Year: 2010

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Seeing America

Find out what happened to the tiny town of Cassville

May 17, 2010 Todd DeFeo

CASSVILLE, Ga. – Driving around the North Georgia community of Cassville, it’s hard to imagine this was once a bustling community. In the years leading up to the Civil War, the city had wooden sidewalks, a newspaper and two colleges – the Cherokee Baptist College and the Cassville Female College. Established in 1832 or 1833 and named for Lewis Cass, a former Secretary of War, the city was also the seat of Cass County. Interestingly,

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Monument tells of business owner’s gratitude

May 16, 2010 Todd DeFeo

CARTERSVILLE, Ga. – By 1857, Mark Anthony Cooper found himself in debt to the tune of $100,000, and his company, the Etowah Iron and Manufacturing Co., was about to be auctioned. With the help of 38 friends, Cooper raised $200,000 in notes and purchased back his company. Cooper didn’t forget his friends who helped him raise the money, so in 1860, after he repaid the debt, Cooper built a monument to thank them. The monument

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Seeing America

Bridge piers offer a link to Civil War

May 15, 2010 Todd DeFeo

EMERSON, Ga. – In order to complete the Western & Atlantic Railroad, engineers had to overcome a number of natural obstacles. That resulted in a 1,447-foot-long tunnel through Chetoogeta Mountain and a bridge over the Etowah River south of Cartersville. The bridge over the Etowah River was completed in 1847, about three years before the Atlanta-to-Chattanooga rail line opened. The bridge’s stone pillars are all that remain of the once-formidable structure. During the Civil War,

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Sen.: No guns in airports nationwide

May 14, 2010 Caboose Chronicle

ATLANTA – A senator from New Jersey has introduced legislation he says was prompted by a bill the Georgia General Assembly passed. Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., introduced the “Firearm-Free Airports Act” that would ban anyone except law enforcement personnel from “carrying firearms into commercial airports nationwide.” Lautenberg filed his legislation in response to a bill that is now awaiting Gov. Sonny Perdue’s signature or veto. “In the post-9/11 world, it simply defies common sense that

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Feds change union rules

May 11, 2010 The Travel Trolley

A federal agency on Monday changed rules regulating union elections, making it easier for airline and railroad employees to unionize. Critics of the new rule argue the National Mediation Board does not have the authority to make such a change, and one airline organization has indicated it will sue over the change. Under the new rules, a union could form if a majority of employees who cast ballots in a union election vote to unionize.

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Marietta Fire Museum showcases historic fire equipment

May 10, 2010 Todd DeFeo

MARIETTA, Ga. – Marietta’s fire department traces its origins to 1854, following a fire that destroyed the town square. Since the department’s inception more than 155 years ago, firefighting has changed immeasurably. The story of fighting fires over the past two centuries – from bucket brigades to pumper and ladder trucks – is on display at the Marietta Fire Museum. One of the highlights of the museum is an 1879 horse-drawn Silsby steamer, which is

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Bear visits aren’t uncommon during spring in Georgia

May 5, 2010 The Travel Trolley

ATLANTA – Spring could be a good time for sighting bears – even if it’s not on the agenda. Young male bears typically explore areas outside their regular domain in the spring, making sightings throughout Metro Atlanta possible, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. But, if left alone, the bears typically return to their home turf. “If a black bear is sighted passing through an area, the best thing to do is to