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| Cartersville, Ga. (Photo by Todd DeFeo) |
ATLANTA — The state has launched a new website to promote Civil War sites to heritage tourists.
The site, www.GaCivilWar.org, features information about attractions, a timeline and a map. The Tourism Division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) launched the site.
“We created this site so that it serves as an online portal for communities and Civil War organizations in Georgia to promote their Civil War commemoration activities and events on one comprehensive site,” Kevin Langston, deputy commissioner for tourism for the Georgia Department of Economic Development, said in a news release. “GaCivilWar.org will make it easier for visitors to plan their vacation by having access to all of our Civil War sites, stories and commemoration events.”
Georgia is among a number of states gearing up for next year’s sesquicentennial. According to one estimate, heritage tourists account for a $192.3 billion economic impact.
“In addition to recognizing a period of great importance in our state, this five-year commemoration is also expected to generate a significant increase in heritage travelers to Georgia,” Langston said. “We want visitors and locals to experience the impact of the war on Georgia’s landscape, people and culture, not just what happened on the battlefields.”
During the Civil War, Georgia played host to a number of events, including The Andrews Raid of 1862 and Gen. William T. Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign and his “March to the Sea.”
Last month, the GDEcD, the Georgia Civil War Commission, the Georgia Humanities Council and UGA Press released a new book detailing Civil War sites statewide. The book is a must-have for heritage travelers and history buffs looking to see the places that made history a century and a half ago.
“Crossroads of Conflict: A Guide to Civil War Sites in Georgia,” written by Barry L. Brown and Gordon R. Elwell, features information about more than 350 Civil War sites throughout the Peach State. The book builds on sites the Georgia Civil War Commission identified in 2000.
For more information, visit www.GaCivilWar.org.