Old Guard Exhibit Opens at Southern Museum

“The Old Guard of the Gate City Guard” exhibition opened Saturday in the Cobb Energy Gallery at the in Kennesaw. The temporary exhibit will be open through Oct. 16 and commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.

The Gate City Guard was one of the first military units to respond in defense of Georgia in 1861. Founded in 1857, the unit served in the western Virginia Campaign but disbanded shortly after. In 1870, the unit reformed for the purpose of promoting patriotism, goodwill, friendship and reconciliation.

Colonel Byers Coleman, Commandant of the Old Guard, was on hand to open the exhibit and host the reception. A Fayetteville resident, Coleman said there are about 90 active members of the Old Guard, who are asked to join by invitation only.

The unit is responsible for the 1911 construction and dedication of the Peace Monument, which still stands in Atlanta’s Piedmont Park. The Gate City Guard was formed and provided police protection in Atlanta during the Civil War.

“You must be a descendant of a Confederate soldier and have served in the U.S. armed forces,” said Coleman of the requirements of the Old Guard.

The exhibit features rare weapons, historic photos and memorabilia associated with the group’s history. It was previously housed at the Atlanta History Center in midtown Atlanta.

“We are honored they chose our museum to house all their artifacts,” said Paul Chastain, president of the Kennesaw Museum Foundation, one of the sponsors of the exhibit along with State Bank and Trust.  “This museum is an economic engine for the city of Kennesaw–and it just keeps getting better.”

Several members of the Old Guard and their families were on hand at the exhibit opening and were dressed in their crisp white uniforms.  Kennesaw Mayor Mark Mathews welcomed them and thanked the group for the historical significance of such an exhibit.

“This collection looks beyond the Civil War and into the Atlanta region,” said Mayor Mathews before the ceremony, adding he is grateful for the strong impact the Southern Museum has had on the city, state and nation.

“We have the Civil War history and railroad Industrial Revolution collection, as well as the Glover Machine Works, representing Cobb. Now we have this important history representing Atlanta,” he said.

The exhibit is free with museum admission. For more information, call 770-427-2117 or visit www.southernmuseum.org.