Saturday, November 5, 2016

Western and Atlantic Railroad Tunnel in Tunnel Hill


Completed in 1850. It is 1477 feet long and was the first major railway tunnel in the south, and the final link through the Appalachian mountains as the first railroad tunnel. In 1862, it was the site of The Great Locomotive Chase during the Civil War. There is a heritage center on site and you can take tours through it. The Battle of Tunnel Hill took place in 1864 with Sherman taking up residence in the nearby Clisby Austin house. A major reenactment takes place every September the weekend following Labor Day. As a native of Whitfield, the structure is both haunting and fascinating. It is literally built into the side of a mountain.
Valerie Hegwood 

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