The Western & Atlantic Railroad of the State of Georgia ( W&A ) is a railroad owned by the State of Georgia and currently leased by CSX , which CSX operates in the Southeastern United States from Atlanta , Georgia , to Chattanooga , Tennessee .
65-582: The Hotel District is a neighborhood in Downtown Atlanta , Georgia , United States . The district's name is derived from it being the home to many hotels, one of them being the famous Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel . The Hotel District is generally considered to be bounded by the Downtown Connector to the east, Five Points to the south, Centennial Olympic Park to the west, and Midtown to
130-592: A 1.25-million-square-foot (116,000 m ) mixed-used office building, contains the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia and offices for several other federal agencies, including the Department of Energy's regional office. Further north in the Fairlie-Poplar district of Downtown is the U.S. Court of Appeals . This court takes federal cases from the states of Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. It
195-507: A 72,000-square-foot (6,700 m ) full service athletic facility. Transit access is provided MARTA's Peachtree Center station that is directly connected to it. Centennial Yards is a $ 5 billion mixed-use development that is expected to be completed in 2026. The transformative 50-acre project will bring more restaurants, entertainment, housing, hotel rooms, and retail stores to downtown. The Consulate-General of Argentina , The Consulate-General of Germany , Consulate of Belgium , and
260-730: A compatible gauge of 4 ft 9 in ( 1,448 mm ). The General and many other locomotives were also re-gauged at this time. Aside from a few track realignments by the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway , the W&;A has changed little since 1862. The most significant changes were realignment during the creation of Lake Allatoona , with the tracks through Allatoona Pass removed. The Etowah River bridge has also been replaced. The famed Chetoogeta Mountain Tunnel in Tunnel Hill, Georgia ,
325-467: A dedicated hotel-convention district that lay at the heart of the Downtown economy, even as the remainder of Downtown Atlanta deteriorated markedly. The closure of Underground Atlanta in 1979 due to an increase in crime contributed to perceptions that Downtown was dangerous, and the 1980s saw a significant decline in population. By 1990, Five Points was a "vacant shell of its former self," while Downtown as
390-606: A district for entertainment and shopping. It contains retail stores, restaurants that serve a variety of different foods, and several nightclubs in Kenny's Alley. The Mall at Peachtree Center , located on Peachtree Street, has 60 specialty shops, including six full-scale restaurants, as well as a regular food court, a conference center in the South Tower. It also includes the Peachtree Center Athletic Club, which contains
455-456: A few miles from Chattanooga. After the chase, Andrews and most of his raiders were caught. After they were found guilty, Andrews and seven members of his party were executed by hanging . Of the remaining 14 raiders, several escaped and made it back to US Army lines and the remainder were exchanged as prisoners of war. These men were the first soldiers to be awarded the Medal of Honor. When the chase
520-694: A fireworks display for the Independence Day holiday. Hurt Park with its lighted fountain was an attraction in the 1940s and 1950s, and is a reminder of a bygone time. Just north of Centennial Olympic Park is the Georgia Aquarium , the world's third largest aquarium, after Marine Life Park in Singapore built in 2012 and the Chimelong Ocean Kingdom in China built in 2010. The Georgia Aquarium remains
585-539: A million people attend conventions at the Georgia World Congress Center annually, and as many 125,000 people attend a single event. Located near the MARTA Five Points Station, Underground Atlanta is Downtown's shopping and entertainment district. During the 1920s, streets in the area were raised above the ground (and the railroad tracks) for a better flow of traffic. Under these viaducts is
650-578: A month, and rising annually thereafter. After being captured by the Union in mid-1864 and until the end of the war in 1865, the line was briefly operated by the United States Military Railroad . Trains departed from Atlanta at 8:50 a.m. and 7 p.m. and arrived there at 1:35 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. Not much has happened in between 1867 and now, track realignments in some areas resulted in height clearances and track improvements. On
715-479: A much smaller downtown area measuring just one and two tenths square miles. This area is roughly bound by North Avenue to the north, Piedmont Avenue and the Downtown Connector to the east, Martin Luther King Jr Drive, Courtland Street, and Edgewood Avenue to the south, and the railroad tracks to the west. This area only includes the core central business district neighborhoods of Fairlie-Poplar, Five Points,
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#1732849087177780-640: A route bypassing Chattanooga) in 1972 where it was placed in the Big Shanty Museum . The Texas was renamed Cincinnati and was retired shortly after the turn of the century, and was stored on a siding. In 1911, it was moved to Grant Park and later placed in the Atlanta Cyclorama . Prior to the Civil War, the rail gauge of most railroads in the South were 5 ft ( 1,524 mm ) broad gauge . In 1886,
845-952: A strong presence in Downtown. The U.S. Census Bureau has its Atlanta Regional Office in the Centennial Tower and the Atlanta Regional Census Center in Suite 1000 in the Marquis Two Tower in the Peachtree Center . The National Transportation Safety Board operates the Atlanta Aviation Field Office in the Atlanta Federal Center in Downtown Atlanta. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Building
910-573: A target for the Union Army . In 1864, General William T. Sherman burned Atlanta to the ground during his March to the Sea , making Atlanta the only major American city to be destroyed by war. Atlanta's first resurgence began during Reconstruction . In 1868, Georgia's state capital was moved to the city from Milledgeville . By the 1920s, a downtown business sector ringed by residential districts had emerged. Professional sports came to Atlanta in 1965 with
975-670: A total of 119.1 miles (191.7 km). At its north end, it continues south from the Chattanooga Subdivision of the Nashville Division and at its south end it continues south as the Atlanta Terminal Subdivision (Chart A). This line, originally built to 5 ft ( 1,524 mm ) gauge , is famous because of the Great Locomotive Chase , also referred to as Andrews' raid, which took place on
1040-547: A university-led transformation of Downtown that sought to make Georgia State "a part of the city, not apart from the city." Dubbed the Main Street Master Plan, Patton's vision has been executed through billions of dollars of urban construction, boosting Downtown's economy and population. On March 14, 2008, at approximately 9:40 pm Eastern Daylight Time , an EF2 tornado hit Downtown with winds up to 135 miles per hour (217 km/h). It caused damage to Philips Arena,
1105-545: A whole was largely an "archepelagic assemblage of fortified enclaves inhabited in the daylight hours by government office workers, conventioners, and college students, and in the night by a substantial population of homeless persons." The 1996 Olympic Games , along with the transformation of Georgia State University from a commuter school to a traditional college, initiated a resurgence of Downtown that continues today. They resulted in Centennial Olympic Park , which
1170-732: Is a music concert hall built in 1910 for the Tabernacle Baptist Church. In 1996 it was converted into a House of Blues Club for the Olympics. It was renamed "The Tabernacle" in 1998. The concert hall is four stories and can seat 2600. AmericasMart is a wholesale trade center consisting of four buildings totaling seven million square feet. The Mart hosts several trade shows every year including Market Wednesday, Atlanta Apparel, Atlanta Spring Immediate Delivery, and The Atlanta International Gift and Home Furnishings Market. Some permanent showrooms are open daily, though many are open only part of
1235-487: Is a reinvigorated Downtown, especially in the areas around Woodruff Park and Sweet Auburn . Downtown Atlanta is in Atlanta Public Schools (APS). Zoned schools are: Centennial Place Academy ( K-8 school ), and Midtown High School (formerly Henry W. Grady High School). Downtown is a transportation hub for the entire region. The Downtown Connector runs north and south through the district. The Connector
1300-608: Is located South Downtown . Its gold dome is visible from the Downtown Connector . The Fulton County Government Center, the seat of the Fulton County Government, is located on Pryor Street. The Fulton County Courthouse is located directly across the street from the Fulton County Government Center. A few blocks away from the U.S. Court of Appeals is the State Bar of Georgia building, the former location of
1365-614: Is officially named the Elbert P. Tuttle U.S. Court of Appeals building, named after a former Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (the predecessor court to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit). Downtown is also marked by its state, county, and city government facilities. The Georgia State Capitol , the seat of the government for the State of Georgia,
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#17328490871771430-516: Is the central business district of Atlanta , Georgia , United States. The largest of the city's three commercial districts ( Midtown and Buckhead being the others), it is the location of many corporate and regional headquarters; city , county , state , and federal government facilities; Georgia State University ; sporting venues; and most of Atlanta's tourist attractions. It measures approximately four square miles, and had 26,850 residents as of 2017. Similar to other central business districts in
1495-843: Is the primary freeway artery for the city. Downtown is also served by Interstate 20, which creates the southern border of Downtown. Downtown also has many surface streets that serve as alternatives to the Downtown Connector. MARTA 's east–west and north–south subway lines converge in the middle of Downtown at the Five Points station . The North-South Line has four additional stops at Garnett (in South Downtown ), Peachtree Center , and Civic Center (in SoNo ). The east–west line has two additional stops at Dome/GWCC/Philips Arena/CNN Center and Georgia State . Western and Atlantic Railroad It
1560-557: The Bank of America Plaza building, is situated between Midtown Atlanta and Downtown. Rising at 1,023 feet (312 m), Bank of America Plaza is also the tallest building in any of the U.S. state capitals, and one of the tallest buildings in the United States outside of New York City and Chicago . Downtown is the heart and the largest of the three business districts of the city. This area contains striking architecture dating as far back as
1625-754: The Celebration Bowl , and the Peach Bowl . In its vicinity is State Farm Arena , the home of the Atlanta Hawks , the city's NBA team. It is located directly across Centennial Olympic Park Drive from the CNN Center. Just south of Interstate 20 are the Georgia State University baseball, basketball, and football stadiums—the latter built from the legacy of the defunct Centennial Olympic Stadium and Turner Field . The Tabernacle , located on Luckie Street,
1690-581: The Consulate-General of South Korea are located in Peachtree Center . The Consulate-General of the United Kingdom is located in the Georgia-Pacific Tower . Woodruff Park , named after Robert W. Woodruff , is a 6-acre (24,000 m ) park in Downtown located a block away from Five Points . The park is the location of the iconic Phoenix Memorial , which memorializes Atlanta's rise from
1755-596: The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta before it moved to its Midtown location in 2001. Downtown is home to most of the city's major sporting venues. Mercedes-Benz Stadium is home to the Atlanta Falcons , the city's NFL team, and Atlanta United FC , the city's MLS team. Mercedes-Benz Stadium also hosts major college football events, including the annual Aflac Kickoff Game , the SEC Championship Game ,
1820-563: The General by foot and handcar . At Emerson, Georgia , Fuller commandeered the Yonah and rode it north to Kingston, Georgia . At Kingston, conductor Fuller got the William R. Smith and headed north to Adairsville . The tracks were broken by the raiders two miles (3.2 km) south of Adairsville and Fuller had to run the two miles on foot. At Adairsville, Fuller got the locomotive Texas and chased
1885-454: The General . While all of this was happening, Andrews' Raiders were cutting the telegraph wires so no transmissions could go through to Chattanooga. With the Texas chasing the General in reverse, the chase went through Dalton, Georgia , and Tunnel Hill, Georgia . At milepost 116.3 (north of Ringgold, Georgia ), Andrews' Raiders abandoned the General and scattered from the locomotive just
1950-462: The Georgia Railroad , suggested that Marthasville's name be changed. The first suggestion was "Atlantica-Pacifica", which was shortened to "Atlanta". In 1847, Atlanta was incorporated, with the town limits extending in a one-mile (1.6 km) radius from the mile marker at the railroad depot. By the outbreak of the Civil War, Atlanta was a major railroad hub and manufacturing center, making it
2015-609: The 1930s. In 1962, 100 years after the chase, the L&;N performed work necessary to allow the locomotive to operate under her own power for a series of appearances marking the 100th anniversary of the Andrews Raid. The premier appearance was her run from Atlanta to Chattanooga over the Western & Atlantic Railroad. After this run, the General would make excursion trips on various rail lines across
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2080-505: The 1970s resulted in significant development in Downtown, most notably in Peachtree Center and the Hotel District . Economic development in these areas shifted the commercial center of the city to an area along Peachtree Street that was north of Five Points , however, despite the construction of the MARTA central station there in 1975. By the mid-1980s, Peachtree Center had become the core of
2145-538: The 19th century. Some of the most famous and/or tallest buildings in Downtown include: Downtown is divided into nine subdistricts: Downtown contains over 26 million square feet (2,400,000 m ) of office space; combined with Midtown as the central business district they make up over 48 million sq ft, more than the CBDs of Dallas , and Miami . Downtown's economy is also driven by its government facilities, venues, and retail options. The Federal government maintains
2210-507: The Family Lines System and later CSX Transportation, which continues to operate the line as the Western & Atlantic Subdivision. CSXT signed the current lease on the W&A from the State of Georgia in May 1986, set to expire on December 31, 2019. On Sept 7th, 2018, the owner and CSX announced they had reached an agreement to renew the lease for 50 more years, starting in 2020 at $ 1 million
2275-651: The Georgia Dome, Centennial Olympic Park, the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel , the CNN Center, and the Georgia World Congress Center . It was the first time a tornado touched ground in Downtown since weather record keeping began in the 1880s. While there were dozens of injuries, there was only one fatality. Downtown contains some of the tallest buildings in Atlanta. The tallest building in Atlanta,
2340-504: The Hotel District, Centennial Hill, and South Downtown . The history of downtown began in 1826 with Wilson Lumpkin and Hamilton Fulton surveying a possible canal route between Chattanooga, Tennessee , and Milledgeville , Georgia's capital at the time. In 1833, Lumpkin, who had become governor, requested that the state legislature charter three railroad lines. By 1836, the state-financed Western and Atlantic Railroad , linking
2405-584: The United States, it has recently undergone a transformation that includes the construction of new condos and lofts, renovation of historic buildings, and arrival of new residents and businesses. Downtown is bound by North Avenue to the north, Boulevard to the east, Interstate 20 to the south, and Northside Drive to the west. This definition includes central areas like Five Points , the Hotel District , and Fairlie-Poplar , and outer neighborhoods such as SoNo and Castleberry Hill . The Atlanta Downtown Improvement District (ADID) organization, though, defines
2470-660: The W&A during the American Civil War on the morning of April 12, 1862. In 1836, the Georgia General Assembly voted to build the Western & Atlantic Railroad of the State of Georgia to provide a link between the port of Savannah and the Midwest . The initial route of that state-sponsored project was to run from Chattanooga to a spot east of the Chattahoochee River, in present-day Fulton County. The plan
2535-497: The area, particularly in the area clustered around Centennial Olympic Park. In June 2008, Atlanta was selected for the future home of the National Health Museum. It will be near Centennial Olympic Park where it is estimated to attract between 1.1 and 1.4 million visitors per year. Georgia State University , a four-year public research institution, has been a major force in Downtown's resurgence. Downtown has benefited from
2600-551: The ashes of the Civil War. Built as a legacy of the 1996 Olympic Games , Centennial Olympic Park , located on 21-acre (85,000 m ) area of Downtown, is the largest downtown park in the United States developed in the last 25 years. A famous part of the park is the Fountain of Rings, the world's largest interactive fountain utilizing the Olympic symbol of five interconnecting rings. The park hosts many events, such as music concerts and
2665-488: The change to the Northern standard gauge of 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ( 1,435 mm ) was mandated on June 1, and the W&A accomplished this along all 138 miles (222 km) in less than 24 hours, beginning at 1:30 p.m. on May 31 and finishing at 10 a.m. the next morning. This was done by over 400 men, prying up one rail and moving it closer to the other by exactly 3 inches (76 mm), leaving
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2730-460: The coincidence was an unfortunate one for me". Through 1870, it was called the State Road , and was operated directly by the state under a superintendent appointed by and reporting to the governor of Georgia . On December 27 of that year, operations were transferred to the Western & Atlantic Railroad Company , a group of 23 investors including Georgia's wartime governor Joseph E. Brown , who leased it (both tracks and rolling stock ) from
2795-433: The construction of Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium and the relocation of the Braves from Milwaukee . The National Football League awarded the city the Falcons expansion team in 1966. The Hawks arrived in 1968, even though Omni Coliseum , the city's basketball arena, did not open until 1972. Two of the teams continue to play their home games downtown at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and Philips Arena . Business growth in
2860-609: The development of north Georgia. In 1857, Joseph E. Brown was elected Governor of Georgia . He supported free public education for poor white children, believing that it was key to the development of the state. He asked the state legislature to divert a portion of the profits from the state-owned Western & Atlantic, to help fund the schools. Most planters did not support public education and paid for private tutors and academies for their children. That resistance, and inadequate railroad income, initially thwarted governor Brown's education reform efforts. The Western and Atlantic Railroad
2925-417: The eastern US through most of the 1960s. In the late 60s, the General was to go to Kennesaw for another appearance when the City of Chattanooga officials halted it. The engine was put in storage in Louisville while a legal battle for its custody ensued. In 1971 the United States District Court confirmed the right of the railroad to dispose of the locomotive as it saw fit and it was moved to Kennesaw, Georgia (via
2990-405: The facilities, right of way and new equipment purchased for use over that line, including passenger cars, freight cars, and locomotives. As it turned out, the NC&StL continued to hold the lease to the Western & Atlantic Railroad until it was absorbed by its parent company, the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, which was itself owned by the Atlantic Coast Line-one of the principal railroads in
3055-531: The flurry of GSU-related construction and land acquisitions as the institution undergoes its transformation from a commuter school to a traditional university. In the early 2000s, under then-president Carl Patton, the university undertook the creation of a master plan that would make GSU "a part of the city, not apart from the city." The resulting $ 1 billion master plan has led to 14 new or renovated university buildings, including academic structures, student dormitories, dining halls, and sporting facilities. The result
3120-464: The governor, decided to resign from the railroad. The timing could not have been worse. Fearing that Lewis' resignation would be interpreted negatively, the governor requested that Lewis keep the resignation a secret. But the resignation letter was leaked to the press, causing a rift between the two old friends. Brown wrote to Lewis saying "I did not deserve this at your hands, and I confess I felt it keenly...I do not attribute improper motives, but only say
3185-546: The hotels located in this district. Some of those hotels include: All of these hotels are located in walking distance to many of Atlanta's tourist attractions, such as the Georgia Aquarium , World of Coca-Cola , Centennial Olympic Park , and the CNN Center , as well as other facilities such as State Farm Arena , Georgia World Congress Center , and Mercedes-Benz Stadium . 33°45′35″N 84°23′15″W / 33.75969°N 84.387589°W / 33.75969; -84.387589 Downtown Atlanta Downtown Atlanta
3250-426: The largest aquarium in the United States and in the Western Hemisphere, with more than 8 million US gallons (30,000 m ) of fresh and marine water. It is listed as one of the "1,000 Places to See Before You Die". The World of Coca-Cola , situated near the Georgia Aquarium at Pemberton Place , is a permanent exhibition to the history of Coca-Cola . Downtown is in the process of bringing new attractions to
3315-451: The middle of Georgia to the other states north and west, was granted a charter by the legislature, which was signed into law by Lumpkin. As a result, the town named Terminus was founded in 1837, named for the end of the railroad line. Terminus received a name change in 1842 when the town's 30 inhabitants voted to change the town's name to Marthasville, in honor of Governor Lumpkin's daughter. By 1845, John Edgar Thomson , chief engineer of
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#17328490871773380-458: The morning of April 12, 1862, the locomotive General was stopped at Big Shanty, Georgia (now Kennesaw) so that the crew and passengers could have breakfast . During this time, James J. Andrews and his Union raiders (Andrews Raiders), stole the General . The only damage the raiders did involved cutting telegraph lines and raising rails, although an attempt to burn a covered bridge failed. The train's conductor, William A. Fuller , chased
3445-405: The north. The district's primary thoroughfare is Peachtree Street , which contains most of the restaurants, hotels, and office buildings. The intersection of Andrew Young International Boulevard and Peachtree Street forms the heart of the district. As its name suggests, the Hotel District is the home of many of Atlanta's signature hotels. Tourists coming to Atlanta for conventions typically stay in
3510-423: The passenger equipment was usable, almost all of the locomotives were condemnable and all of the freight cars were scrapped. The value of the locomotives was disputed for some 20 years. A major change in the new lease in 1890 stipulated that all improvements made to the road by the lessee would become property of the state at the termination of the lease. Included in the definition of improvements were modifications to
3575-444: The same strict economic controls Lewis had practiced in his private businesses. In the three years that Lewis ran the railroad, he was able to turn the business into a money making enterprise, paying $ 400,000 per year into the state treasury. In 1861, Brown was up for re-election to a third term. It was at this time, during the re-election campaign, that Western & Atlantic Railroad Superintendent John Woods Lewis, an old friend of
3640-498: The state for $ 25,000 per month. This expired 20 years later, when the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis (NC&StL) leased it for 29 years. The railroad that was handed over to the NC&StL was in very poor condition. The locomotives that were transferred consisted only of those listed on the 1870 lease as property of the State, with all of the more modern engines purchased under Gov. Brown's Western & Atlantic Railroad Company having been sold to other railroads. While most of
3705-411: The time or during trade shows. Clustered around the Mercedes-Benz Stadium and the CNN Center, the Georgia World Congress Center is a state-owned convention center. Opened in 1976, it was the first state owned and operated major convention center in the United States. As the fourth largest convention center in the United States and with 1.4 million square feet (130,000 m ) of space, more than
3770-439: The zero milepost was moved to a spot immediately adjacent to the current southern entrance to Underground Atlanta . The area developed into a settlement, known as "Terminus", literally meaning "end of the line". In 1843, the small settlement of Terminus was incorporated as the city of Marthasville . Two years later, by act of Georgia's General Assembly, the city was renamed "Atlanta". The railroad made significant contributions to
3835-416: Was abandoned in 1928; it was too small to accommodate the larger trains of the era, and a new tunnel was built nearby. A marker indicating where the chase began is near the Big Shanty Museum in Kennesaw, Georgia . A marker for where the chase ended is at Milepost 116.3, north of Ringgold, Georgia , which is not far from the recently restored depot at Milepost 114.5. A monument dedicated to Andrew's Raiders
3900-540: Was built and "designed and constructed to accommodate the rapidly expanding volume of the Postal Service , which was then oriented around a single, central processing facility." The Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center is the ninth largest federal building in the United States and the largest in the southeast. It "houses 5,000 employees for dozens of federal agencies and combines four distinct structural elements in central downtown, equaling 2 million square feet (190,000 m )." The Richard B. Russell Federal Building ,
3965-462: Was built as a physical memorial to the games in the former industrial area west of Five Points. In the following decade, Centennial Olympic Park spurred the creation of a Downtown tourist district anchored by the World of Coca-Cola , the Georgia Aquarium , the CNN Center , the Center for Civil and Human Rights , and the College Football Hall of Fame . Following the 1996 games, Georgia State University president Carl Patton, an urban planner, initiated
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#17328490871774030-465: Was founded on December 21, 1836. The city of Atlanta was founded as the terminus of the W&A, with the terminus marked with the Atlanta Zero Mile Post . The line is still owned by the State of Georgia from Atlanta to CT Tower in Chattanooga; it is leased by CSX Transportation . The W&A Subdivision is a railroad line leased by CSX Transportation in the U.S. states of Tennessee and Georgia. The line runs from Chattanooga to Marietta, Georgia for
4095-413: Was mismanaged at the time, and unable to produce the income Brown required to fund his public education proposal. In 1858, Governor Brown appointed John W. Lewis to the position of Superintendent of the state-owned railroad. Lewis had the skills of a successful businessman, and immediately undertook reforms to turn around the failing enterprise. The railroad, said to be in "dire financial straits", required
4160-409: Was over, both engines returned to service. After the "General"'s service with the W&A was over, she retired to the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway Union Depot in Chattanooga. In 1890, the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway overhauled the General and provided the locomotive for public events and to promote the line's Civil War history (to drum up the tourism trade) up through
4225-422: Was to eventually link up with the Georgia Railroad from Augusta and the Macon and Western Railroad , which ran from Macon to Savannah. An engineer was chosen to recommend the location where the Western & Atlantic line would terminate. Once he surveyed various possible routes, he drove a stake into the ground near what is now Forsyth and Magnolia Streets. The zero milepost was later placed at that spot. In 1842,
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