Battle of Atlanta Walking Tour

Battle took place on July 22, 1864

This special tour will take place on July 23, 2022

10:00AM - 2:00PM (Carter Center to Historic Oakland Cemetery) — West Battlefield

4-miles in three hours; optional lunch and drinks after the tour

Registration Link (Eventbrite)

Tour Route Map

Tour will be announced on FB tomorrow (July 11) at 10:00AM

Background

On July 22, 1864, a massive battle raged in the modern-day neighborhoods of Inman Park, Reynoldstown, Edgewood, Candler Park, Kirkwood, East Atlanta and Grant Park. The battle's front line ran along what is now Moreland Avenue and stretched from East Atlanta Village to the Inman Park MARTA station.

During the fateful encounter, 75,000 troops (wool uniforms in 94-degree heat) engaged in fierce hand-to-hand combat. By the time the sun set that day, eyewitnesses reported seeing a "river of blood" flowing down Bald Hill, which stood where the eastbound exit ramp for Moreland Ave comes off of I-20 today. The nine-hour battle, which resulted in 9,200 casualties, would claim the lives of two major generals: James Birdseye McPherson (USA, 35 years old) and William Henry Talbot Walker (CSA, 47 years old).

Commanding (USA) General William Tucumseh Sherman watched the battle unfold from his vantage point where the Carter Center stands today. Commanding (CSA) General John Bell Hood did the same from his vantage point, which was located on the highest point of what is now Historic Oakland Cemetery. These are the starting and ending points of this 3-hour walking tour.

Some of the most intense fighting took place late that afternoon in an area known as the "Railroad Cut." That was located where the Inman Park MARTA station stands today. That specific scene was immortalized in the historic painting known as the Atlanta Cyclorama, which now lives at the Atlanta History Center in Buckhead.

The purpose of this educational tour is to help participants understand what happened that day and place it into context with our modern-day city. It is not to celebrate or honor anyone or anything in any way.

Logistics

$25/person; tickets are non-refundable, but they are transferrable

Tour is limited to 20 people

Minimum age is 21 (no exceptions)

You must be in excellent physical condition to participate due to the heat and distance

The tour, itself, is about three hours long. There will be an optional lunch after the tour (location TBD). Food and beverages are not included in the ticket price.

Tour participants will receive at least one email update after registering.

We will be following the "Battlefield West" tour route on this interactive educational map.

Dogs are permitted if leashed and well-behaved at all times. That said, please keep in mind that we will be walking on hot and uneven asphalt and concrete for 3+ hours.

Please arrive at meeting location by 09:45. You will NOT need a printed ticket. All check in is done digitally. We will meet at the picnic tables shown in the first video below.

In the event of heavy rain, the tour will be rescheduled to July 30. If you cannot make that new date, you can request a full refund. Weather updates will be sent 24 hours before the tour if necessary.

Resources

Interactive Map by ATLsherpa

Atlanta Cyclorama (Atlanta History Center)

Battle of Atlanta Overview (American Battlefield Trust)

Battle of Atlanta: History & Remembrance (Southern Spaces)

War in Our Backyards (AJC)

Blood Mountain Hike

Blood Mountain is the highest peak on Georgia's portion of the Appalachian Trail. Some believe the name came from a bloody battle between the Cherokee and Creek long before white men arrived in the area. Other theories derive the name from red lichen or Catawba rhododendron growing on the rocky summit. At 4,458, it overlooks an area rich in streams, hiking trails and scenic recreation spots, one of which — Sosebee Cove — is probably Georgia's only north-facing cove traversed by a paved road at such high elevation. It has an accessible boulder field, northern hardwoods, large buckeyes and tulip poplars.

Rest of videos in this playlist

Blood Mountain Hiking Trail Map

“Bullish on ATL” Stock Portfolio

The following companies are either based in Atlanta or have (will have) a major presence in the Atlanta area. Several brokerage firms, including Charles Schwab and Robinhood, offer “fractional share” investing. This allows you to purchase dollar amounts of stocks, rather than full shares. So, for example, if you wanted to invest a total of $10,000 in twenty different stocks, you could purchase $500 worth of each stock.

NOTE: This list of stocks is being provided for informational purposes only. It is not an investment recommendation. You should do your own research and consult with a financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

Acuity Brands — AYI

AGCO — AGCO

Blackstone — BX (New York, NY)

Carter’s — CRI

Coca Cola — KO

CSX — CSX (Jacksonville, FL)

Delta — DAL

Equifax — EFX

Genuine Parts — GPC

Global Payments — GPN

Home Depot — HD

The Intercontinental Exchange — ICE

Invesco — IVZ

Liberty Media: Braves Group — BATRA (Englewood, CO)

Microsoft — MSFT (Redmond, WA)

NCR — NCR

Newell Brands — NWL

NextPoint Residential Trust — NXRT (Dallas, TX) [Investor Prez]

Norfolk Southern — NSC

Pulte Group — PHM

Rivian — RIVN (Irvine, CA)

Simon Properties — SPG (Indianapolis, IN)

Southern Company — SO

UPS — UPS

WestRock — WRK

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