Tunnel Hill
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Plans to connect Chattanooga with Atlanta were begun in the 1830’s by the Western & Atlantic Railroad. Due to a depression and “great panic”, the construction was delayed by about 10 years. While waiting for the tunnel to be dug, passengers and freight were carried over Chetoogeta Mountain. The tunnel, dug through the base of Chetoogeta Mountain, was started April 15, 1848 at the west end. It was officially dedicated by steel maker Mark A Cooper on behalf of Western & Atlantic Railroad on October 31, 1849. The railroad tunnel was 1,477 feel long and was the first tunnel completed south of the Mason-Dixon line. The first Western & Atlantic train passed through the tunnel at Tunnel Hill on May 9, 1850. The town of Tunnel Hill was started to serve the builders of the tunnel as well as passengers that were carried over the mountain.
Tunnel Hill, ca 1905
Courtesy of Vanishing Georgia, Georgia Archive's Virtual Vault
The Great Locomotive Chase or Andrews’ Raid (a Union military raid led by James Andrews, a spy and scout) was on April 12, 1862. James Andrews hijacked the train engine called the “General” and a few rail cars, doing as much damage along the way as possible, including cutting the telegraph lines. Their hope was to isolate Chattanooga from Atlanta. The General stopped due to lack of fuel just north of Ringold, and all of the raiders were eventually caught. The General has been restored and is located at the Kennesaw Civil War Museum.
The train depot at Tunnel Hill, ca 1905 with horse and buggy.
Courtesy of Vanishing Georgia, Georgia Archive's Virtual Vault
Local depots were utilized to restock the engines with wood and water. People on trains also got off at depots to eat at local establishments since the early trains did not have dinning cars.
Several battles were fought during the civil war in the area of Tunnel Hill. Sherman began his campaign for Atlanta by seizing Tunnel Hill May 7, 1864.
The tunnel was closed in the 1920s, and was neglected until 1992. At that time restoration was begun, which ended with its opening to the public in 2000.
May 7, 1864. The Federal forces, under Maj. Gen. W.T. Sherman,
began the campaign for Atlanta by seizing Tunnel Hill. Howard's 4th A.C., having
marched from Catoosa Springs, drove Wheeler's Cav. from the R.R. tunnel S. to
Mill Creek Gap. Palmer's 14th A.C., moving from Ringgold (U.S. Highway 41),
supported Howard on his right and extended the Federal front to Mill Cr. Gap,
where its rt. joined left of 20th A.C. in Dogwood Valley. These operations were
designed to engage the Confederate forces at Dalton, while McPherson's army
moved from the W. to Snake Creek Gap, 18 miles S. of Tunnel Hill.
155-24 Georgia Historic Marker 1985
Sources: http://www.tunnelhillheritagecenter.com/, Wikipedia, http://roadsidegeorgia.com/city/tunnelhill.html, http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkers/MarkerDetail.cfm?KeyID=155-24&MarkerTitle=Tunnel%20Hill, http://www.andrewsraid.com/index2.html
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This page was last updated on -03/17/2024
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