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Forts are a lasting tribute to the prominence of the US military, and Fort Pulaski stands among these magnificent fortresses. Overlooking the mouth of the Savannah River and the Atlantic Ocean, Fort Pulaski is named in honor of Gen. Casimir Pulaski, Revolutionary War hero and father of the US Cavalry, which endured some of the most damaging artillery combat in early American warfare. In addition to its unfortunate notoriety for serving as the first fort where a rifled cannon was successfully tested in combat against masonry forts, it played a part in other significant events, including a baseball game during the Civil War where one of the first photographs of the sport was taken with the newly invented camera. Ultimately, the fort was considered important enough to be preserved and designated a national monument.

Like stalwart soldiers standing silent guard, the mighty fortresses of Savannah once served as guardians over the new colony of Georgia. In 1733, Gen. James Oglethorpe, upon stepping ashore in this new world, authorized fortifications to be constructed to protect her new residents. Forts and townships now known only in name defended Georgia's first citizens against the Native Americans and the Spanish. Later they would stand a much greater challenge protecting them against more aggressive foes-the British, the Union Army, and ultimately, the Third Reich of Germany. Through vintage photographs of these magnificent architectural structures and the faces of devoted soldiers who once stood upon their ramparts, readers will feel as if they too were standing a vigilant watch, looking across the vast marshes and rivers surrounding Savannah. The images within these pages celebrate and honor the fortresses that allowed Savannah to prosper and expand from a colonial outpost to the majestic queen city of Georgia.

When British general James Oglethorpe landed on Georgia's coast in 1733, he realized that the success of his new colony, Savannah, depended largely on its establishment and development as a commercial port. Only three years later, in 1736, the first lighthouse was built on Tybee Island. Beginning there at the mouth of the Savannah River, this volume travels down the coast, telling the very different stories of the Cockspur Light, Sapelo Light, St. Simons Light, and Cumberland Light, which is now located on a private island. Rich in history, these lighthouses help to define the story of Georgia's 100-mile coastline. Of the lighthouses built, only five remain today; two are operational lights--Tybee Island and St. Simons Island.

Travelers on North Georgia's Dixie Highway in the first half of the 20th century experienced a unique excursion. The first interstate highway to link the American South to the urban North was conceived as a tourism route. Local communities lobbied the Dixie Highway Association for a place on the route, a chance to show off local attractions, and for a piece of the economic action. The highway drew visitors to natural wonders, Native American historic sites, and Civil War battlefields. Local entrepreneurs built tourist courts, cabins, inns, and motels and opened hot dog stands, diners, and restaurants. Car dealerships, filling posts, and service stations accommodated the nascent automobile. Resourceful men and women sold farm produce and local handiworks at roadside markets. The handmade chenille coverlets were an especially popular purchase for visitors who soon learned to follow the displays south to Atlanta. Images of America: North Georgia's Dixie Highway traces the development of the tourism route, the growth of businesses serving the visitors, and the evolution of the tufted bedspread into the modern tufted carpet industry.

Since May 21, 1932, tourists have been making the trip to the top of Lookout Mountain to stroll through what pioneers as far back as the 1820s called "the rock city." This collection of huge boulders in a wild array of shapes and sizes was developed as an attraction by Garnet Carter, the inventor of modern miniature golf, and his wife, Frieda, a devotee of European fairy tales. Rock City Gardens quickly became one of the most famous tourist attractions in the Southeast, especially after Carter started a program of painting advertisements on barn roofs. During the post-World War II baby-boom era, Rock City became even more of a destination with the additions of Fairyland Caverns and Mother Goose Village.