Shrines of the Confederacy
 

My wife and I are thinking of flying to Atlanta in late April, renting a car, and visiting several of the battlefields and other shrines of the Confederacy. We're having a few differences of opinion on what to see and where to start. Do any of you out there have any suggestions?

Go to your local library & check out "Confederates in the Attic", the story of a modern day battle field tour with a Civil War reenactor & a reporter. It's available in paperback too. Humorous, and gives details of some battlefields & how a reenactor views them. Check out Georgia tourism too. Virginia has a driving tour of "Lee's Retreat" that ends up at Appomattox, Georgia must have something similar.

I must say that the previous message may steer you in the wrong direction. Your absolute first stop and destination is Georgia Stone Mountain Theme Park, the eigth wonder of the world. The Park is located only about 17 miles from Atlanta. They even provide hotel accomodations though you will probably need reservations. This theme park is a complete all inclusive watering ground for not only learning all you need to know about Southern Heritage but experiencing Southern history as well. Plus, you be able to see a fantastic light and laser show using a natural environmental screen--the entire side of a mountain. While your at the theme park, you will be amazed by the stone gravings of Robert E.Lee and Stonewall Jackson which are as large as the side of a mountain. This is truly the place to be to experience the Southern half of America, and understand why the War Between the States was fought. At the Theme Park you will be able to get information on the other Confederate Battlegounds and Historic sites in the State.

I forgot to mention. Check out the website at http://www.stonemountainpark.org

Thanks for the great advice, but I'm not so sure about visiting a "theme park." I break out in a rash when I visit such hyped up places like Disneyxx and Universal Studios. Is Stone Mountain different?

Yes. Stone Mountain Park is much different. None of your sterotypical animated characters( don't have to worry about Disney's Indians getting you with an arrow--true nonsense). None of your scary Terminator or King Kong or "Tornado" trash. Just good wholesome fun and educational. You will leave the park alive, in a good disposition, and you won't get nightmares.

Here we go! Sorry, folks, though it's impressive, we found Stone Mountain nothing more than a monument to slavery. And, as such, we didn't enjoy it at all!

Obviuosly the previous message by "No Name" is a sham. Realizing he made a totally unfounded and inflammatory statement is the reason "No Name" refuses to reveal his true name. <BR> <BR> John, why don't you do everyone a favor and visit the Georgia Stone Mountain Theme Park and then report back to us on your perception of the Park. I'm sure you will have a truly rewarding experience that you will cherish for many years. And you will want to return year after year. You will also realize that the Confederate States of America banned the importation of slaves and slavery. One thing I will tell you about the South. You will never find a Black man or elderly Black woman living inside a cardboard box in subfreezing temperature on the sidewalk or sleeping in the subways like you see every day in Philadelphia, New York, and other Northern metropolitan areas. It seems to me that the large Northern urban cities are monuments to slavery.

Hey, AMS, I think you've inhaled too much of that asbestos in unsafe Florida!

Getting back to the original question; another good book is Alice Cromie's book "Tour Guide to the Civil War." The book give a quick overview of what happened during the US Civil War, at just about town and intersection in every state; and then what is viewable there. Even if there's nothing more than a plaque saying "There was a battle here"; the book tells you that. <BR> <BR>More info on the book is at <BR> <BR>http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...090216-9806866 <BR> <BR>Although the Battle for Atlanta was a pivotal one in this conflict within the U.S., there is no central national or state park dealing with it. The battle sites are too spread and urbanized to do so. Instead there is a series of plaques saying "There was a battle here." The only exception is Kennesaw Mountain Nat Park. <BR> <BR>It might be better to head northwest towards Chattanooga, where Chickamauga Nat Military Park well covers another major battle of this US war.

If you are into "shrines," I suggest you drive down to Andersonville, GA, and see the place where thousands and thousands of unarmed Union Army prisoners of war were systematically starved to death, died of exposure and needless disease, or were shot when they went mad in the heat and the cold because they had no shelter, food, or fit drinking water.

Also on the original question: I would recommend you check out the "Database of Travel Helpers" at <BR>http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/2442/database.html <BR>These are true volunteers who, for NO financial gain, list areas they know about & are willing to answer questions on. You can email a local expert & they will answer your questions. <BR>You may have already seen Civil War sites in Virginia - but in case you haven't - you can email me (remove the nospam) & I will be able to share fascinating facts about where Stonewall Jackson's arm is buried (and why it is not with the rest of his body), why the Battle of the Crater (which is really just a big hole) was a disaster for the north even after those miners made a really nice explosion, why Abraham Lincoln visited Hopewell, and who really burned Richmond. Also Museum of confederacy is here, just 4 blocks from the Maggie Walker house & museum (the first female bank president in the US who just happened to be African-American, at a time when women couldn't even vote - that is another story!) Have a good trip where ever you decide to go.

To Al Ruth: Buddy boy, those POWs down who suffered at Andersonville died because of one Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln started the War by invading the South. He blockaded the South with the superior Union Navy thus ensuring hunger of all who lived in the South. Lincoln also refused POW swaps so as to allow Yankee numerical superiority take effect. Know your facts, boy.

In addition to the excellent advice above, the battlefields around Chatanooga Tenn are intersting and nearby (Missionary Ridge). You can also see some of the Smokey Mountains (Read the book Cold Mountain, if you haven't. It takes place there during the Civil War). <BR>Beyond this area you will have to drive either to the Mississippi area (Vicksburg) or go in the other direction. <BR>The absolute best memorials, museums, and battlefields are in Northern Virginia up to Gettysburg, Pa. In and around Richmond Virginia. <BR>It depends on how involved and how much time you have.

Derek: what an interesting view of history you have. Lincoln started the war (I was taught that this was always to be called The War Between The States) by invading the South...so he fired the first shots at Ft. Sumter? The North seceeded?

Thanks for all the great advice! It's beginning to look like we may have to take two trips--one in the spring and one in the fall--to see all the good stuff! <BR>When does the weather cool down enough in the fall to make travel comfortable? (Our spring travel dates are set; we'll have to take whatever weather we get).

John, you could also drive into South Carolina to see Ft. Sumter. I can't say there is a lot to see, as the fort is pretty much a ruin now, but if you want to see where it began (when the South attacked the Union forces)... You take a boat out to the fort and get a 15 minute presentation by the Park Service, then get to spend the rest of the hour looking around the fort. You might also enjoy spending a couple of days in Charleston while there. Charleston is definitely all its cracked up to be. I can't say that I am as familiar with the Civil War sites in the Atlanta area, but I do know there is Ft. Pulaski at Savannah. Probably the best concentration of battlefields anywhere is from Richmond to Washington, D.C. There you have Fredricksburg, Chancellorsville, the Wilderness, Gaines Mill, Cold Harbor, Malvern Hill, Bull Run, and a host of others. Then just a little further north you can visit Antietam and Gettysburg. <BR> <BR>As a Southerner myself, I find it very interesting how much controversy postings on this part of the country tend to stir up. I look at it this way: the Civil War is a huge part of the South's history - expect people to be concerned with it here. Expect to see lots of monuments and even flags (that doesn't mean you have to agree with it flying over a state capitol building). By all means, come to the South, experience its culture, and learn about the history but try not to be so critical. We are not all like you see on Mayberry, the Dukes of Hazzard, or Gone With the Wind. There is still some of the Old South here, but not as much as you might expect or fear. In actuality, for most Southerners the Civil War is just that - history. For those from the South who don't seem to understand this, the Civil War is over. We started it, and thankfully we lost it. It was the most tragic period in our nation's history. Sure some of its effects are still with us today, but let's move on. Before any fellow Southerners attack me on this one, I just want you to know that I grew up in the South, I had ancestors who fought for the South, I have always been fascinated by the Civil War, and I took courses in college on the Civil War (and other military history) taught by a Southerner.

Al, <BR> Fort Sumter is in Charleston Bay, South Carolina. Learn your geography.

To Dan Woodlief, two messages up. <BR>You are a scalywag, full fledged. Your Confederate ancestors would be turning in their graves if they knew of your statements. <BR> <BR>The War Between the States is probably one of the most complex and interesting periods of history. Scholars have been debating for many years why the War was fought or who started the War. Those issues are personally decided based upon a personal interpretation. My interpretation is that the South was right and that Lincoln started the War. However, if there is anything that can be agreed upon about this period it is that a conclusive statement of who started the War and right and wrong cannot be conclusively stated. I think that being you clain to be Southerner, in deference to your ancestors, may they rest in peace, you should have least acknowledged the uncertainty and complexity in drawing any definitive conclusion about the War.

I almost hate to ask this (lest I incite patriotic passions), but what is a "scalywag"? Since it appears to come in a "full fledged" version I must assume it is a bird. But what kind? And is it common?

The correct spelling is "scalawag." A scalawag was a white Southerner acting as a Republican during the Reconstruction. In other words, a collaborator.

Interesting geography correction, considering that I never said exactly where Ft. Sumter is. Given that I went there about 5 months ago, I can assure you I know very well where it is located. In addition, I would challenge you to a geography game anytime. As far as the scalawag comment goes, I would may have fought for the South if I had lived during that time. Who knows? However, I didn't grow up in those times. My opinions and ideals have been shaped by my own time. I am a Democrat now, so if I had the same ideals then, I guess I could have been a Republican. I am very well aware of the complexities of the war. I try not to simplify history, considering that I studied history in grad school for three years. I don't remember discussing the causes, except to say that the South fired the first shots. Since it was not in self-defense, I would think that began the war. I will hold to my belief that the South has been better off due to losing the war. I am glad to have grown up in the U.S. rather than the Confederate States. No honor to my ancestors. They were not slave holders and came from a small farm community, and I believe they fought simply for North Carolina (there goes your understanding of complexities).

Before you correct me again, I know there are a couple of typos in my message. It is late, and I have to put my daughter to bed.

Thanks everyone. You are giving me some great information! Just one thing: being from the West, I'm traveling to the South WITHOUT any preconceptions or biases. I have about as an open a mind about this as I have ever had about anything (and, yes, I have studied American history and know all the basics). But I feel that I really have to travel in the South to understand what it is all about (something neither de Tocquecille's journals nor History Channel documentaries can give me). And, darn it, I AM curious!

listen if you all want to debate the civil war,go to a civil war chat room and knock yourselves out.please keep fodors a travel advice site!!!!!

O.K. Dan, I can now better understand your views. I guess there are some individuals with Southern Ancestors who believe as you do as there are some Northerners who believe the North was wrong. However, in comparing the U.S. with what might have been, we really have nothing to compare it to. The Confederate States of America existed only for 4 years. Had the dynasty of the Confederate States lasted 10 to 30 years, perhaps, a valid comparison could have been made.

After reading prior posts & now knowing where you are from - I once again HIGHLY RECOMMEND "Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War" by Tony Horwitz. I pulled out my copy again to make sure it was as good as I recall, & it WILL help plan your journey. The best chapter is about the author & an acquaintance, a very committed reenactor, as they tour battlefields in search of the perfect "Civil Wargasm." Read the book, it's great. <BR>Sincerely - a woman who lives in a state where Robert E. Lee's birthday, Stonewall Jackson's birthday, & Martin Luther King Day are all celebrated enthusiastically on the same day!

Thanks again, Joy, for the book recommendation. I've ordered it from that jungle outfit. <BR>But "Undecided" is right. There's more to this trip than the Civil War (though it is quite definitely the leitmotif). <BR>What are the distances involved? Can we do Georgia, the Carolinas, and western Tennessee in one trip? Or should we plan on two? Will we be traveling by Interstate freeway or by rural roads? <BR>How about lodging? Or food? (I guess we don't have to worry about Atlanta, Charleston, and Savannah, since there are enough postings on this forum already.) <BR>How about the countryside. I've vaguely heard people talk about "Low-country cooking." Is there such a thing, and if so, where do we find it? <BR>Are there any coastal areas not yet overrun by condominiums? ? ? ? <BR>

John, I don't know how long you are going to be here. In a 1 1/2 week trip, I would think you could do all that. There is a good highway system throughout that area. I have traveled to Charleston, but that was from NC, and I have traveled to western Tenn, but that was from NC and from the Kentucky side, so I don't know much about specifics in regards to the highways from other directions. To give you an idea of travel times, Asheville, NC to Charleston is supposed to be about 5 hours, so I would add an hour or so to get to the Tennessee border. Atlanta to Charleston is about 6 hours. It would be a lot of driving, but you would get a chance to see a lot of southern landscapes while doing it: the mountains, coastal plain, and inland areas. Low country cooking is available in abundance in places like Charleston. I am not an expert on it, so I will leave that for someone else. I don't think anyone answered your question about the weather. July and August are very very hot. Here in NC, from the first of October it is pretty comfortable and maybe not too bad in mid to late September. It will be cooler in the mountains of course, and I have heard that it is pretty toasty in Charleston as late as October (when it can easily be in the 80s). I would pick mid to late October for Fall. It would be more comfortable then, and the leaves in the mountains are gorgeous at that time. Accomodations are plentiful. In most places, you can get a motel for as low as 30-40 a night, and there are certainly options at higher prices too. In Charleston, you have the option of a quaint old inn at $200 and up, a chain hotel in the historic section, or a cheaper chain motel outside (eg., Mt. Pleasant - do not stay at the Red Roof Inn there). <BR> <BR>To Undecided: I agree that these posts in abundance can be annoying. That is one reason for my original post. It seems that everytime questions on the South, and especially the Civil War, come up, someone trys to make it political. I was just trying to say that peoples' stereotypes of the South are not always true, and that we should not run from our history, but instead study it and learn from it. Actually, to a degree, these posts have everything to do with travel.

If you are in the Atlanta area and interested in Civil War history, you may want to check out the Cyclorama. This museum is devoted to this particular era and has a unique presentation and theatre build specifically to present this history. Seeing the whole place only takes an hour or two, but it might be worth checking out. The Atlanta Historical Society might also be able to help you -- I don't know how to contact them, but perhaps you could find them on the web.

Thanks you guys. This is really great advice! I do appreciate it. I am also beginning to get a whiff of what true Southern Hospitality is all about! <BR>It looks like we'll have to split this trip into two parts: a short one-week get-acquainted trip in late April, limited to Atlanta and the southern mountains (including a visit to Georgia's Stone Mountain Theme Park), and then a longer return trip in late October or early November, to travel through Virginia and the Carolinas. <BR>I had thought of visiting England in the fall, but I've been there; this Southern Heritage trip is beginning to sound a lot more exciting than Europe.

John, welcome to Atlanta. Take the word "Theme" out of Stone Mountain Park and you'll get a better picture. It's really more of a state park with a couple of attractions. <BR> <BR>If you need hotel or restaurant recommendations (I owe you) please post back with what you're looking for.

Thanks, Brian. I'll take you up on that as soon as I have the exact dates.

Yep. Jist as I thawed. Some of the rebs is still alife an' doin' good.

And I still say, if I wanted to participate in some living history about the Civil War, I sure as hell would not pick Stone Mountain, where there is so much else to see in the entire South!