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Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park Gets 42-Acre Addition

Nodine's Hill is now part of the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. The Nodine's Hill land includes remnant Union entrenchments, rifle pits and cannon placements.

A significant site in the Battle for Atlanta has been added to the nation’s most visited Civil War battlefield site, The Trust for Public Land and The National Park Service announced Wednesday.

The site includes Nodine’s Hill and it is now part of the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. 

The 42-acre property saw fighting, particularly centered on Nodine’s Hill, in the June 1864 Kennesaw Mountain battle, when the Confederate Army led by Gen. Joseph E. Johnston tried to halt the advance of Union forces led by Gen. William T. Sherman, according to The Trust for Public Land.

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“Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park is a great destination for both history enthusiasts and nature lovers, and this addition to the park offers something for every visitor,” said Curt Soper, Georgia state director for The Trust for Public Land. “It was particularly important to protect Nodine’s Hill in the Civil War’s sesquicentennial years and permanently preserve the site of fierce fighting in the Atlanta Campaign.”

The Nodine’s Hill land includes remnant Union entrenchments, rifle pits and cannon placements.

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“As we approach the Civil War 150th commemoration of the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, this is the opportune time to reaffirm our national commitment to the protection of these hallowed grounds and create a lasting legacy, one that will be enjoyed for generations to come,” said Nancy Walther, Superintendent, Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. 

After victories in 1863 at Vicksburg and Chattanooga, Sherman marched his Union forces south to Atlanta in May 1864. Johnston’s forces defended Atlanta, in part by using the ridges of land northwest of the city to slow Sherman. By June 19, Johnston had retreated to a strong defensive position at Kennesaw Mountain near Marietta, 20 miles from the center of Atlanta. Kennesaw Mountain was the last major battle before Sherman’s forces reached the outskirts of the city.

Known as Hays Farm, the property is also adjacent to a 58-acre, 40-home subdivision built after an unsuccessful conservation attempt in 2005.

Funding for the $1.76 million addition to the national park came from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), according to The Trust for Public Land. 

The National Park Trust and The Trust for Public Land were joined by the National Park Conservation Association, Civil War Trust and the National Trust for Historic Preservation in advocating for the preservation of Hays Farm at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park.

“(A)s part of our commitment to engage local students with the importance of park preservation, NPT created an education module that aligns the science and history of the Kennesaw Battlefield with state standards," said Jonathan Cohen, NPT board member. "NPT also will bring nearly three hundred 5th-grade students from Hollydale Elementary and Fair Oaks Elementary to the park in November for a day of outdoor education.”


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