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Fort Pulaski National Monument
Address: US Highway 80 E
Savannah, GA 31410
Phone: 912-786-5787 or 912-786-5788
Fax: 912-786-6023
Overview. The Fort Pulaski National Monument site covers 5,365 acres and features a fort dating from before the Civil War, maintained in its original state. The fort itself covers approximately an acre, its parapet rising 20 feet high, with seven-and-a-half-foot-thick walls surrounded by an eight-foot moat. Fort Pulaski took 18 years and an estimated 25 million bricks to build; it was occupied by Confederate soldiers from the time of its completion in 1847 until it was wrested away by Union forces in 1862. The 30-hour bombardment that resulted in the fort's seizure proved that fortresses were not invincible, and changed military defense strategies the world over. Fort Pulaski is also notable for having been the first assignment of Robert E. Lee upon his graduation from West Point.
What to see and do. Stop by the national monument's visitor center. There you'll see a 17-minute film, "The Battle for Fort Pulaski," which dramatizes the siege and surrender of the fort. The visitor center also has informative historical exhibits, a bookstore, and a gift shop. Ranger-led walks through the fort's interior are available throughout the day during summer months and on weekends during the rest of the year. Visitors might want to take a self-guided tour of the beautiful marshland territory surrounding the fort along a quarter-mile trail. Recreational opportunities offered in the vicinity of the national monument include fishing, shellfishing, and boating. Call for tour schedules and other information.
Chickamauga & Chattanooga Nat'l Military Pk
Address: Highway 27 PO Box 2128
Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742
Phone: 706-866-9241 or 423-752-5213
Fax: 423-752-5215
Overview. In November 1863, the Union army defeated the Confederates in the battle for Chattanooga, a strategic railroad point on the Georgia-Tennessee border. Earlier in September, the Union army had suffered defeat in the dense forests and hilly terrain of Chickamauga and Lookout Mountain, but reinforcements enabled them to push back the surrounding Confederate troops. In these two battles, spread over 150 miles of front lines and unusual for the difficult natural conditions, thousands of men lost lives so that General Sherman could establish his base for the march toward Atlanta and the sea. Established in 1890, this is the first and largest national military park. Its preservation and development set the example for all other military parks.What to see and do. Plan on spending several hours between the three major sections of the 8200-acre park. Begin at the visitor center at the entrance to Point Park on Lookout Mountain. At the Ochs Museum, look through several exhibits, then head outside. Video tours are available of areas that are not handicapped-accessible. Several hiking trails take you up Lookout Mountain, where you best understand the Union's strategic problems involved in assaulting Confederate positions. Be prepared to climb many steps. On your way up, let yourself be distracted by the beautiful countryside. The view from Lookout Mountain out over the Tennessee River is spectacular. While you're on the mountain, take a guided tour of Cravens House (open seasonally). Continue your day at Chickamauga Battlefield, starting at the visitor center. Watch a 26-minute multimedia presentation telling you about the Battle of Chickamauga, look through the extensive Fuller Gun Collection, and pick up your battlefield map or rent an auto tour tape. Along the seven-mile tour road you'll see over 1400 monuments and markers, the most on any U.S. battlefield. Bikes are permitted on the paved road, and horse trails connected to the horse unloading area welcome horseback riders. During the busy summer season, sign up for a tour. During your tour you'll see many living history demonstrations of rifle battles and signaling, which was crucial in this battle spread over so much area. Finish up your tour on Missionary Ridge. Along this route, stop by several smaller places called "reservations," like the Bragg and Ohio reservations. Throughout your tour, feel free to picnic at several areas. Wheelchairs are available at the visitors centers, open from 8 AM to 5:45 PM summers, until 4:45 PM winters and closed on Christmas Day. Call ahead to see which of several special events, both summer and winter, are taking place during your visit. Leashed pets are permitted.
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
Address: 900 Kennesaw Mountain Dr
Kennesaw, GA 30152
Phone: 770-427-4686
Fax: 770-528-8398
Overview. Union General William Tecumseh Sherman began his 1864 Atlanta Campaign in early May, employing a series of flanking maneuvers to gain mile after mile of Confederate soil. By early June, he reached Marietta, and found that these tactics were ineffective against General Joseph Johnston's Confederate troops massed on Kennesaw Mountain, in the now-famous Kennesaw Line. On June 27, Sherman attacked the entrenched Confederates head-on in a pitched, up-hill battle that proved disastrous for his Union forces. Sherman subsequently returned to his old strategy, successfully took Marietta, and pushed Johnston's troops back across the Chattahoochee River by mid-July. Johnston was replaced by General John Bell Hood, who took the offensive and pursued Sherman's troops with aggressive zeal, only to suffer immense casualties at Peachtree Creek, Ezra Church, and Jonesboro. Hood proved unable to defend Atlanta, which fell to the Union Army on September 2, 1864. What to see and do. Give yourself about two hours to see the visitor center and hike on the 2,884-acre site. At the center, open from 8:30 AM to 5 PM winters and later in summer (closed only on Christmas Day), begin your visit by watching an 18-minute movie (a captioned version is available). Exhibits and brochures prepare you for your drive up the mountain. On weekends, you can take the shuttle bus or follow it should you be unable to ride it. During the summer, you can watch living history programs performed on the Cheatham Hill battlefield or participate in ranger programs. Kennesaw Mountain is still a lovely area; take advantage of the 16 miles of hiking trails. They are broken up into several loops, some longer and some shorter. Along the way, look for the remains of Confederate entrenchments. Because they are fragile, old earthworks, the park asks that you stay on the paths and not disturb them. Feel free to picnic in the designated areas. Leashed pets are permitted. Handicapped-accessible facilities are available. The park is particularly busy in summertime because of its location close to urban areas, so traffic on the mountain road can be heavy. Be prepared for hot humid summer weather.
Fort Frederica National Monument
Address: 6515 N. Frederica Rd
St. Simons Island, GA 31522
Phone: 912-638-3639
Fax: 912-638-3639
Overview.0 In the early 18th century, the Spanish and British still struggled for control of the southern colonies. Florida remained in Spanish hands, while James Oglethorpe claimed Georgia for Britain. In 1736, the town of Frederica was built on St. Simons Island off the Georgia coast in order to discourage Spanish assault. Once a thriving British garrison, the fort fell into disuse once the Spanish had been permanently repulsed. By 1758 it was in ruins. The site now serves as a memorial to colonial military life before the Revolutionary War.
What to see and do.0 Both history buffs and nature lovers enjoy this park, which is open from 8 AM to 5 PM daily except for Christmas. At the visitor center, a 25-minute film, This is Frederica, 0 and touch-screen computers introduce you to the park's history. The center's small museum exhibits artifacts collected from the site, and you can rent a self-guided audio tour here. No vehicles or bikes are permitted in the town site, though a golf cart is available for mobility-impaired persons. On your walking tour, stop by the outside exhibits that explain how mid-18th-century life was lived. No buildings have been restored, but you can see the foundations of houses and the ruins of the barracks and magazine. On summer weekends, sign up for a ranger tour. Be sure to look about at the beautiful scenery: a lush garden of huge oak trees, Spanish moss, and over 200 species of birds. This southern environment was part of the colonists' lives. During the late spring and early fall, insects were also part of their lives, and yours too, so bring insect repellent to ward off the gnats, mosquitoes, and biting flies.
Call ahead to learn the schedules of many special programs such as the Fort Frederica Festival held the first Saturday in March. You may reserve school educational programs during the academic year. Leashed pets are permitted. Admission fees are $3 per person 16 and older. Closed on Christmas Day.
Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
Address: 1978 Island Ford Pkwy
Atlanta, GA 30350
Phone: 770-399-8070
Fax: 770-392-7045
Overview. Derived from a Creek American Indian word meaning "river of painted rocks," the Chattahoochee River begins in the northern mountains of Georgia at Coon Den Ridge. North of Atlanta, 48 miles of the Chattahoochee River and nine separate parks make up the National Recreation Area. Winding through four counties, the river has always served the transportation needs of various cultures along its banks. Native American archaeological sites and 19th-century historic structures remind visitors of the area's long, varied history. As a day-use site, the area teems with people escaping urban Atlanta. During the summer months, the cool waters provide exquisite relief from the sultry southern sun.
What to see and do. Though the river is the park's main attraction, hikers, joggers, and picnickers have as many opportunities to enjoy themselves. At the park headquarters, Island Ford, detailed maps of the 50-plus miles of trails can be picked up at the bookstore, or the public may request maps by letter or phone. These trails lead you down by the river, through meadows, or into gorges. Don't miss the extensive 18th-century paper mill ruins along historic Sope Creek, part of the Cochran Shoals Unit. At Cochran Shoals, you may also want to work your way through the 22 exercise stations dotting the Cochran Fitness Trail. Bring cameras to capture the many species of birds. You'll have no problem locating one of the numerous picnic areas.
If the river is more your speed, you have ample opportunity to put your own crafts in at several boat landings or to rent canoes and rafts from three sites: Johnson Ferry, Powers Island, and Paces Mill. The rental season begins weekends in May and then continues daily Memorial Day through Labor Day. A shuttle bus operates between the sites so you don't have to worry about your car. With your Georgia license and trout stamp, feel free to fish this stocked stream boasting 23 species of game fish.
The area is open year-round from 7 a.m. until 30 minutes prior to sunset. Large picnic pavilions at the Johnson Ferry South and Abbotts Bridge units may be reserved by calling the concessioner, Chattahoochee Outdoor Center, at 770-395-6851.
Jimmy Carter National Historic Site
Address: 300 North Bond
Plains, GA 31780
Phone: 912-824-4104
Fax: 912-824-3441
Overview. James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, the 39th president of the United States, served from 1976 to 1980. He is best known for his peace mission in the Middle East and his activism in human rights. Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, returned to Plains after his term was over and continue to live there today. The historic site includes the Plains Railroad Depot, the Carter Boyhood Home, Plains High School Visitor Center/Museum, and the former president's current residence. The railroad depot, built in 1888, served as Carter's campaign headquarters in 1976.
What to see and do. At the restored Plains High School Visitor Center/Museum, you'll find a large selection of books about Jimmy Carter as well as exhibits of photographs and other mementos, and a 25-minute film about Carter's life and work. You can take a self-guided tour of Plains, or rent an audiotape and take a guided auto or walking tour. The Carter residence is closed to the public.
The visitor center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. No pets are permitted. Handicapped-accessible facilities are available.
Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail
Address: 100 Alabama St SW National Park Service Southeast Region
Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: 404-562-3124
Fax: 404-562-3257
Overview. The Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail was established in 1980 to preserve and commemorate one of the significant turning points in America's War for Independence. The events that make the trail so significant in America's history can be briefly summarized as follows: By 1780 the war had been going on for five long years that had seen much hardship and many reversals for the American patriots. In that year, British forces decided on a new tactic. They believed that the southern colonies, with a little pressure, could be roused and recruited to fight for the British cause. To accomplish this, the British commander Charles Cornwallis appointed Major Patrick Ferguson to take military action against South Carolina's militia groups and recruit men to fight for the British. The British got far more then they counted on. Retaliation against their attempts to subdue and recruit patriotic militiamen was swift and surprisingly well organized. Militia groups from North and South Carolina, as well as the Appalachian mountain territory that would later become Tennessee, grouped together and marched east to strike against the British under Ferguson. After a 14-day, 300-mile march across the Appalachian mountains, the militiamen fought and defeated Ferguson and his troops at the Battle of Kings Mountain. This was not only a victory on a local level but a firm blow that had repercussions in all of the colonies, leading to the surrender of the British at Yorktown, Virginia, almost exactly one year later in October 1781. Thomas Jefferson later referred to the Battle of Kings Mountain as "that turn of the tide of success."
What to see and do. The Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, named for the Tennessee-region militia (the "Over-mountain" men) that fought in the decisive battle, is the trail that was blazed in that fateful 14-day march. It stretches from Abingdon, Virginia and Elkins, North Carolina to Kings Mountain National Military Park in South Carolina. Although much of the original trail is now road and highway, 24 miles of the original trail remain accessible foot trails that lead through the Appalachians. Altogether the National Park Service designates eight hiking sections which lead through scenic territory and will give you some insight into the terrain encountered by the patriot militias of the Revolutionary War as well as the history of the region. Each year reenactors from the Overmountain Victory Trail Association make a two-week trek from Abingdon to Kings Mountain National Military Park to commemorate this vital event in America's history. For information about historic sites along the trail, trail accessibility, and trail conditions, contact the National Park Service's Southeast Regional office in Atlanta at 404-562-3124, ext. 601.
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