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Pay Homage to History During Marietta, Georgia’s Civil War
Sesquicentennial Commemoration
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Exhibitions, Civil War theatrics, and an ode to Gone With the Wind set
the scene for a summer to remember
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Gather the whole family or embark on your own personal historical pursuits and remember this historic occasion with events like the Juneteenth annual celebration, a reenactment of the March from Marietta Square to Kennesaw Mountain, Civil War: The Musical at the Strand Theatre, a rededication recognizing the 100th anniversary of dedication of the Illinois monument and more. The Bleeding Gray and Blue Walking Tour, every Saturday in June, joins visitors with noted historian Brad Quinlin as he tours the Historic Marietta Square, highlighting the events and the places that served as hospitals during the Civil War.
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Download Marietta’s free Cannonball Trail app (iTunes or Android) and take a self-guided driving tour around Marietta and through Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield where you’re treated to historically-significant sights such as the fields where men fought and died, the cemeteries where those brave men rest eternally, the houses that commanders used as their headquarters and the city where it all took place.

Round out a visit with stops at area attractions, many of which are of historical note. Located on the second floor of the historic Kennesaw House, the Marietta Museum of History tells a rich account of the area. Also nearby, the Marietta Gone With the Wind Museum: Scarlett on the Square was established in April of 2003 and currently houses Dr. Christopher Sullivan’s privately owned collection of GWTW book and movie memorabilia. Two blocks from the square, the Root House is one of the oldest surviving frame houses in Marietta. The home offers visitors an opportunity to experience how a middle class merchant and his family lived in the 1850s. Climb aboard the Historic Marietta Trolley Company for a one-hour, fully-narrated exploration of the city. Visit Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park where so many important events in the Civil War transpired and then come full-circle with a trip to the modern-day Marietta Square Farmers Market.
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Channel your inner Scarlett and Rhett during the 75th anniversary of Gone With the Wind, the movie
Noted by CNN as one of the top 50 things to experience in America’s 50 states, Georgia’s Gone With the Wind Trail begins at The Marietta Gone With the Wind Museum: Scarlett on the Square, a mainstay in downtown Marietta since April 2003 when it opened in the historic Old Thomas Warehouse Building. With an extensive collection of memorabilia provided by Dr. Chris Sullivan, the museum is sure to delight and intrigue any Gone With the Wind fan, from novice to aficionado. Highlights include the original Bengaline honeymoon gown worn by Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O’Hara in the movie, several of Margaret Mitchell’s personal volumes of the novel, an educational display dedicated to the African American cast members, foreign editions of the novel and more. Be sure to stop by the gift shop to find costumes to fit your favorite Rhett or Scarlett.

Mark the calendar and summon your inner Southern belle for a trip to Marietta during the first weekend in June for a special tribute celebration to the famous novel and beloved movie. Don a hoop skirt during the costume ball, cheer on actors during a live play, mingle with celebrity guests – and grab an autograph or two and join in an author’s forum. The excitement will simply have you exclaiming, “fiddledee!”

Visit www.GWTWMarietta.com for complete event details.

Event listings

June 6-8
Marietta Celebrates the 75th Anniversary of “Gone With the Wind”
Throughout the weekend, the Marietta Gone With the Wind Museum: Scarlett on the Square will host a variety of events celebrating the 75th anniversary of “Gone With the Wind” the movie. Festivities to include dinner and costume ball, author’s forum, live play, documentary debut, celebrity guests, autograph signing and much more.
Marietta Gone With the Wind Museum: Scarlett on the Square, 18 Whitlock Avenue, Marietta, GA 30064
770-794-5576
www.GWTWMarietta.com
Contact: Connie Sutherland

June 7
Bleeding Gray & Blue Walking Tours
Join noted historian Brad Quinlin as he tours the Historic Marietta Square. These fascinating tours will highlight events and the places that served as hospitals during the Civil War. Every Saturday in June.
11:30 a.m.
Tours begin at the Marietta Museum of History, 1 Depot Street, Marietta, GA 30060
770-794-5710
www.MariettaHistory.org
Contact: Jan Galt

June 8
Spirituals
Dr. Moses performs spirituals at Zion Baptist Church.
4 p.m.
Zion Baptist Church, 165 Lemon Street, Marietta, GA 30060
770-427-8749
www.ZionBaptistChurchMarietta.org
Contact: Louis Walker

June 13-14
Juneteenth Concert and Celebration
Join the Cobb NAACP for the annual Juneteenth celebration and concert including arts and crafts, food, and entertainment. Juneteenth is the oldest national celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.
6-11 p.m., Friday, June 13; 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturday, June 14
Historic Marietta Square
770-425-5757
www.CobbNAACP.org

June 14
Bleeding Gray & Blue Walking Tours
Join noted historian Brad Quinlin as he tours the Historic Marietta Square. These fascinating tours will highlight events and the places that served as hospitals during the Civil War. Every Saturday in June
11:30 a.m.
Tours begin at the Marietta Museum of History, 1 Depot Street, Marietta, GA 30060
770-794-5710
www.MariettaHistory.org
Contact: Jan Galt

June 20-21
“Civil War the Musical”
Friday and Saturday, June 20-21
Earl Smith Strand Theatre, 117 North Park Square, Marietta, GA 30060
770-293-0080
www.EarlSmithStrand.org

June 20-22
Battle Re-enactors and Encampments on Marietta Square
Battle re-enactors and encampments will take place in and around the Historic Marietta Square.
June 20-22
All day
Historic Marietta Square
770-429-1115
www.MariettaCivilWar.com
Contact: Katie Peterson

June 21
Bleeding Gray & Blue Walking Tours
Join noted historian Brad Quinlin as he tours the Historic Marietta Square. These fascinating tours will highlight events and the places that served as hospitals during the Civil War. Every Saturday in June
11:30 a.m.
Tours begin at the Marietta Museum of History, 1 Depot Street, Marietta, GA 30060
770-794-5710
www.MariettaHistory.org
Contact: Jan Galt

June 22
Confederate Cemetery Tour by Friends of Brown Park
Living history tours at the Marietta Confederate Cemetery and City Cemetery.
1-4:30 p.m.
Marietta Confederate Cemetery, 395 Powder Springs Street, Marietta, GA 30060
770-794-5606
www.MariettaCivilWar.com

June 26-29
The Battle of Kennesaw Mountain Anniversary Events
The National Park Service commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain with various events beginning with an opening ceremony on Thursday, June 26, and concluding on June 29. Each day will consist of different events including cannon demonstrations, guided hikes, and a Civil War fashion show, along with Civil War medical tents, activities for children and various speakers and presentations. Check out the website for a full list of events.
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield, 9900 Kennesaw Mountain Drive, Kennesaw, GA 30152. Off-site parking required – check website for updated parking map.
770-427-4686
www.BattleofKennesawMountain150.com

June 26
Kennesaw Mountain Opening Ceremonies
The opening ceremony is the official start to a weekend filled with events commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.
7 p.m.
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield, 900 Kennesaw Mountain Drive, Kennesaw, GA 30152. Off-site parking will be required – check website for updated parking map.
770-427-4686
www.BattleofKennesawMountain150.com

June 27
Claire Lynch Band and Bobby Horton Concert
Claire Lynch is the reigning 2013 International Bluegrass Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year. Bobby Horton is a multi-instrumentalist, seasoned performer and music historian.
7 p.m.
770-427-4686
www.BattleofKennesawMountain150.com

June 28
Rededication recognizing 100th anniversary of dedication of Illinois monument
The magnificent Illinois Monument, which stands at the crest of Cheatham Hill, was erected by the State of Illinois to honor the 480 men from that state who died on this slope. The marble monument is thirty-four feet square at the base and the shaft rises twenty-five feet. Atop the monument is a seven-foot high bronze soldier clutching a rifle and two women in classic Greek garb.
8:30 p.m.
770-427-4686
www.BattleofKennesawMountain150.com

June 28
Bleeding Gray & Blue Walking Tours
Join noted historian Brad Quinlin as he tours the Historic Marietta Square. These fascinating tours will highlight events and the places that served as hospitals during the Civil War. Every Saturday in June
11:30 a.m.
Tours begin at the Marietta Museum of History, 1 Depot Street, Marietta, GA 30060
770-794-5710
www.MariettaHistory.org
Contact: Jan Galt

June 29
Kennesaw Mountain Closing Ceremonies
The closing ceremony is the official start to a weekend filled with events commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.
5 p.m.
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield, 900 Kennesaw Mountain Drive, Kennesaw, GA 30152. Off-site parking will be required – check website for updated parking map.
770-427-4686
www.BattleofKennesawMountain150.com

If you go
Bring the family and experience these local Civil War attractions open year-round.

Marietta National Cemetery
The Marietta National Cemetery is the site of over 10,000 Union graves. Henry Green Cole donated the land as a joint Confederate & Union cemetery, hoping to heal ill feelings between the north and south. However, Marietta officials did not want Confederate dead buried near Yankee dead, so they formed a separate Confederate Cemetery.

Marietta Confederate Cemetery & Brown Park
The Marietta Confederate Cemetery is the final resting place for 3,000 Confederate soldiers from nearby hospitals and military operations including the Battle of Kolb’s Farm and The Battle of Kennesaw Mountain.

Kennesaw House & the Marietta Museum of History
Located on the second floor of the historic Kennesaw House, the Marietta Museum of History tells a rich account of the area. It houses the city’s extensive historical collections of photographs, artifacts and documentary information of Marietta in particular, and North Georgia in general.

Gone With the Wind Museum
The Marietta Gone With the Wind Museum: Scarlett on the Square was established in April of 2003 and currently houses Dr. Christopher Sullivan’s privately owned collection of GWTW book and movie memorabilia.

The Root House Museum
Two blocks from the square, the Root House is one of the oldest surviving frame houses in Marietta. The home offers visitors an opportunity to experience how a middle class merchant and his family lived in the 1850s.

The Historic Marietta Trolley Co.
A one-hour, fully-narrated exploration of our historic city. Experience Marietta’s rich heritage, from the vibrant Downtown Square, past grand Antebellum homes, to the battlefields at Kennesaw Mountain.

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
On June 27, 1864, Kennesaw Mountain is the site of a major battle between the North and South. General Sherman’s troops battled those of Confederate General Johnston in one of many clashes that led to the fall of Atlanta. The park now encompasses more than 2,800 acres and features a visitor’s center, gift shop, museum and 16 miles of hiking trails.

Marietta Square Farmers Market
The Marietta Square Farmers Market is located on the Historic Marietta Square. Hours are 9 a.m. to 12 noon every Saturday and 12 noon to 3 p.m. every Sunday, April through November, rain or shine. 60 plus vendors on Saturday and 30 plus vendors on Sunday will feature Georgia Grown, Made or Produced vegetables, cheese, bread, eggs, fresh flowers, local honey, baked goods and milk every weekend.

Marietta / Cobb Museum of Art
The Marietta/Cobb Museum of Art is metropolitan Atlanta’s only museum dedicated to American art. Housed in Marietta’s first U.S. Post Office, the museum hosts a full schedule of exhibitions and boasts a permanent collection of 19th and 20th century American art, from Warhol to Wyeth. Besides their exhibitions the museum offers lectures, workshops, classes, and art festivals. Other social and cultural opportunities are also offered.

Earl Smith Strand Theatre
This Art Deco theatre served as a movie house on the Marietta Square from 1935-76. Recently restored and returned to its original glory, it now hosts classic films, concerts and stage productions.

Expand your experience with the Bleeding Gray and Blue walking tours every Saturday in June with walking tours with historian Brad Quinlin.

Sidebar:
Person of Note: Mattie Harris Lyon
One of the most respected citizens in Marietta was Mattie Harris Lyon. She was known as the “Mother of Marietta” because of her loyal devotion to all of the residents regardless of their social standing or race.

She lived an active life through the Civil War, the Spanish American War, World War I, and World War II to the age of 97. During that time she was very active in the First Methodist Church and supported missionaries on the foreign field, was active in the local PTA, helped to establish the American Red Cross in Cobb County as well as the Community Chest, was an active member of the Garden Club, and was very active in helping the African Americans through inter-racial activities to promote education.

Because of her volunteer service, she was given a lifetime membership to the Marietta Country Club.

She was probably best known for her war efforts. She did everything from knitting socks for the troops during the Civil War to recycling metal including spent ammunition she found on Kennesaw Mountain. She was extremely active in the Kennesaw Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy keeping records and writing various accounts of their activities as well as memories of events during the Civil War.

A bronze statue of Mattie was the first one purchased and placed by her grave in the Marietta City Cemetery but visible from the Confederate Cemetery.

Her words are found on the bronze books located on granite benches located throughout the Confederate Cemetery and Brown Park. Read more stories of the Civil War, here: www.mariettacivilwar.com/index.php/mariettas-civil-war-stories.

Interview opportunities with experts such as Brad Quinlin, historian, and Michael Shaffer with The Civil War Center at Kennesaw State University are available upon request.

Media Contact:
Katie Peterson, 770-429-1115 or 800-835-0445
Marietta Visitors Bureau
4 Depot Street
Marietta, GA 30060

High-Res Images Available

Images Shown (Credit: Marietta Visitors Bureau)
Caption: Commemorate the sesquicentennial of the fourth year of battle between the North and the South with special events in Marietta, Georgia.
Caption: Climb aboard the Historic Marietta Trolley Company for a one-hour, fully-narrated tour of the city.
Caption: Catch “Civil War the Musical” this summer at The Strand, Marietta’s 1935 Art Deco theatre which was renovated and reopened in 2009.
Caption: Visit the Marietta National Cemetery, site of over 10,000 Union graves.