Georgia Battlefields Association (GBA) is a private, non-profit organization established in 1995 to preserve the almost 400 Civil War sites in Georgia, most of which are privately owned. GBA has worked with national, state, county and city governments and non-governmental preservation organizations to:
- Raise funds for and coordinate the purchase of 18.5 acres of the Griswoldville battlefield. GB
A deeded the site to Department of Natural Resources, which established a state park.
- Influence the state government to buy over 500 acres of the Resaca battlefield in 2000.
- Help a Cobb County neighborhood association prevent placement of a convenience store near the Kolb Farm, a unit of the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. Through both a $5,000 pledge and a publicity campaign, GBA influenced the Cobb County Commission to purchase 4.2 acres that were then deeded to the National Park Service in 2003.
- Persuade the Cobb County Commission to set aside 4 acres of a proposed 154-unit housing development to protect unique fortifications known as Shoupades. GBA provided the text and graphics for the four historical markers that are now in place.
- Place a conservation easement on 473 acres of battlefield land at Resaca. Working with the American Battlefield Protection Program, the Civil War Trust, the Trust for Public Land, and the Gordon County Commission, GBA contributed $50,000 towards the cost of the easement.
- Purchase 51 acres of the Resaca battlefield. GBA contributed $75,000, almost half the cost.
- Purchase 7 acres containing Confederate earthworks in Crow Valley, north of Dalton. GBA contributed the entire purchase price of $25,000.
- Purchase 4 additional acres in Crow Valley for $15,000.
- Contribute to the cost and text of ten markers placed by the Georgia Historical Society.
- Contribute $10,000 towards the restoration of the McPherson and Walker monuments.
- Contribute $20,000 to add land to Kettle Creek Revolutionary War Battlefield.
- Formally comment on proposals to build houses, roads, cell phone towers, and power lines that might affect historic sites. GBA also owns and maintains 4.7 acres of the New Hope Church battlefield. To achieve its preservation objectives, GBA must first raise awareness of the existence and status of historic sites in Georgia. To accomplish this goal, GBA has:
- Given presentations about the history of Civil War sites and their preservation status.
- Conducted tours of Civil War sites. From 2002 to 2020, GBA was fortunate to have Ed Bearss, National Park Service Chief Historian Emeritus, lead our annual tour.
- Designed and installed a dozen historical markers since July 2004.
- Given interviews in support of preservation to local and national media. The Civil War Sesquicentennial provided another opportunity for publicizing the need for preservation. Since 2006, GBA’s monthly newsletters featured “150 years ago this month” articles. Our newsletters are available on our web address on the bottom of the page. GBA raises money almost exclusively from membership dues and from conducting tours its members pay to attend. GBA has no paid staff. The GBA trustees are all volunteers, and their only compensation is the satisfaction of working for a worthwhile cause.
