Atlanta, Georgia—the capital of its gorgeous state, a center for commerce and traffic, and a cultural gem of the American south—stands as a proverbial spot to visit and explore. Atlanta maintains a deep southern past, with its roots long established before the US Civil War, and the trends of modernization and growth have not diminished Atlanta’s legacy, beauty, and charm. The city serves a “cultural port” to the southeast, and it hosts the region’s best zoo, intriguing and delicious historic districts, and more recently it hosted the 1996 Olympic Games.

Confederate Displays and Visual Heritage

Atlanta hosts numerous visitors every year, and the spring and summer provide the best times for individuals to truly grasp the atmosphere, climate, and meaning of the city. Folks can walk through the numerous historic districts—some of these being Historic Downtown, Midtown, and the Historic Oakland Cemetery—enjoy whimsical shopping in Underground Atlanta, or tour Stone Mountain. Stone Mountain derives its name from the hard stone that creates the mountain’s surface, and the Confederate carvings have become elements of local, national, and international curiosities. The Confederate Memorial Carving stands as the world’s largest relief carving, ranking three-acres. The three characters of the carving are President Jefferson Davis, General Robert E. Lee, and General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson. These three characters are substantial heroes for the American Civil War, and accordingly their legacy is still preserved and celebrated throughout the region. Traversing through Atlanta you will find streets, bars, shops, and even foods named after these men, and as any southerner will tell you the Civil War became a memorial from the moment the first shot was fired. During the late spring and summer nightly light shows are performed at the mountain. These shows illuminate the carvings in laser lights, and the musical score and historical narration gives the viewer and interesting take on the area’s cultural heritage.

Hence, Stone Mountain’s rock carving is only one aspect of the cultural spectacles that give Atlanta its charm. Other gems of the area are the battlefields and reenactments that regularly show up during the summer months. Like earlier referenced, the south loves to memorialize its dead, and reenacting the battles clearly immortalizes fallen Confederates. Kennesaw National Battlefield Park rests just outside Atlanta, and its lush scenery, mountain backdrop, and nearby lake provides the makings for an excellent afternoon outing and adventure. The park has many trails, tourists’ guidelines, and information on self guided tours for the area. The natural scenery is divine, and for the historical visitor the history lessons at the park are priceless. Standing on one of the spots of history, knowing that men died right where your feet are planted, and being there on one of the many occasions that individuals come out to replay these events is truly priceless.

A Trip Down Memory Lane

To make these reenactments even more stunning is the fact that many of the re-enactors are not southerners, and many have family roots that arrived to the United States long after the US Civil War. Thus, why would these individuals come out to partake in a “war game” that does not pertain to their direct history, and does this unique element detract from the historical nature of the event and legitimacy of the dramatization? Well, re-enactors take their jobs very seriously, and everything from uniforms to food carried is inspected for cultural accuracy. Men will come out for these reenactments and they will sleep in the field for several days (just like the original battle), and during this time they do not have cell phones, watches, zippers on their pants, toilet paper, or other modern accessories. Their food also represents the Civil War era. Here, men often eat homemade loaves of bread, carry bricks of cheese wrapped in cheese clothes, and granny apples are a frequent staple. These items might appear to be simple and mundane, but when the reenactment soldiers bring them to the battle field they must be correct in color and texture. This means, that quite frequently, that apples are discarded because they are too green (modern farming techniques and chemicals often makes the apples a brighter green than they would have naturally grown in the 1860s), cheese is custom ordered (or dyed at home) to achieve the orangish-yellow huge prevalent during the war, and so forth. These men even carry custom ordered tobacco products—so that their smell and appearance will match the 1860s. These little elements add to the atmosphere and significance of the reenactment, and viewers witnessing these displays of love and patriotism will walk away with a sense of history and cultural significance. These notions vary from enlightenment (i.e. understanding an element of the nation’s past), to understanding the evolution of US society. This evolution process enables to visitor to see how far US society has come, how far it has to go, and how and why it acts as it does.

Tangible Heritage and Touching the Roots

Understanding the cultural roots of the American south, and those of Atlanta, is also seen through great works of literary fiction. Here, Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With the Wind is set in the city, and the author’s home is still open to visitors. Any visit to Atlanta can not end without a tour of the Margaret Mitchell House and Museum, and it should be coincided with a walk through Midtown for its historic homes, businesses, and mansions. Margaret Mitchell’s book, and later movie adaptation, has created a cultural phenomenon throughout the world, and Atlanta certainly celebrates this sensation. Just as Confederate war heroes are celebrated through the city, Mitchell is honored through street names, parks, and some delicatessens have named sandwiches after her. Her gravestone, at Oakland Cemetery, is the most visited spot, and her house continually maintains a robust business from travelers and locals.

These attractions are just a few of the “hot spots” that make Atlanta such a wonderful spot to visit. Walks along Peachtree Street, when the magnolia trees and daffodils are in bloom, and the warm southern air and breezes that continually fill the days give Atlanta the feel of a small country town when it’s really a booming metropolis. The charm of the city, and its citizens, will entice and entrance you—filling you with a sense of nostalgia and cultural satisfaction that can not be found elsewhere.