Kennesaw National Battlefield Park

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I've always heard about this historical park, where several Civil War major battles occured. Thus, I had a huge expectation on what to see and to experience in this park. Spring was on the air, and the park was packed with people. According to the park ranger, this wasn't busy at all compared to later in the spring/summer. Riight, so I made a mental note not to visit Kennesaw during that time.

We climbed up the Kennesaw Mountain peak, one mile off the Visitor Center. We passed by many different kinds of people, starting from the typical old tourist couple with huge cameras hanging off their necks, crying baby in a stroller pushed up the hill by its obese mom, 7 year-old kid playing 20 questions with his dad, and some young backpack adventurers eager to see the panorama view from top of the mountain. The National Park tries to preserve many earthworks and markers created by both the Union and Confederate soldiers, so we had to stay on the trails and paths. From top of the hill, modern Atlanta dominates the southern skyline, along with noticeable Stone Mountain (28 miles) and the Buckhead buildings.

We drove to Pigeon Hill, the adjacent hill south of Kennesaw Mountain, to see the "Dead Angle" and the Illinois Monument. It was a good thing that the war is over, otherwise I would have a difficult time to decide which side I should stand at; as a closer "yankee" myself living in the south (if I have to take a stand). I was a little bit disappointed to discover that there wasn't a lot of things to see, but I should have known better than to expect seeing dead soldiers on the field with their riffles.

Going back to Atlanta, we drove by the historical KFC with a big chicken marker at Cobb Parkway in Marietta. We have had a lunch at the KFC the day before.

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Photos

KFC
Big chicken of Marietta, GA. It is a landmark from the 50s (circa Grease?)

Atlanta Ice Storm
A rare Atlanta ice storm, January 2005.

Magnolia blooming
Smell of magnolia in Buckhead, GA (in front of the Wachovia Bank).

Ready? FIRE!
A cannon facing out to the City of Atlanta.

A cannon
An authentic cannon on display at the Kennesaw Mountain Visitor Center, GA.

Daisies
Several daisies are popping out at Kennesaw Mountain, GA. Spring is here!

Dogwood blooming
Dogwood bloom at Piedmont Park, Atlanta during the Dogwood Festival April 2005.

Downtown Atlanta, GA
A snapshot of Atlanta downtown, from the Federal Reserva Bank on the 10th. See how much we're growing?