Photo by Unknown, via Wikimedia Commons (Attribution)
The Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History
4.7· 1,067 Google reviews
About The Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History
At the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History in Kennesaw, Georgia, visitors encounter the Western & Atlantic Railroad’s famed steam locomotive General, preserved beneath a protective structure while the museum’s expanded galleries showcase Civil‑War artifacts, railroad engineering drawings, photographs, and the French Merci Boxcar acquired in 2007. The archives hold original company records, blueprints and Civil‑War correspondence, offering an immersive view of post‑war Southern railroading within the museum’s 1972‑origin facility.
At a Glance
Verified daily- Type
- Heritage railroad & tourist attraction
- Location
- GA
- Rating
- 4.7 ★ 1,067 Google reviews
- Upcoming
- Sat, Jul 25
Plan Your Visit
- Parking
- Free lot
- Accessibility
- Wheelchair-accessible entrance · accessible restroom · accessible parking
- Good For
- All ages
- Hours
- Monday: ClosedTuesday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PMWednesday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PMThursday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PMFriday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PMSaturday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PMSunday: Closed
Find the Depot
The Trains
The museum’s rolling‑stock collection centers on the Western and Atlantic Railroad steam locomotive **General**, the engine that participated in the Great Locomotive Chase of April 1862. Also on display is a French‑built **Merci Boxcar**, one of the World War II‑era freight cars donated to the United States after the conflict. Both pieces remain static exhibits; the museum does not operate a heritage railway or maintain a defined route, track length, or gauge.
History
See full history
The Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History originates in 1972, when the city opened the Big Shanty Museum on April 12, 1972—the anniversary of the 1862 Great Locomotive Chase—to house the General locomotive that had been moved to Kennesaw in 1971 after a legal dispute between its owner, the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, and the City of Chattanooga. Steve Frey and his family donated a vacant former cotton‑gin building across from the Kennesaw depot to serve as the museum’s first home. In the mid‑ to late 1990s the former Glover Machine Works site, long vacant, retained records, locomotive parts and a complete locomotive; descendants of the Glover family transferred that collection to the museum in 2001, prompting a closure later that year for a major expansion. The enlarged facility reopened in March 2003 under the new name Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History, and a further expansion completed in 2007 added space for the French Merci boxcar.
Around the Depot
The "General" Locomotive History ParkMuseum·★ 5 (8)3 min walkDirections →Kennesaw SpringAttraction·★ 5 (1)4 min walkDirections →Park at Main Apartment HomesAttraction·★ 4.1 (93)4 min walkDirections →Camp McDonald ParkMuseum·★ 5 (1)5 min walkDirections →
Getting There & Staying Nearby
Optional trip extras from our travel partners.
Rent a Car
Most heritage railroads sit well off the interstate. Picking up a rental at the nearest airport is usually the easiest way in.
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Tours & Activities Nearby
Tours
Guided tours, day trips, and things to do around the area, bookable in advance through Viator.
Browse nearby tours →Bookings made through this link support usatrainrides at no extra cost to you.