Adairsville: Railroad History and Historic Sites

Adairsville is located between Atlanta and Chattanooga along Interstate Highway I-75. For travelers who want to plan their stay around history, architecture, or an event, the town offers several specific points of interest: from the Adairsville Depot and Historic Square to the annual Great Locomotive Chase Festival. This lets you plan your trip not only around the location, but also around a particular focus.

Historic District and Railroad History

The Adairsville Historic District covers around 170 acres. In December 1987, Adairsville became the first city in Georgia to be listed in its entirety on the National Register of Historic Places. This means the historic designation applies to the town as a whole, not just to a single building. For a closer look at railroad history, visit the depot: before the Civil War, the 1845 Adairsville Depot was the center of a major repair facility for the Western and Atlantic Railroad. The historic designation for Adairsville and the depot’s specific role thus offer two distinct perspectives on the town’s history.

Depot, Museum, and Great Locomotive Chase

The Adairsville Depot History Museum and Welcome Center is located in the W&A Railroad Depot on Historic Square. The museum presents Adairsville’s role in the Great Locomotive Chase during the Civil War. You can also get free visitor information there about Historic Adairsville and neighboring communities in Georgia. Check the museum and Welcome Center’s current operating details before you arrive.

A community history project is also part of the museum’s history: as part of the Adairsville, Georgia Oral History Series, a 40-part exhibition and accompanying educational programs were developed for the Museum and Welcome Center in 2016–2017. At the W&A Rail Depot, the Great Locomotive Chase Mural depicts Adairsville’s role in the pursuit of Andrews’ Raiders. The museum, exhibition, and mural offer different perspectives, from historical context and oral history to the depiction of the pursuit.

Commercial History and Stage Productions

The 1902 Stock Exchange is a restored commercial building listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It adds another aspect of the historic townscape to the railroad history: commerce. If you’re interested in different aspects of local history, comparing the depot and the commercial building offers a specific starting point.

The Public Square Opera House also expands the cultural offerings with stage productions. Six productions are staged there each year; specific performance dates may change. If a show is key to your trip, check the schedule for your planned dates.

Event Dates and Green Spaces

The annual Great Locomotive Chase Festival puts the depot in the spotlight and takes place on the first weekend in October. If you’re planning your trip around the festival, check the specific event dates in advance. This helps distinguish the recurring timing from the actual dates scheduled for a particular year’s event.

Green spaces offer a different focus from the historic buildings. Veterans Memorial Park has a splash pad. Hayes Park Rain Garden provides a natural habitat for native plants and wildlife. If you plan to visit the garden, check its condition on site, as it may change.

Barnsley Resort outside Adairsville

Barnsley Resort is about five miles outside Adairsville. Its grounds cover 3,000 acres in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The bookable visitor experience “Manor House Ruins, Gardens & Museum” is offered there. A horseback ride on an equestrian trail is also bookable; canoeing and kayaking are among the water activities. The offerings also include wellness treatments such as massages, aromatherapy, facials, and reflexology. Availability and services may change. Before your trip, check which offerings are available for your plans.

Discover more destinations: Cartersville, White, Rydal

For the broader travel overview: Bartow.