Kennesaw's Wallis house and Civil War signal station: Georgia Tech student creates 3D drawings to help in new interpretation of field hospital, HQ site

The side and front of the closed Wallis house (Picket photos) and Union Maj, Gen. O.O. Howard

Maj. Gen. Oliver O. Howard made a wise choice by picking the Josiah Wallis house for his headquarters during the Union advance on Kennesaw Mountain in Georgia. Rising near the circa 1853 dwelling is Harriston Hill, which was a perfect spot for a signal station because of its sweeping view of the valley leading to the Confederate lines atop the mountain.

The Wallis House, which served as a field hospital for both sides in June 1864, survives today. though it is in pretty rough condition. Harriston Hill, also known as Signal Hill, includes remnants of Confederate earthworks. Now part of Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, the two sites – separated by a subdivision -- await new use. The park says they can add a largely missing element: interpreting to visitors the Federal strategy at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain.

There’s a lot of work being conducted before that goal is accomplished.

A master of architecture candidate at Georgia Tech in Atlanta has used LiDar (remote sensing technology) and a drone to create a model of the Wallis House for the National Park Service, which operates the park. He is wrapping up drawings for use in a historic structure report (HSR) that will be completed by the park next spring and used as a launching point on recommendations for use of the properties.

The two marked park parcels at left, features of the Wallis house at right (NPS, click to enlarge)

“Any time you have a chance to get to know a building is exciting, to understand it’s story a little more,” said Danielle Willkens, an associate professor of architecture at Georgia Tech. “You are on hallowed ground and that is palpable. There is another level of responsibility attached to the site.”

Willkens and student Thomas Bordeaux have been working with Suzanne Roche, the park’s first archaeologist. She told the Picket officials would like to see the two-bedroom Wallis house available to park visitors at some point, but it will require repairs and upgrades.

“Everyone is excited about having this house,” Roche said during a recent phone call. “They (park rangers) have been incorporating some interpretive information in their talks.”

It took years to protect and transfer site to park service

The Georgia Tech survey and a November 2021 NPS cultural landscape report on the Wallis farm and Signal Hill have brought new energy to the site, which has largely been out of the headlines in recent years.

The Wallis house was in “imminent danger” of being demolished, according to an NPS official who provided a statement to Congress in June 2010 in support of enlarging the park to include the sites. A developer had purchased 27 acres, including Harriston Hill and the Wallis homestead, in 2002, according to the official. 

Charlie Crawford, president emeritus of the Georgia Battlefields Association, recalls arguing against a rezoning for much of Signal Hill. “Although the Wallis house parcel was not part of the rezoning application, I said that the house and Signal Hill were both parts of a whole, both contributing to the site’s significant history.”

Working with the Cobb Land Trust, the Cobb County government acquired seven acres from the developer, including the farm and hill. About 43 homes are in the subdivision.

The land was donated to the federal park years later, in 2019, after Congress finally permitted expansion of the boundaries. (At left, entrance to the subdivision, Picket photo). The Covid crisis slowed action in 2020.

“I certainly agree this has been a long struggle,” Crawford told the Picket in an email.

“The inherent problem is making the building safe to visit (and up to code on electric, plumbing, HVAC) while still restoring its historical appearance.”

The house is off-limits, but that may change one day

Today, the setting is hardly bucolic. Cars whizz by on two busy highways – Burnt Hickory Road and Ernest W. Barrett Parkway – and the 41-home subdivision separates the Wallis house and Signal Hill. The park has no trespassing signs around the house, which is largely obscured by trees and vegetation. It allows no visitors to the property, citing safety and security concerns. Walking along Burnt Hickory is not recommended.

The 2021 cultural landscape report details ways to interpret the sites. At Signal Hill, some of the trees could be thinned so that visitors could get a view of Big and Little Kennesaw mountains. A trail to the entrenchments, which need to be stabilized, and other features could be built, along with interpretive markers. The Wallis farm could feature an outdoor education area, parking, restroom and signs.

The clash at Kennesaw Mountain was a costly, but brief setback during the Federal advance on Atlanta. Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman, commander of Union forces, was at the Wallis house during the Battle of Kolb’s Farm to the south.

Park and local officials are hoping the home can tell several stories, possibly featuring an exhibit on the role of African-American soldiers and civilians during the Civil War.

“General Howard is an important historical figure because of his successful leadership on the battlefield and his post-Civil War support of former slaves as head of the Freedmen's Bureau and founder of Howard University,” says the NPS.

His grandpa got tired of relic collectors

The Wallis house has been vacant for more than two decades. The site includes the home, original well and remains of two chicken coops and a smokehouse.

Commentary on a Historical Marker Database page about the dwelling includes a description by a Georgia man who said his grandfather acquired the land in the 1940s or 1950s.

“At the time of the purchase there were still doors inside the home with damage from a small skirmish fought on the property and within the home itself. Many floor boards were missing, and the house was in a general state of disrepair,” wrote Martin Jordan.

“It was not uncommon at all during the ‘60s and on for my grandfather to have to chase off relic seekers from the property surrounding the house, which was lined with trenches and earthworks,” Jordan added.

They don't build 'em like they used to

Willkens, the Georgia Tech professor, said the project has provided an ideal way for students to engage in preservation work. Bordeaux spent several days scanning the site, which was “very difficult” because of tree cover. The lack of other historic buildings nearby provided challenges on context.

Willkens (right) describes the house as a standard vernacular cottage, though its construction is a bit of a mystery. She thought at first it may have been a gable and saltbox style, but that is not the case. “It has some atypical arrangements.”

For some reason, the builders did not remove a massive tree stump before construction, she said.

The team took paint samples, ascertaining the original colors and is working with experts at the Smithsonian Institution to learn more about wood used in the dilapidated building.

“That house was probably built a lot better than something built five years ago,” said Willkens. “They have old growth trees, some additional redundancy in the structure.”

Postwar additions include a kitchen, laundry room, bathroom and back porch. Roche said no decision has been made about their fate, though the 2021 report suggests removing modern features.

The park would not provide photos of the home’s interior or Georgia Tech’s model and drawings, saying it wants to be careful in disseminating information and to safeguard the integrity of the site. Roche would not speak to the condition of the house. “You can walk inside it.”

The archaeologist and Willkens believe the structure can be saved.

Next steps in making the idea a reality

As stated earlier, the effort to save the house, give it permanent protection and have it help tell the story of the Atlanta Campaign is a long one.

A 1953 Wallis house marker along busy Burnt Hickory Road (Picket photo)

Cobb County, just northwest of Atlanta, for years saw an incredible housing boom and development. While that was a boon for newcomers, preservationists and historians decried the loss of Civil War sites or land to development.

Now there’s an opportunity to offer something new in the telling of the battle.

“We are excited things are going on at the house,” said Roche. NPS historians visited the site just last week.

Much remains to be done. An engineer will need to study the feasibility of making repairs and restoring the Wallis house to its wartime appearance.

Thousands of cars travel past the house each day (Picket photo)

And officials will need to consider the cost of the project, its risks (concerns about vandalism) and rewards (enhanced interpretation). Major improvements on both sites could run into the millions of dollars. One feature now in place is a parking lot at the entrance of the subdivision allowing access to Signal Hill.

All of this will go in to the historic structure report (HSR), which is an involved process involving a lot of back and forth. “When we receive the recommendations from the HSR on how to proceed with either rehabilitation or restoration of the house, we will release the plans to the public for comment,” said Roche.

The archaeologist said acquiring such a historical treasure this many years later is not common, “which is why it is exciting.”

“We are really excited about hopefully being able to interpret this to the public,” said Roche.

At Resaca battle site in north Georgia, they come for scenery, history -- and ghosts

Some come for the two scenic trails, one of which includes an inviting meadow and flitting birds. Others come for the history, to see where men in blue and gray fought on bloodied ground. And others have come on a professional paranormal investigation.

Officials in Gordon County, Ga., consider Resaca Battlefield Historic Site to be a success since it opened last May. The park off Interstate 75 includes part of the Resaca battlefield, the second-bloodiest clash in the 1864 Atlanta campaign.

County Administrator John King praises county employees, a historic preservation commission and the nonprofit Friends of Resaca, which long campaigned for the state to build the site, which is operated and maintained by Gordon County.

It’s difficult to know how many people have ventured to the site, though Don Holley, parks and recreation director, said most live close by and enjoying walking the trails.

“We have a guest book that many people sign, but I am sure there are also a lot that do not sign it. Attendance can be closely tied to the weather. The better the weather the higher the attendance. May is probably the peak month, due to that being the anniversary of the battle.”

An annual re-enactment, which takes place a few miles to the east, is scheduled for May 19-21.

Friends of Resaca volunteers help out at the site.

“The attendance is great by both local recreation users and history buffs alike,” said Ken Padgett, head of the Friends. “We have hosted many tour groups from around the South and had many national visitors.”

Section of trenches on the red trail.

The venue shifts into its summer hours this Saturday (April 1): 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Padgett told the Picket he would like to see more days of operation “as our need and budget grows.”

The Friends have a grant request in to fund more benches and improve trail accessibility for the disabled.

“Our plan is to increase the interpretive trail signs both at the Resaca Battlefield Historic Site as well as the (nearby) Fort Wayne CW Historic Site. It takes funds to get these projects done, so we depend heavily on our tax-free membership donations.”

The site contains significant remnants of earthworks, including an impressive length of trenches visible on the Red Battlefield Trail (Signs point out metal detectors are banned and artifacts cannot be removed).

The park did host a somewhat unusual event earlier this month. A group of paranormal investigators got permission to come after hours, Padgett said. They came looking for ghosts or spirits.

“They will have the results if any into us in a few weeks. We would really like to keep these type of requests (to) a minimum,” Padgett said. “Not sure what this will turn up. Due to site security and public safety this is a large park to get turned around on, or get injured in the dark.”

Resaca Battlefield Historic Site opens with a bang (and volley), nice weather

Grand opening (Gordon County Chamber of Commerce photos)

Sunny weather greeted visitors this past weekend to the new Resaca Battlefield Historic Site in Gordon County, Ga. “I’ve received 100% positive feedback,” said county Administrator John King.

A grand opening was held Friday afternoon at the pavilion of the park, which is located off Exit 320 of Interstate 75.

Don Holley, who heads Gordon’s parks department, told the Picket he saw about 20 visitors Saturday morning while walking the Blue Battlefield Trail. He saw about 25 people on Sunday afternoon.

“We are expecting a larger crowd this weekend with the re-enactment going on at the Chitwood property,” he said.

The May 20-22 Battle of Resaca re-enactment is held a couple miles east of the historic site. It includes 2 p.m. battles on Saturday and Sunday, living histories, camps and services.

Photos by Gordon County Chamber of Commerce

'So much potential': Resaca battle park has promise for county, Civil War visitors to region

A section of the Blue Battlefield Trail near I-75 (All photos by Picket)

Resaca Battlefield Historic Site put on its soft opening last weekend. The curious drove past replica defensive fortifications at the gate and down a road bordering a scenic valley and forested hills.

The peaceful scene that greeted them belied the fact that the May 1864 Battle of Resaca in northwest Georgia was the second-bloodiest of the Atlanta Campaign.

Ten cars came Friday, 20 on Saturday and about 30 on Sunday. Gordon County Administrator John King and Ken Padgett, head of the Friends of Resaca Battlefield, pointed out the first visitors were a Michigan family.

The Civil War park, which will have its grand opening ceremony this Friday at 3 p.m., in some ways carries the mantra, “If you build it, they will come.”

County officials and the friends group want the site to be an educational, recreational and historic beacon for local residents, travelers and Civil War buffs. The park contains significant remnants of earthworks, including an impressive length of trenches visible on the Red Battlefield Trail (Signs point out metal detectors are banned and artifacts cannot be removed).

And they would like to see the quiet Exit 320 interchange on I-75 and the town of Resaca get an economic boost.

Ken Padgett of the Friends of Resaca Battlefield

“There is so much potential,” King said earlier this week during an interview at the site’s picnic and restroom pavilion.

A big advantage is the park is right off Interstate 75 between Atlanta and Chattanooga, Tenn. (Construction of the interstate decades ago did destroy parts of the battlefield). While there are no signs or billboards noting the new venue on I-75, Gordon County officials are working with the state to have one installed.

For now, they are largely depending on websites, local media and groups and word of mouth to publicize the park. (They don’t know how the Michigan family learned of the site.)

Gordon County may benefit from a bit of synergy.

Just to the north is Whitfield County, which is believed to have the most surviving Civil War fortifications in the country. The Civil War Trust is working to buy and preserve a 309-acre tract there where Confederates built defensive works on Rocky Face Ridge before they slipped south to Resaca as Federal forces pushed on toward Atlanta. Whitfield officials plan to open a park, perhaps next year, according to CNHI newspapers.

Gordon and Whitfield counties are southeast of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, which draws nearly 1 million visitors annually.

Section of trenches on Red Battlefield Trail

Jim Ogden, historian with the federal park, said he can now direct those interested in the Atlanta Campaign to a well-preserved site between Chickamauga and Pickett’s Mill or Kennesaw in suburban Atlanta.

“In addition to recently developed access at a couple more Dalton area sites, with the opening of the Resaca battlefield, there's now a lot more from that first epoch of the campaign for one to visit,” Ogden wrote in an email. “This also means, for Civil War round tables or other history-based groups, particularly if they'll do a little walking, there's now … enough in the Tunnel Hill-Dalton-Resaca area to make a multi-day tour of just that part of the campaign. With a good guide and a willingness to walk, there's potentially a day now at Resaca by itself.”

For now, the Resaca battlefield site will be open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

The park contains most of the battlefield on the early afternoon of May 14, 1864. Late-afternoon action is on the east side of the interstate. Chitwood Farm, site of an annual Battle of Resaca re-enactment, is a couple miles east of the new I-75 park.

While the battle was a stalemate, Confederates withdrew and Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman continued his eventually successful march on Atlanta. 

Ogden said the new historic site illustrates the growing strength of Rebel fortifications and the importance of Federal flanking attacks and movements.

“Confederates manning the fortifications one sees in the park turned back several Union assaults,” he said. “This is not just reflective of the course of the Battle of Resaca itself but also of the larger Atlanta Campaign: W. T. Sherman would use his larger army to maneuver against Joe Johnston's flanks to force him out of positions that were seemingly ever more fortified as the campaign extended week by week.”

I spent several hours Monday at Resaca Battlefield Historic Site. A word to the wise: Bring plenty of water and good walking shoes. The 1.-2 mile Red Battlefield Trail on the south end is hillier than you’d expect, but the experience was enjoyable. I saw several deer at the top.

The 2.6 Blue Battlefield Trail on the northern side of the 483-acre park has a whole different feel. On its east side, you do walk through some hills that held Confederates, but as you walk counterclockwise much of it features gorgeous meadows in the valley that separated the two armies. The west side of the trail is where the Union brigades prepared for assaults. 

Bridges cross Camp Creek and other small streams. Butterflies flitted about and I saw a large snapping turtle as I neared the pavilion to conclude my hike.

The site features many state-produced interpretive panels, with some geared toward children (though they would be of interest to most anyone). King would like to see more of them along the trails.

Several include a helpful inset of a Battle of Resaca map made years ago by the late historian Bill Scaife. I wished those carried a “You are here” designation to better orient myself when looking at the park map and Scaife’s order of battle.

Wayside stops and loop trails offer plenty of opportunities to put the battle into perspective (though I wish a few had not been so jammed with text). King said three part-time park managers at the site and nearby Fort Wayne can help visitors with further questions on the battle.

Local residents began pushing for the park in the 1990s and the state acquired the property. The Friends of Resaca Battlefield organized support and raised money. Georgia appeared poised to build the visitors center after an October 2008 groundbreaking.

The Department of Natural Resources realized it did not have the money to finish the project. 

Frustrated, Gordon County stepped in and took over, agreeing to do the construction and staff and maintain the facility. But in March 2010, citing costs and inherited permit problems, Gordon County punted on building the site. The state agreed to take the project back, with the caveat that the county would operate it once the work was done. State budget woes put an end to plans for a visitor's center/museum and film.

Things have come together over the past year. Improvements have been made to signs and trails and a widening project on Ga. 136 at Interstate 75 has been finished, allowing for better access to the site.

Exit 320 is one of the least-developed I-75 interchanges in Gordon County. There’s only a large truck stop on the east side to offer refreshments to park patrons.

“It is not going to be a flip-the-switch to economic impact,” King said of the opening.

John King

Still, he touts in development possibilities and efforts toward building a more educated workforce. He cites the area’s schools and a new college and career academy in nearby Calhoun. (Gordon County is known for its floor-covering industry).

While King acknowledged there was some opposition to the project, particularly a few years ago during the economic slowdown, he said residents are starting to get on board.

“It’s very exciting,” he said. “(We originally thought) the baby was ugly, but it belongs to us. It's not an ugly baby. It’s beautiful. We are very proud of it.”

He wants to focus now on the opportunities the site will bring, and asks that groups and individuals help raise awareness and pitch in to make the historic site a success.

“We have always focused on getting to this point,” King said. “This is not the end of the campaign. It is just the beginning.”

• Facebook photo gallery of the new park

Resaca battlefield site: NW Georgia county still hoping for a May grand opening

Pavilion at new Resaca historic site (Georgia Battlefields Association)

Storm cleanup, work on trail markers and the installation of corrected interpretive markers are among the items Georgia officials have been completing as they prepare to hand off operation of the new Battle of Resaca historic site.

The Department of Natural Resources had hoped to finish work on the site by the end of October, but work on the punch list continued until early this year.

Mary Kathryn Yearta, director of public and government affairs for the department, told the Picket last week that crews were cleaning up from storms over the Christmas holidays (the 500-acre property off Interstate I-75 in Gordon County is in a flood plain).

“Some of the trails and roads had debris and were washed out due to the large amount of rainfall we received,” she said. “After the storm cleanup, the work done on the property by DNR will be complete.”

The DNR and Gordon County are slated to meet this month about setting up a final review prior to county commissioners accepting a transfer of Resaca Battlefield State Historic Site for operation and maintenance, said county Administrator John A. King.

“During our last visit, we noticed that the new entrance sign looked very nice, and all of the trails that we observed were in the best condition that we have seen so far. Some of the trail markers needed attention; and several of the interpretive signs, which had been slated for correction, were still pending installation,” King told the Picket. “The county is pleased with the progress that DNR had made on the site, and we are continuing to discuss a soft opening this spring that would precede a grand opening in May.”

Marker for the 103rd Ohio (Georgia Battlefields Association)

Charlie Crawford, president of the Georgia Battlefields Association, said visitors to the site will see well-preserved trenches from both sides and most of the battlefield on the early afternoon of May 14, 1864. Late-afternoon action is on the east side of the interstate. 

On May 13-15, 1864, Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman’s army and Gen. Joseph E. Johnston’s Confederate Army of the Tennessee bloodied each other at Resaca. There was no clear winner, but Sherman continued his march toward Atlanta, which he took several months later.

Opening the park has not been easy. For two decades, supporters of the site have been frustrated by false starts, permit problems, negotiations by state and local governments, construction delays and a massive road project at the interstate interchange at Resaca.

Ken Padgett, a leader of the Gordon County Historic Preservation Commission and Friends of Resaca Battlefield said he is anxious for the project to be completed and acceptable to Gordon County. “Enough delays,” he said.

The park will have trails and signs, but no interpretive center, when it opens.

State finalizing work on Resaca battlefield, will turn it over to NW Georgia county

Ed Bearss discusses Confederate trenches at Resaca (GBA)

John A. King may have put it best when talking about the protracted birthing of a historic site that will interpret the Battle of Resaca during the Atlanta Campaign.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said the Gordon County administrator. “Sometimes, good things take a while.”

That “while” refers to a 20-year campaign to build and open a park just off I-75 in northwest Georgia. Supporters have been frustrated by false starts, permit problems, negotiations by state and local governments, construction delays and a massive road project at the interstate interchange. Officials had hoped Resaca Battlefield State Historic Site would be open well before May 2014 for the battle’s sesquicentennial – but that didn’t happen.

Now there's good news.

David Clark, chief engineer for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, recently told the Picket that final items of additional construction should be completed by the end of the month, with a transfer of the operations and maintenance to Gordon County after that.

Ken Padgett, a leader of the Gordon County Historic Preservation Commission and Friends of Resaca Battlefield, said, “It looks like we are close, but the final punch list (to do list) is in the very near future and hasn’t been agreed upon as yet.”

King says the county will need a few months to inspect the site, ensure all infrastructure is ready and have it up and running. He said he’d like to see it open by May 2016 for the battle’s 152nd anniversary. Officials may be able to provide some access before a grand opening.

Master plan for the historic site (DNR)

Old GBA map shows visitors' center that was dropped

Initially, King said, the 505-acre park will be open from 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. on the weekends.

“What a wonderful place to go on a Saturday afternoon and walk with your family,” he said.

The state has provided infrastructure, including a 2.2-mile road to the center of the site and walking paths.

“There is a lookout pavilion at end of the road, parking and roadside stops along the way with parking,” said Clark. “Further, there is interpretive signage in several locations to inform visitors of the historical significance of the site. There are and over 5.5 miles of trails, mostly in the woods.”

The state dropped plans for a visitors' center during the economic slowdown a few years back.

King said county officials will ensure the site is preserved and, in conjunction with other facilities -- including Fort Wayne and the Resaca Cemetery -- educate visitors and schoolchildren about the Civil War’s significant impact on Gordon County.

Pavilion and trail at new site (Photos: Georgia Battlefields Association)

“We see it as a lot of different opportunities. Not only does it reinforce the value of the historical significance of site, it gives us opportunity to promote greater tourism, community development and recreation.”

Charlie Crawford, president of the Georgia Battlefields Association, said visitors will see well-preserved trenches from both sides and most of the battlefield on the early afternoon of May 14, 1864. Late-afternoon action is on the east side of the interstate. The GBA helped pay for a conservation easement in 2010 that protects the site.

On May 13-15, 1864, Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman’s army and Gen. Joseph E. Johnston’s Confederate Army of the Tennessee bloodied each other at Resaca. There was no clear winner, but Sherman continued his march toward Atlanta, which he took several months later.

The fighting at Resaca demonstrated that the outnumbered Confederate army could only slow, but not stop, the advance of Union forces.

An annual re-enactment is held on a different portion of the battlefield, at Chitwood Farm.

Interstate 75 actually runs through the middle of the Resaca battleground, making the Civil War site literally just an exit ramp away. Exit 320 currently has no hotels and little fanfare. 

Example of sign at Resaca historic site (DNR)

The state site at the Ga. 136 exit covers a portion of the western side of the clash.

In March 2012, the Civil War Trust closed on the purchase of 51 acres of another portion of the Resaca battlefield, about three miles northeast of the new park.

Local residents began pushing for the park in the 1990s and the state acquired the property. The Friends of Resaca organized support and raised money. Finally, Georgia appeared poised to build the visitors center after a October 2008 groundbreaking.

The Department of Natural Resources realized it did not have the money to finish the project. 

Frustrated, Gordon County stepped in and took over, agreeing to do the construction and staff and maintain the facility. But in March 2010, citing costs and inherited permit problems, Gordon County punted on building the site. The state agreed to take the project back, with the caveat that the county would operate it once the work was done.

Fall 2008 groundbreaking was a tad premature (GBA)

The construction contract was awarded in May 2012 and the contractor started work in the fall of that year. The work was mostly done a year later but the Georgia Department of Transportation project produced some “complications,” including access to the site. A second contractor finished work on a redesigned entrance, Clark said.

The ongoing DOT project includes interchange widening and reconstruction on Ga. 136, two bridges and approaches. The DNR has been able to install a main gate and front signage for the battlefield site.

“Because of its limited access, to a significant degree this historic site is also a good nature preserve,” said Clark.

Resaca Battlefield State Historic Site is in a flood plain and the state built a raised road.

“There have been some very heavy rain periods that have flooded the site since construction was completed but the road has remained well above the water level,” Clark said. “In the rare event that water does raise to the road elevation, the site will simply be closed for a week or two, cleaned and reopened.”  

103rd Ohio is the only monument on the battlefield (GBA)

Padgett, a longtime advocate for the historic site, said he and King stopped by on Oct. 5.

“Several issues are still to be addressed by DNR. I do think that we are close and DNR is having final site work actively underway at this time,” Padgett said. “I appreciate the work that Gordon County and DNR has done to ensure that the park is open to the public very soon.”

(Padgett told the Picket on Nov. 3 that rain has delayed final site work, but he expects work to be done around the end of the month.)

King said while the site will be self-guided he expects a park guide to serve as a host and to provide maintenance. The estimated cost of operating the site is $84,000. While no admission charge is forecast, visitors will have an opportunity to donate to help the upkeep.

The administrator said Gordon County has worked with the state to ensure the trails are easily identifiable and walkers don’t get lost. The site will have controlled access so that employees can ensure its cultural resources are not disturbed.

King said he expects a related website to be built and the county will want some kind of billboard on I-75.

Clark said his agency has not had discussions with the DOT regarding an I-75 sign. “There are criteria regarding the projected number of yearly visitors to get a sign approved, which may prove to be a difficult hurdle for this site.”

Padgett said the Friends of the Resaca Battlefield are seeking donations to complete the historic trails interpretation signage and other projects, such as trail benches. 

Gordon County, King says, is excited about the park.

“It is going to be a unique location,” he said. “(It’s) one of the few battlefield sites that have not been available to the public. It is an untouched site.”

(GBA)

Off the blue highways: Blue & Gray Museum and the Jeff Davis capture site

I’ve always been a fan of getting off the beaten path or, more precisely, interstate highways.

Last Friday, I paid brief visits to two Civil War sites within a few miles of each other in South Georgia – the site of Confederate President Jefferson Davis’ capture and Fitzgerald (left), where Union veterans flocked to form the “Colony City.”

A visit to both sites is affordable and can be accomplished in a few hours.

The Blue & Gray Museum in Fitzgerald is housed in an old railroad depot on North Johnston Street.

Director Al Strom, another staff member and a fine film gave us a wonderful overview of the town, which was settled in 1896 by a land company under the direction of Philander H. Fitzgerald, a former drummer boy in the Union army.

The idea was to draw thousands of Union veterans and their families to settle here, and live among the locals and Southern Civil War vets.

Fitzgerald worked with Georgia Gov. William J. Northen to build a town in what would become Ben Hill County.

“There was little strife among the new colonists, who proved their dedication to unity by naming an equal number of streets in the city proper for Union and Confederate notables,” according to the New Georgia Encyclopedia. “In one of the first public-works constructions in the United States, a mammoth four-story hotel was built; it was named the Lee-Grant Hotel, to honor the leaders of the opposing sides of the Civil War.”

The boom times lasted several years, with two railroads, 25 miles of streets and 250 businesses within the colony by June 1896. The city claims it was the first to offer free public schooling in Georgia and that it had a model form of government.

We briefly drove around the city, noting blue and gray patterns on a sidewalks and a water tower with the same motif. Some homes remain from the time, although the Lee-Grant Hotel is gone.

The Blue & Gray Museum features about 1,200 items, including photos of the town’s development, medals bestowed to soldiers of both sides, weapons, mementoes, a replica of a "Shacktown" tent a Northern family would live in before a home was built, and a good deal more.

Among the 300 or so Union veterans buried at Fitzgerald’s Evergreen Cemetery is John C. Buckley (below), who received the Medal of Honor for gallantry during the Siege of Vicksburg on May 22, 1863. The medal is displayed at the museum.

The museum hosts a Roll Call of the States, in which visitors from every state in the Union are photographed with their respective state flags.

Strom told me the city supports the museum and local first-graders visit. Otherwise, about 430 people a year come. I hope the Civil War sesquicentennial brings at least a few more.

We next drove to the farming community of Irwinville and the Jefferson Davis Historic Site.

The museum and site is has been operated by Irwin County since the budget-conscious state handed it over in June 2009.

A film provides the story of the capture of Jefferson Davis “as bit by bit the Confederate government was falling apart.”

Forced to flee the capital of Richmond, and with a $100,000 reward on his head, Davis still have hopes of traveling west to the Trans-Mississippi and hooking up with generals there to continue the cause. The movie calls Davis “optimistic but not realistic.”

He and his family rode through the Carolinas and into Georgia, where on May 10, 1865, Union troops nabbed him in Irwinville.

According to legend, Davis, who would spend two years in Fort Monroe, Va., but never faced charges, was wearing women’s clothing.

A popular song of the era was "Jeff in Petticoats," and the major tabloids featured artists' renderings of the fallen leader dressed in everything from a wig to a hoop skirt, according to the New Georgia Encyclopedia.

The film goes to lengths to show that account was propaganda and a falsehood. Some accounts say he put on his wife’s overcoat in the confusion to help build a disguise.

A historic marker indicates the spot where Davis was arrested, and the park features the museum, nature trail and picnic facilities.

The museum includes Davis personal items, weapons, Civil War artifacts and a few regimental banners, including one belonging to Company H, the 50th Georgia (Colquitt Marksmen), which saw heavy action.

The site draws between 12,000 and 15,000 visitors a year, but is down a bit due to high gas prices. It has a special program June 4 that will feature re-enactors to mark Davis’ birthday.

The Jefferson Davis Memorial Site, 338 Jeff Davis Park Road, Fitzgerald, is open Wednesday-Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 229-831-2335 for information. There is a small admission fee. The Blue & Gray Museum, 116 North Johnston Street, Fitzgerald, is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $3 for adults and $1 for students. Call 229-426-5069 for info.