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).

The Marietta Museum of History (1 Depot St., Marietta. 770/794-5710. 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/gwtw/default.aspx) pays homage to the movie with props and costumes.

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. 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.

Barrington Hall (535 Barrington Dr., Roswell. 770/640-3253. www.cvb.roswell.ga.us/barrington-hall.html) 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/bulloch-hall.html) 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/smith-plantation-home.html).