July programs at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
Jun. 24—Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, 900 Kennesaw Mountain Drive, will have the following interpretive programs in July:
— July 2 at 11 a.m. will be the Assault Trail Hike. This Ranger-led guided hike will put participants in the footsteps of Union soldiers, retracing their charge against Confederate trenches at Cheatham Hill. The hike begins at the Activity Area 3 Parking Lot.
— July 3 at 11 a.m. is the Guided Museum Tour. Rangers will take participants on a journey through the entirety of the Civil War, with heavy focus on the Western Theater and the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain. There will be dicussion of the causes, biggest battles, blunders and how the war still affects people today over 150 years later.
— July 9 at 11 a.m. will be the Pigeon Hill Hike. Some of the toughest fighting of the war occurred on a small spur just below the dual-peaks of Kennesaw. This Ranger-led hike will describe the futile Union assault an the Confederate defense of Pigeon Hill. Participants will meet at the Pigeon Hill parking area and go up the rocky slope. The hike is moderate, so participants should bring good shoes and plenty of water.
— Julyl 10 at 11 a.m., noon, 2 and 3 p.m. will be Infantry Demonstrations. Participants can see living history volunteers and Rangers set up camp next to the Visitor Center and live life for a day as Civil War infantrymen. Rifle firings will occur at the specified times. There will be talks about basic drill, school of the soldier, arms and accoutrements, food and disease.
— July 16 at 11 a.m. will be the Cheatham Hill Veteran's Talk. The story of Kennesaw Mountain did not end after the battle in 1864 but was continued by the veterans who fought on the battlefield. A Ranger will discuss how Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park was established through efforts of Union veterans who fought at Cheatham Hill. The program will be held at the Illinois Monument.
— July 17 at 11 a.m. will be the Kolb Farm History Talk. Over the course of 15 weeks during the summer of 1864, two massive hosts of men battled for the future of the nation. Participants can discover the Atlanta Campaign in this Ranger-led precursor program to the park's 158th Battle Anniversary.
— July 23 at 11 a.m., noon, 2 and 3 p.m. will be Artillery Demonstrations. Artillery was a vital component to the operations of both armies during the Atlanta Campaign and played a key role in several engagements during the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain.
— July 24 at 11 a.m. will be Life of a Soldier. This interactive Ranger program will take participants into the life of an infantry soldier in the Atlanta Campaign.
— July 30 at 11 a.m. will be The Fighting McCooks. On June 27, 1864, Col. Daniel McCook Jr. led the Federal assault up Cheatham Hill, where he was mortally wounded. This brave man was not the only McCook to fight for the Federal army. This 30-minute program will introduce The Fighting McCooks, the story of the three Ohio brothers and their 15 sons who joined the Federal forces and fought throughout the Civil War. This program is not at the Visitor Center. Park at 947 Cheatham Hill Drive in Marietta in the Illinois Monument Parking Lot.
— July 31 at 1 p.m. will be Day By Day Through the Civil War in Georgia with Michael Shaffer. Until now, a daily account of the 1,630 days of Georgia's social, political, economic and military events during the Civil War did not exist. During the 160 years since the conflict's termination, many accounts of wartime Georgia have rolled off various presses. With this effort, Michael K. Shaffer strikes a balance between the combatants while remembering the struggles of enslaved people, folks on the home front, and the merchants and clergy attempting to maintain some sense of normalcy.
For more information, call 770-427-4686, ext. 0 or visit www.nps.gov/kemo.
