In 1864, Kennesaw Mountain, located 20 miles northwest of Atlanta, was the scene for one of Atlanta’s biggest battles in the Civil War.
Lansing J. Dawdy, an Illinois veteran of the battle, purchased 60 acres of land near the Dead Angle, which is the location of the heaviest fighting during the battle, and donated the property to the Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield Association. When the association was unable to restore the battlefield in the manner originally planned, the land was transformed into a park in 1935.
The 3,000-acre park includes 22 miles of interpretive trails and weekend ranger talks.