John Thrasher (February 24, 1818–November 13, 1899) was the founder of the city of Norcross, Georgia , an original pioneer of Atlanta , and a well-travelled entrepreneur throughout the American Southeast .
66-518: In 1839, Thrasher was hired to do work on the terminus of the Western and Atlantic Railroad . His work crew lived in the area of what is now downtown Atlanta . During the construction Thrasher built homes for his workers and a general store . Nicknamed "Thrasherville" instead of its official name "Terminus" (given by the railroad), it was the first land development of the area. A historical marker of this now stands on Marietta Street, in front of
132-474: A "water cure" that attracted tourists to the area. The Cobb County Medical Society recognizes him as the county's first physician. The Georgia Military Institute was built in 1851 and the first bank opened in 1855. During the 1850s, fire destroyed much of the city on three separate occasions. By the time the Civil War began in 1861, Marietta had recovered from the fires. In April 1862, James Andrews,
198-914: A block west of the town square, past the 1898-built former railroad depot (now the Visitor Center). Into the 1950s the Louisville and Nashville Railroad operated the Midwest -Florida trains, the Cincinnati-Florida Flamingo and the Chicago-Florida Southland , which made daily stops in Marietta Depot . Into the 1960s, the L&;N's Chicago & St. Louis-Florida trains, Dixie Flyer and Dixie Limited also made stops there. The final train
264-779: A civilian working with the Union Army , came to Marietta, along with a small party of Union soldiers dressed in civilian clothing. The group spent the night in the Fletcher House hotel (later known as the Kennesaw House and now the home of the Marietta Museum of History) located immediately in front of the Western and Atlantic Railroad. Andrews and his men, who later became known as the Raiders, planned to seize
330-749: A compatible gauge of 4 ft 9 in ( 1,448 mm ). The General and many other locomotives were also re-gauged at this time. Aside from a few track realignments by the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway , the W&;A has changed little since 1862. The most significant changes were realignment during the creation of Lake Allatoona , with the tracks through Allatoona Pass removed. The Etowah River bridge has also been replaced. The famed Chetoogeta Mountain Tunnel in Tunnel Hill, Georgia ,
396-460: A few miles from Chattanooga. After the chase, Andrews and most of his raiders were caught. After they were found guilty, Andrews and seven members of his party were executed by hanging . Of the remaining 14 raiders, several escaped and made it back to US Army lines and the remainder were exchanged as prisoners of war. These men were the first soldiers to be awarded the Medal of Honor. When the chase
462-638: A high school for black students until 1924 when Booker T. Washington High School (Georgia) opened in Atlanta, after decades of black citizens requesting educational resources. Leo Frank was lynched at 1200 Roswell Road just east of Marietta on August 17, 1915. Frank, a Jewish-American superintendent of the National Pencil Company in Atlanta, had been convicted on August 25, 1913, of the murder of one of his factory workers, 13-year-old Mary Phagan. The murder and trial, sensationalized in
528-595: A month, and rising annually thereafter. After being captured by the Union in mid-1864 and until the end of the war in 1865, the line was briefly operated by the United States Military Railroad . Trains departed from Atlanta at 8:50 a.m. and 7 p.m. and arrived there at 1:35 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. Not much has happened in between 1867 and now, track realignments in some areas resulted in height clearances and track improvements. On
594-400: A portion of the profits from the state-owned Western & Atlantic, to help fund the schools. Most planters did not support public education and paid for private tutors and academies for their children. That resistance, and inadequate railroad income, initially thwarted governor Brown's education reform efforts. The Western and Atlantic Railroad was mismanaged at the time, and unable to produce
660-525: A restaurant on the train line that went from Atlanta to Washington, D.C. In the late 1880s, Thrasher and his wife followed his sons to Dade City, Florida , where he grew oranges . He never abandoned the railroads however, and was instrumental in bringing the railroads to that town. He died in Dade City on Nov. 13, 1899. Adding to Thrasher's legacy are Robert and George Woodruff, the great-grandsons of his first cousin, Caroline Thrasher. Robert Woodruff
726-665: A route bypassing Chattanooga) in 1972 where it was placed in the Big Shanty Museum . The Texas was renamed Cincinnati and was retired shortly after the turn of the century, and was stored on a siding. In 1911, it was moved to Grant Park and later placed in the Atlanta Cyclorama . Prior to the Civil War, the rail gauge of most railroads in the South were 5 ft ( 1,524 mm ) broad gauge . In 1886,
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#1732775589768792-405: A stake into the ground near what is now Forsyth and Magnolia Streets. The zero milepost was later placed at that spot. In 1842, the zero milepost was moved to a spot immediately adjacent to the current southern entrance to Underground Atlanta . The area developed into a settlement, known as "Terminus", literally meaning "end of the line". In 1843, the small settlement of Terminus was incorporated as
858-575: A state legislator representing Fulton County . It wasn't until after the American Civil War and the destruction of Atlanta that he became deeply involved in Atlanta politics. He was instrumental in opening Atlanta's first jail, its first school, and its streetcars. In 1870 Thrasher moved northeast of the city along the Richmond and Danville Railroad and founded the town of Norcross, named after Thrasher's good friend, Jonathan Norcross ,
924-406: A time and, in 1842, the railroad's new management moved the hub from Marietta to an area that became Atlanta. In 1850, when the railroad began operation, Marietta shared in the resulting prosperity. The businessman and politician John Glover arrived in 1848. A popular figure, Glover was elected mayor when the city incorporated in 1852. Another early resident was Carey Cox, a physician, who promoted
990-479: A train and proceed north toward the city of Chattanooga , destroying the railroad on their way. They hoped, in so doing, to isolate Chattanooga from Atlanta and bring about the downfall of the Confederate stronghold. The Raiders boarded a waiting train on the morning of April 12, 1862, along with other passengers. Shortly after, the train made a scheduled stop in the town of Big Shanty, now known as Kennesaw. When
1056-472: A village in 1834 and as a city in 1852, the city of Marietta is organized under a form of government consisting of a Mayor, City Council, and City Manager. The City Council is made up of representatives elected from each of seven single-member districts within the city, and a Mayor elected at-large . The City Council is the governing body of the city with authority to adopt and enforce municipal laws and regulations. The Mayor and City Council appoint members of
1122-680: Is a railroad line leased by CSX Transportation in the U.S. states of Tennessee and Georgia. The line runs from Chattanooga to Marietta, Georgia for a total of 119.1 miles (191.7 km). At its north end, it continues south from the Chattanooga Subdivision of the Nashville Division and at its south end it continues south as the Atlanta Terminal Subdivision (Chart A). This line, originally built to 5 ft ( 1,524 mm ) gauge ,
1188-621: Is also home to the Walker School , a private pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade school. Walker competes in the Georgia High School Association Class A (Region 6) athletic division while Marietta and Wheeler compete in Class AAAAAA (Regions 4 and 5, respectively). The school system employs 1,200 people. MCS is an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School district. In 2008, MCS became only
1254-621: Is famous because of the Great Locomotive Chase , also referred to as Andrews' raid, which took place on the W&A during the American Civil War on the morning of April 12, 1862. In 1836, the Georgia General Assembly voted to build the Western & Atlantic Railroad of the State of Georgia to provide a link between the port of Savannah and the Midwest . The initial route of that state-sponsored project
1320-628: Is in the old Post Office building. The Marietta History Center exhibits the history of the city and county. The Center is home to thousands of artifacts including items from Marietta residents and businesses. The Marietta Gone with the Wind Museum is located in the Historic Brumby Hall and houses a private collection of memorabilia related to Gone with the Wind , both the book and the film . The William Root House Museum and Garden
1386-681: Is located at the Chattanooga National Cemetery ; it has the General on top of the monument and a brief history of the great locomotive chase. While under construction the road was led by the Chief Engineer and when construction was completed by the Superintendent. Marietta, Georgia Marietta is a city in and the county seat of Cobb County, Georgia , United States. At the 2020 census ,
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#17327755897681452-612: Is named for Cobb. Homes were built by early settlers near the Cherokee town of Big Shanty (now Kennesaw ) before 1824. The first plot was laid out in 1833. Like most towns, Marietta had a square ( Marietta Square ) in the center with a courthouse. The Georgia General Assembly legally recognized the community on December 19, 1834. Built in 1838, Oakton House is the oldest continuously occupied residence in Marietta. The original barn, milk house, smokehouse and well house remain on
1518-534: Is responsible to the City Council for all city operations. The City Council also appoints the city attorney who serves as the city's chief legal officer and the City Clerk who maintains all the city's records. Terms of office are for four years and the number of terms a member may serve are unlimited. There are seven councilmen, each representing a separate ward. In 2022 the median household income
1584-516: Is the oldest wood-frame house still standing in Marietta, built c. 1845 . Once owned by William Root, one of Marietta's earliest citizens and merchants whose drugstore was located in the Square. The Big Chicken , which currently sits on top of a KFC restaurant, has been a landmark on U.S. 41 and Roswell Road since 1963. Miramax Films and Disney filmed scenes of the 1995 movie Gordy here. The 2014 film Dumb and Dumber To filmed
1650-586: Is water. Marietta has a humid subtropical climate ( Köppen climate classification Cfa ). Marietta falls under the USDA 7b Plant Hardiness zone . As of the 2020 United States census , there were 60,972 people, 24,554 households, and 13,788 families residing in the city. At the 2010 census, there were 56,641 people and 22,261 households. The population density was 2,684.1 per square mile (1,036.3/km ). There were 25,227 housing units at an average density of 1,152.6 per square mile (445.0/km ). The racial make-up
1716-523: The General by foot and handcar . At Emerson, Georgia , Fuller commandeered the Yonah and rode it north to Kingston, Georgia . At Kingston, conductor Fuller got the William R. Smith and headed north to Adairsville . The tracks were broken by the raiders two miles (3.2 km) south of Adairsville and Fuller had to run the two miles on foot. At Adairsville, Fuller got the locomotive Texas and chased
1782-458: The General . While all of this was happening, Andrews' Raiders were cutting the telegraph wires so no transmissions could go through to Chattanooga. With the Texas chasing the General in reverse, the chase went through Dalton, Georgia , and Tunnel Hill, Georgia . At milepost 116.3 (north of Ringgold, Georgia ), Andrews' Raiders abandoned the General and scattered from the locomotive just
1848-483: The Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis (NC&StL) leased it for 29 years. The railroad that was handed over to the NC&;StL was in very poor condition. The locomotives that were transferred consisted only of those listed on the 1870 lease as property of the State, with all of the more modern engines purchased under Gov. Brown's Western & Atlantic Railroad Company having been sold to other railroads. While most of
1914-725: The National Register of Historic Places (these include Northwest Marietta , Whitlock Avenue , Washington Avenue, and Church-Cherokee Streets). The city's visitor center is located in the historic train depot . Downtown is the town square and former location of the county courthouse. The square is the site of several cultural productions and public events, including a weekly farmers' market. The Marietta Players perform semi-professional theater year-round. The historic Strand Theatre has been renovated back to its original design and features live theatre, concerts, classic films, and other events. The Marietta/Cobb Museum of Art
1980-622: The Southeastern United States from Atlanta , Georgia , to Chattanooga , Tennessee . It was founded on December 21, 1836. The city of Atlanta was founded as the terminus of the W&A, with the terminus marked with the Atlanta Zero Mile Post . The line is still owned by the State of Georgia from Atlanta to CT Tower in Chattanooga; it is leased by CSX Transportation . The W&A Subdivision
2046-584: The State Bar of Georgia , just down from where the Philips Arena stands in present times. Thrasher himself purchased a large amount of land in Whitehall which is now the site of West End, a neighborhood of Atlanta just southwest of the city center. This area was originally supposed to have been the zero-mile marker of the railroad and Thrasher expected enough traffic generated to bring business to
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2112-1141: The public schools in Marietta proper are operated by the Marietta City Schools (MCS), while the remainder of the schools in Cobb County, but outside the city limits, is operated by the Cobb County School District , including all of the county's other cities. MCS has one high school, Marietta High School , grades 9-12; a middle school , Marietta Middle School, grades 7 and 8; Marietta Sixth Grade Academy; and several elementary schools : A.L. Burruss, Dunleith, Hickory Hills, Lockheed, Marietta Center for Advanced Academics, Park Street, Sawyer Road, and West Side. Many residents of Marietta attend Cobb County public schools, such as Joseph Wheeler High School, Sprayberry High School, Alan C. Pope High School, and Walton High School. These schools are known to compete fiercely in athletics, especially basketball, as both Wheeler and Marietta High School frequently produce D-1 players. The town of Marietta
2178-522: The 1930s. In 1962, 100 years after the chase, the L&N performed work necessary to allow the locomotive to operate under her own power for a series of appearances marking the 100th anniversary of the Andrews Raid. The premier appearance was her run from Atlanta to Chattanooga over the Western & Atlantic Railroad. After this run, the General would make excursion trips on various rail lines across
2244-519: The Family Lines System and later CSX Transportation, which continues to operate the line as the Western & Atlantic Subdivision. CSXT signed the current lease on the W&A from the State of Georgia in May 1986, set to expire on December 31, 2019. On Sept 7th, 2018, the owner and CSX announced they had reached an agreement to renew the lease for 50 more years, starting in 2020 at $ 1 million
2310-493: The change to the Northern standard gauge of 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ( 1,435 mm ) was mandated on June 1, and the W&A accomplished this along all 138 miles (222 km) in less than 24 hours, beginning at 1:30 p.m. on May 31 and finishing at 10 a.m. the next morning. This was done by over 400 men, prying up one rail and moving it closer to the other by exactly 3 inches (76 mm), leaving
2376-542: The city are : The city operates Marietta Power under the auspices of the Board of Lights & Water. Interstate 75 and U.S. 41 run through the eastern part of the city. State routes 3, 5, and 120 also run through Marietta. CobbLinc , Marietta/Cobb County's Transit System and Xpress GA Buses serve the City. The CSX freight trains between Atlanta and Chattanooga ( Western & Atlantic Subdivision) still run
2442-458: The city had a population of 60,972. The 2019 estimate was 60,867, making it one of Atlanta 's largest suburbs . Marietta is the fourth largest of the principal cities by population of the Atlanta metropolitan area . The origin of the name is uncertain. It is believed that the city was named for Mary Cobb, the wife of the U.S. Senator and Superior Court judge Thomas Willis Cobb . The county
2508-421: The city of Marthasville . Two years later, by act of Georgia's General Assembly, the city was renamed "Atlanta". The railroad made significant contributions to the development of north Georgia. In 1857, Joseph E. Brown was elected Governor of Georgia . He supported free public education for poor white children, believing that it was key to the development of the state. He asked the state legislature to divert
2574-472: The community to sit on the city's various boards and commissions, ensuring that a broad cross-section of the town is represented in the city government. The City Council appoints the City Manager, the city's chief executive officer. The Council-Manager relationship is comparable to that of a board of directors and CEO in a private company or corporation. The City Manager appoints city department heads and
2640-559: The eastern US through most of the 1960s. In the late 60s, the General was to go to Kennesaw for another appearance when the City of Chattanooga officials halted it. The engine was put in storage in Louisville while a legal battle for its custody ensued. In 1971 the United States District Court confirmed the right of the railroad to dispose of the locomotive as it saw fit and it was moved to Kennesaw, Georgia (via
2706-492: The eastern part of Marietta, with access from exits 261, 263, 265, and 267. Downtown Atlanta is 20 miles (32 km) to the southeast, and Cartersville is 24 miles (39 km) to the northwest. According to the United States Census Bureau , Marietta has a total area of 23.2 square miles (60.0 km ), of which 23.1 square miles (59.8 km ) is land and 0.077 square miles (0.2 km ), or 0.38%,
John Thrasher - Misplaced Pages Continue
2772-481: The facilities, right of way and new equipment purchased for use over that line, including passenger cars, freight cars, and locomotives. As it turned out, the NC&StL continued to hold the lease to the Western & Atlantic Railroad until it was absorbed by its parent company, the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, which was itself owned by the Atlantic Coast Line-one of the principal railroads in
2838-641: The fourth mayor of Atlanta. He was also elected the city's first mayor. Thrasher quickly turned Norcross into a vacation destination with a resort hotel he built. He was an active philanthropist in Norcross, a founder of First Baptist Church, a donor of houses to clergy and land for a park, now called Thrasher Park in downtown Norcross. A daily train ran between Norcross and Atlanta, perhaps the first commuter train in Georgia. In 1878 his wanderlust struck again and he moved to Central, South Carolina , where he built
2904-469: The governor requested that Lewis keep the resignation a secret. But the resignation letter was leaked to the press, causing a rift between the two old friends. Brown wrote to Lewis saying "I did not deserve this at your hands, and I confess I felt it keenly...I do not attribute improper motives, but only say the coincidence was an unfortunate one for me". Through 1870, it was called the State Road , and
2970-455: The grocery store he built and to spur development on his land. In 1842, Lemuel P. Grant , a railroad employee, donated land just northeast of Whitehall to the railroad and the terminus was moved. Thrasher was so disgusted by this that he sold his land at a significant loss and moved to Griffin, Georgia . In 1844 Thrasher married and moved back to Atlanta opening another store on Peachtree Street . He became active in local politics and became
3036-786: The hijacking. All were tried as spies, convicted and hanged. General William Tecumseh Sherman invaded the town during the Atlanta Campaign in summer 1864. In November 1864, General Hugh Kilpatrick set the town ablaze, the first strike in Sherman's March to the Sea . Sherman's troops crossed the Chattahoochee River at a shallow section known as the Palisades, after burning the Marietta Paper Mills near
3102-447: The income Brown required to fund his public education proposal. In 1858, Governor Brown appointed John W. Lewis to the position of Superintendent of the state-owned railroad. Lewis had the skills of a successful businessman, and immediately undertook reforms to turn around the failing enterprise. The railroad, said to be in "dire financial straits", required the same strict economic controls Lewis had practiced in his private businesses. In
3168-558: The local press, portrayed Frank as sexually depraved and captured the public's attention. An eleventh-hour commutation by Governor John Slaton of Frank's death sentence to life imprisonment because of problems with the case against him created great local outrage. A mob threatened the governor to the extent that the Georgia National Guard had to be called to defend him and he left the state immediately with his political career over. Another mob, systematically organized for
3234-458: The morning of April 12, 1862, the locomotive General was stopped at Big Shanty, Georgia (now Kennesaw) so that the crew and passengers could have breakfast . During this time, James J. Andrews and his Union raiders (Andrews Raiders), stole the General . The only damage the raiders did involved cutting telegraph lines and raising rails, although an attempt to burn a covered bridge failed. The train's conductor, William A. Fuller , chased
3300-472: The mouth of Sope Creek . The Marietta Confederate Cemetery , with the graves of over 3,000 Confederate soldiers killed during the Battle of Atlanta, is located in the city. In 1892, the city established a public school system . It included a Marietta High School and Waterman Street School for white students. A school for black students was also created on Lemon Street. The state of Georgia did not provide
3366-406: The other passengers alighted for breakfast, Andrews and the Raiders stole the engine and the car behind it, which carried the fuel. The engine, called The General , and Andrews' Raiders had begun the episode now known as the Great Locomotive Chase . Andrews and the Raiders failed in their mission. He and all of his men were caught within two weeks, including two men who had arrived late and missed
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#17327755897683432-423: The passenger equipment was usable, almost all of the locomotives were condemnable and all of the freight cars were scrapped. The value of the locomotives was disputed for some 20 years. A major change in the new lease in 1890 stipulated that all improvements made to the road by the lessee would become property of the state at the termination of the lease. Included in the definition of improvements were modifications to
3498-453: The property. The gardens contain the boxwood parterre from the 1870s. Oakton was Major General Loring 's headquarters during the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain in 1864. Marietta was initially selected as the hub for the new Western and Atlantic Railroad and business boomed. By 1838, roadbed and trestles had been built north of the city. In 1840, political wrangling stopped construction for
3564-566: The purpose, abducted Frank from prison, drove him to Marietta and hanged him. The leaders of the abduction included past, current and future elected local, county and state officials. There were two state legislators, the mayor, a former governor, a clergyman, two former Superior Court justices and an ex-sheriff. In reaction, Jewish activists created the Anti-Defamation League , to work to educate Americans about Jewish life and culture and to prevent anti-Semitism. The Big Chicken
3630-615: The second IB World School district in Georgia authorized to offer the IB Middle Years Program (MYP) for grades 6-10. MCS is one of only a few school systems nationwide able to provide the full IB (K-12) continuum. The Marietta Campus of Kennesaw State University , formerly known as Southern Polytechnic State University (SPSU) before being merged into Kennesaw State, and Life University are located in Marietta, serving more than 20,000 students in more than 90 programs of study. The city has six historic districts , some on
3696-514: The three years that Lewis ran the railroad, he was able to turn the business into a money making enterprise, paying $ 400,000 per year into the state treasury. In 1861, Brown was up for re-election to a third term. It was at this time, during the re-election campaign, that Western & Atlantic Railroad Superintendent John Woods Lewis, an old friend of the governor, decided to resign from the railroad. The timing could not have been worse. Fearing that Lewis' resignation would be interpreted negatively,
3762-420: Was $ 67,589 and the per capita income was $ 40,767. About 12.8% of the population were below the poverty line . Dobbins Air Reserve Base on the south side of town and a Lockheed Martin manufacturing plant are among the major industries in the city. The Lockheed Georgia Employees Credit Union is based in Marietta. According to Marietta's 2021 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the top employers within
3828-536: Was 52.7% White , 31.5% African American , 0.1% Native American , 3.0% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 9.1% from other races and 3.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 20.6% of the population. There were 23,895 households, of which 27.8% had children under 18 living with them, 35.4% were married couples living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.5% were non-families. 32.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.9% had someone living alone who
3894-415: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39, and the average family size was 3.05. 22.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 14.1% from 18 to 24, 39.4% from 25 to 44, 15.7% from 45 to 64 and 8.3% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.3 males. For every 101 females age 18 and over, there were 100.3 males. Incorporated as
3960-575: Was a famous Atlanta philanthropist and CEO of Coca-Cola from 1923 to 1939. John J. Thrasher's descendants have established the Thrasher Family Association, which holds an annual reunion and publishes a quarterly newsletter. Western and Atlantic Railroad The Western & Atlantic Railroad of the State of Georgia ( W&A ) is a railroad owned by the State of Georgia and currently leased by CSX , which CSX operates in
4026-539: Was abandoned in 1928; it was too small to accommodate the larger trains of the era, and a new tunnel was built nearby. A marker indicating where the chase began is near the Big Shanty Museum in Kennesaw, Georgia . A marker for where the chase ended is at Milepost 116.3, north of Ringgold, Georgia , which is not far from the recently restored depot at Milepost 114.5. A monument dedicated to Andrew's Raiders
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#17327755897684092-423: Was constructed in Marietta in 1963. In 1963, Atherton's Drugstore, a store on Marietta Square, exploded on Halloween night, killing 6 people and injuring 23 others. Located near the center of Cobb County, between Kennesaw to the northwest and Smyrna to the southeast. U.S. Route 41 and State Route 3 run through the city northeast of downtown as Cobb Parkway, and Interstate 75 runs parallel to it through
4158-480: Was operated directly by the state under a superintendent appointed by and reporting to the governor of Georgia . On December 27 of that year, operations were transferred to the Western & Atlantic Railroad Company , a group of 23 investors including Georgia's wartime governor Joseph E. Brown , who leased it (both tracks and rolling stock ) from the state for $ 25,000 per month. This expired 20 years later, when
4224-409: Was over, both engines returned to service. After the "General"'s service with the W&A was over, she retired to the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway Union Depot in Chattanooga. In 1890, the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway overhauled the General and provided the locomotive for public events and to promote the line's Civil War history (to drum up the tourism trade) up through
4290-431: Was the L&N's St. Louis, Missouri - Evansville, Iindiana - Atlanta Georgian which ended service on April 30, 1971. (Until 1968 the train also had a northern leg from Evansville to Chicago.) The Marietta Daily Journal is published in the city. East Marietta National Little League won the 1983 Little League World Series , defeating the team from Barahona, Dominican Republic in the world championship. All of
4356-403: Was to run from Chattanooga to a spot east of the Chattahoochee River, in present-day Fulton County. The plan was to eventually link up with the Georgia Railroad from Augusta and the Macon and Western Railroad , which ran from Macon to Savannah. An engineer was chosen to recommend the location where the Western & Atlantic line would terminate. Once he surveyed various possible routes, he drove
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