Late last month, the Trust for Public Land (TPL) announced it closed on over 21 acres of private land next to Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, effectively expanding the park.
The newly acquired land was reportedly under consideration for residential development before the TPL acquisition. Instead, it will now be owned and operated by the National Park Service (NPS) in an agreement with TPL. The park, before the new acquisition, spanned about 2,965 acres; its most visited attraction, the 1800 ft tall Kennesaw Mountain, attracts hundreds of visitors every day from around the Metro Atlanta area.
The Civil War history was a large motivator in TPL’s desire to preserve the land, it said. In a press release, TPL said it looks to “preserve this nationally significant battlefield by linking key parcels of land to create a cohesive park that supports public exploration and learning.”
During the Civil War, General Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign passed through Kennesaw Mountain, where the Union and Confederacy fought for weeks during June and July.
Remnants of the Civil War are riddled throughout the park, along with plaques commemorating battles.
“Thanks to the support of the Land and Water Conservation Fund and the National Park Foundation, we’ve ensured this land remains part of the story of our shared history,” said George Dusenbury, Georgia State Director for TPL in the press release.
The land also includes a small pond that will now be protected, which the organization said was used by firefighters during a forest fire back in March.
This isn’t the first time TPL has worked to preserve the land around Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield. In 2008, the TPL acquired 34 acres of land from the Hensley family. Years later, in 2013, it acquired Hayes Farm, which included Nodine’s Hill containing “remnant Union entrenchments, rifle pits, and cannon placements,” according to TPL’s website.
As of July 2025, TPL has 28 projects in progress or completed listed on their website, including the now-complete Kennesaw project. TPL said it will continue to work with NPS to acquire more private land in the future, adjacent to the current boundary, expanding and preserving the historical battlefield.
Saving that land from development helps preserve both the area’s historical integrity and open landscape. The addition also offers practical benefits, like protecting archaeological resources and providing a water source for firefighting.
@Drift Boss