Kennesaw. 770/427-4686. www.nps.gov/kemo) was the site for crucial battles in 1864. The National Park Service maintains 16 mi of well-used hiking trails. On weekends a shuttle bus to the top of the mountain runs every half-hour. A small museum has uniforms, weapons, and other items from the era. The fascinating Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History (2829 Cherokee St., Kennesaw. 770/427-2117. www.southernmuseum.org) is the home of the General, a locomotive stolen by Union forces from the Confederates during the Civil War. Although the General is hard to beat, don't miss the large Glover Machine Works factory display, which includes the country's only restored belt-driven locomotive assembly line.

Roswell's historic district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Like Marietta and other nearby towns, it was occupied by Union forces in 1864. They burned down its mills and charged the 400 women and children who had produced cloth for Confederate uniforms with treason. The Roswell Presbyterian Church served as a hospital during the war. Three of the historic founders' homes, all built in the 1840s, survived the war and are open daily for tours. Barrington Hall (535 Barrington Dr., Roswell. 770/640-3253. www.cvb.roswell.ga.us) is widely recognized as one of the nation's best examples of Greek-revival architecture. Bulloch Hall (180 Bulloch Ave., Roswell. 770/640-3253. www.cvb.roswell.ga.us) was the childhood home of Mittie Roosevelt, mother of President Teddy Roosevelt and grandmother of Eleanor Roosevelt. It has a nice museum shop. The original furniture of the Archibald Smith family fills Smith Plantation (935 Alpharetta St., Roswell. 770/640-3253. www.cvb.roswell.ga.us).