Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park

In the summer of 1864, the landmark twin humps of Kennesaw Mountain set the stage for one of the American Civil War’s most difficult battles. Rising 1,800 feet above metro Atlanta, the mountain was a strategic priority for each side of the battle during some of the war’s toughest days.

In 1935, the area became part of the National Park System under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Today, much of the site has become the 2,888-acre Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, serving as one of metro Atlanta’s most popular recreational destinations. Alongside the Park Service, Trust for Public land helped grow the park in strategic ways—acquiring islands of private property that sit inside the park—to make it more fluid and enjoyable and to protect it from encroaching development. In 2008, the largest (and only the second) addition to the park came when TPL acquired a 34-acre property owned by the Hensley family, which includes fields, forests, and a lake.

In 2013, TPL acquired another property, the 42-acre Hays Farm. This important historic piece includes Nodine’s Hill, which features remnant Union entrenchments, rifle pits, and cannon placements.

Looking ahead, TPL will continue to work with the National Park Service to acquire more privately owned properties within the park’s boundaries.