Click on the Links below to learn more about Railroad History in Whitfield Great Locomotive Chase The General History of Atlanta Railroads Chetoogeta Mountain Railroad Tunnel Restoration Photographs Chetoogeta Mountain Railroad Tunnel Restoration timeline See the "General" restored at the Kennesaw Civil War Museum In 1836 the Georgia Legislature passes a bill to build three new railroads. One of these Railroads would be the Western & Atlantic Railroad. The purpose of this new line would be to connect the Chattahoochee and Tennessee Rivers. The Northern Terminus would be at Ross' Landing on the Tennessee River, which soon became the city of  Chattanooga, TN, and the Southern Terminus would be what is now the City of Atlanta's Five Points Area. Whitfield County is a major part of the history of this Railroad. The Tunnels at Tunnel Hill were passed through by the locomotive "The General" in the infamous "Great Locomotive Chase" during the Civil War. It was also one of the prime targets for destruction by the 22 Union Spies that stole the General, lead by James Andrews. Included in the pursuit of the "General" and the Union spies were engineer Jeff Cain, machine foreman Anthony Murphy and conductor William Fuller. Also included in the pursuit was a young telegraph operator from Dalton, Edward R. Henderson. Return to History Page Learn more about Whitfield County at ngeorgia.com You are Visitor free hit counters WWW www.whitfieldcountyga.com