Civil War Attractions in Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta Cyclorama and Civil War Museum

• The Atlanta Cyclorama and Civil War Museum in Grant Park features the world's largest oil painting, according to the museum. The Cyclorama painting stands 42 feet tall and 358 feet in circumference. The painting, completed in 1886, has realistic images from the Battle of Atlanta. In 1936, a three-dimensional foreground--or diorama--was added showing people and terrain. In addition to the painting, you can see a 14-minute movie about the battle and memorabilia from the war such as uniforms and weapons. The museum also displays the steam locomotive named Texas, which Confederates used to recover a locomotive stolen by Union raiders in an incident known as the Great Locomotive Chase of 1862.

  Atlanta Cyclorama and Civil War Museum
  800 Cherokee Ave
  Atlanta, GA 30315
  404-658-7625
  atlantacyclorama.org

Atlanta History Center

• The Atlanta History Center contains one of the country's most complete and largest Civil War exhibitions, according to the center. The "Turning Point: The American Civil War" has over 1,500 artifacts from both sides, including the Confederate flag that flew over the city during its surrender, General Patrick Cleburne's sword, a Union supply wagon and the United States Colored Troops' Medal of Honor that the regiment won. The center offers free audio tours.

  Atlanta History Center
  130 W Paces Ferry Road Northwest
  Atlanta, GA 30305-1380
  404-814-4000
  atlantahistorycenter.com

Oakland Cemetery

• The Oakland Cemetery goes back to 1850, and was involved with the Civil War. The ground has two historical markers. The first relates to the Great Locomotive Chase of 1862. Seven of the Union raiders that hijacked the Confederate locomotive were hanged near the cemetery's southeast corner. They were interred at Oakland, but moved to the National Cemetery at Chattanooga. The second marker points out where the headquarters of Confederate commander John B. Hood was during the Battle of Atlanta. Famous people buried at Oakland Cemetery include Margaret Mitchell, the author of "Gone With The Wind," golfer Bobby Jones and Maynard Jackson, the black mayor of Atlanta. (CE: reference 3)

  Oakland Cemetery
  248 Oakland Avenue Southeast
  Atlanta, GA 30312-2292
  404-658-6019
  oaklandcemetery.com/index.html