Landmarks

Georgia was once part of a much larger region of the Southeast claimed by Spain and known as La Florida. After the failure of Lucas Vasquez de Ayllon's settlement in 1526 on the coast of Georgia, French Huguenots established a small fort at Port Royal Sound and another along the St. Johns River. Thus began Georgia's tradition of building stalwart military fortifications--a practice that has spanned centuries. Discover who emerged victorious after Savannah's Fort Pulaski was bombarded for over thirty hours by Federal troops during the Civil War and why Fort Oglethorpe was constructed in 1902 within the confines of Chickamuaga Park. Military historian, archivist and seasoned author Alejandro de Quesada explores the breadth of Georgia's forts from the colonial and antebellum eras to the Civil War and modern era.

In 1867, less than three years after the Civil War left the city in ruins, Hungarian Jewish immigrant Morris Rich opened a small dry goods store on what is now Peachtree Street in downtown Atlanta.

Over time, his brothers Emanuel and Daniel joined the business; within a century, it became a retailing dynasty. Join historian Jeff Clemmons as he traces Rich's 137-year history. For the first time, learn the true stories behind Penelope Penn, Fashionata, The Great Tree, the Pink Pig, Rich's famous coconut cake and much more, including how events at the downtown Atlanta store helped John F. Kennedy become America's thirty-fifth president. With an eye for accuracy and exacting detail, Clemmons recounts the complete history of this treasured southern institution.

The largest civilian cemetery in the Southeast holds the history of famous and infamous alike.

In 1884, several leading citizens purchased 577 acres to open Atlanta's Westview Cemetery. The rolling terrain, part of which was a site in the Civil War battle of Ezra Church, became the final resting place for more than 100,000 people. Prominent locals buried here include Grant Park namesake L.P. Grant, author Joel Chandler Harris, High Museum benefactor Harriet High, Coca-Cola founder Asa Candler Sr. and Havertys founder J.J. Haverty. The cemetery's Westview Abbey mausoleum is one of the nation's largest, with more than eleven thousand crypts. Throughout its history, Westview dabbled in other business ventures, including a cafeteria, a funeral home and an ambulance service. And for decades, the cemetery's Westview Floral Company sold flowers to lot owners and local businesses, leading to its own advice column in the Atlanta Constitution. Author Jeff Clemmons traces the complete history of this treasured necropolis.

Approximately seventy thousand souls lay in rest at historic Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta, Georgia. They are the silent witnesses of what has gone on before. Their stones carry their stories and the history of Atlanta. Cathy Kaemmerlen, renowned storyteller and Georgia author, explores the tales behind many of the cemetery's notable figures, including:
" Margaret Mitchell, of Gone with the Wind fame
" Bobby Jones, 1930 winner of all four major golf championships
" The Rich brothers, founders of Rich's Department Store
" Joseph Jacobs, in whose pharmacy the first Coca-Cola was served

The Battle of Chickamauga was the most significant Union defeat in the western theater of the Civil War and the second-deadliest battle of the war behind only Gettysburg. Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park was established in 1890, the first of America's national military parks. Immediately after the battle, both Union and Confederate soldiers sought to honor those who gave their lives, and now Chickamauga and Chattanooga are home to more than seven hundred monuments, markers and tablets commemorating those who sacrificed. And much like the soldiers who bravely fought, each monument has its own history. Join Stacy W. Reaves and photographer Jane D. Beal as they recount the history of Chickamauga Battlefield and the monuments that memorialize its history.

Around two hundred million years ago, geological forces produced an expansive grove of rocky caverns and outcroppings atop Lookout Mountain. It was not until the twentieth century, however, that this awe-inspiring citadel evolved into a nationally recognized tourist attraction when Garnet Carter and his wife, Frieda, developed the natural marvel into the Rock City Gardens we know today, an enchanted tribute to fairytales and a breathtaking homage to nature. Join Rock City expert Tim Hollis as he guides you through the origins of the site's most fascinating spots, including Fairyland Caverns, See Seven States and Lover's Leap. Also learn the story behind the world-famous 'See Rock City' marketing campaign, as well as the steep challenges the landmark has faced in an often volatile tourism industry. Perhaps the only aspect of Rock City more enchanting than its physical beauty is the fairytale story that surrounds it.