A New Home For The General

The action of the US Supreme Court settled the matter, and the people of Kennesaw, thus reassured, went about preparing a home for the General. Like most cities and towns of today, Kennesaw needed help to provide a suitable building to house and display the locomotive. Help came from several sources, and one of the most important was Steve Frey and his family of Kennesaw. The Frey family owned a rather sizable building near the depot in Kennesaw that had formerly housed a cotton gin and which was vacant. It is located a few yards from the tracks of the W&ARR where the General was stolen by James J. Andrews and his party that rainy morning of April 12, 1862.

The Frey family offered the building to the City of Kennesaw. The City accepted. Gill Tapp, architect, had the vision and the capability to design modifications and additions that have made the building a very suitable home for the locomotive, and it is now known as the Kennesaw Civil War Museum.

As preparation were being made to welcome the General to Kennesaw and Cobb County, the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce produced a commemorative medal honoring the General. The design featured a drawing of the General on the front side and the Great Seal of the Confederacy was placed on the back.

Medal made to welcome the General to Kennesaw.

Mouse over medal to view reverse side.

By the first of February, 1972, all was in readiness at Kennesaw, and Mayor Louis E. Watts of the city so informed Governor Jimmy Carter. Governor Carter then informed President Kendall of the L&NRR and requested the return of the General to Georgia. Those who had been involved in the long legal battle hastened to point out that movement of the locomotive could be challenged as before and recommended a secret move to Georgia. This was agreed upon by all concerned. The General was made ready for shipment and loaded aboard its special flat car and covered with tarpaulins to conceal it. On February 15, 1972, the General was added to the consist of L&N Freight No. 29 southbound for Atlanta – but not via Chattanooga. The route from DeCoursey was through Knoxville and Cartersville to Atlanta, and no publicity was given to the fact that the General was being moved. The General arrived safely in Atlanta that evening and was placed in the NC&StL Ry roundhouse that still stands at Tilford Yard. A guard was assigned to be sure the locomotive was protected, and no mention was made that it was there in spite of an earlier leak to the press.

Governor Jimmy Carter accepting the General at the Atlanta railroad station, February 18, 1972.

Friday, February 18, 1972, was the date announced for the presentation of the General to the people of Georgia. At 10:30 AM in a light drizzling rain, several hundred people gathered at the passenger station of the Georgia Railroad across the street from the State Capitol in Atlanta. President Kendall of the L&N, accompanied by several officials of the railroad, standing in front of the General, formally presented the locomotive to Governor Jimmy Carter and the people of Georgia.

The Deed of Gift, dated February 18, 1972, made by the L&NRR Company to the State of Georgia, conveyed to the State of Georgia the steam locomotive General “in consideration of the State of Georgia's agreement to use the said locomotive for public exhibition purposes only and to adequately protect and preserve this historical artifact.” The Deed further provided that should the State of Georgia use the General for any other purpose, title thereto would revert to the L&NRR Company or its successor.

News of this event was transmitted over the press wire services and was picked up by newspapers from coast to coast and several foreign countries. It is doubtful if a corporate entity has ever before given up so easily an object of such great advertising and promotional value.

The General at Kennesaw, Georgia, prior to the unloading operation, February, 1972.