Homes for sale in Kennesaw showcase options and flexibility with many on the market today.  This lovely town is just north of Atlanta, GA where you can immerse yourself in the colorful history. In the 1830’s, Kennesaw started up on the banks of the river, carved out on the high ground with the railroad construction worker’s shanties near the rail line. Eventually Big Shanty turned into a training camp for soldiers. The nickname “Big Shanty Grade” stuck until the late 1850’s, when land was bought by the Railroad to construct a depot and a dining house. This dining house became the famous Lacy House, owned and operated by Mr. and Mrs. George Lacy.

It was while the crew and conductor ate at Lacy House in Big Shanty, that James J. Andrews and a group of men stole the train nicknamed, “The General”, and headed northbound to destroy the Western and Atlantic Railroad. The conductor, William A. Fuller, chased the locomotive first on foot, then on the train Texas, and caught up just north of Ringgold, GA.

Big Shanty was famous again for falling under Sherman’s troops in June 1864, after serving as a supply base, hospital and headquarters for Union troops. The Lacy Hotel was also completely destroyed by Sherman’s marching orders.

Following the Civil War, Big Shanty was devastated until the late 1880’s when the railroad line finally was reconstructed, helping to revive the lost town. The town grew very slowly and the railroad was the main source of regular employment. At the turn of the century, Kennesaw and cotton proved to be a good match. An excellent shipping center for the surrounding farm side, Kennesaw’s business district took off when the Western and Atlantic Depot was finished in 1908. A turn for the worse in the cotton industry with the boll weevil shut down the last cotton gin in 1950. In 1957, Walt Disney released “The Great Locomotive Chase” which stirred up some brief tourism for Kennesaw. The General locomotive once again traveled to Kennesaw in 1972, where it was permanently housed in the old Frey Cotton Gin building.

In more recent times, Kennesaw was in the news for a new Gun Law, which required “every head of household to maintain a firearm with ammunition” on May 1, 1982.

In the spring of 2001, Kennesaw opened exhibits in the railroad Depot. In 2003, the city opened the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History with a grand expansion. Be sure to stop by and visit a piece of history the next time you are in Kennesaw.

Today Kennesaw real estate continues to grow. See how Kennesaw homes for sale invite visitors to become permanent residents. Ask us today to see more local Kennesaw real estate for sale.

Be sure to scroll down to view some of the most popular real estate in Kennesaw, and check out the list of neighborhoods within this great city!  If you’d like to be notified the next time a home in this area becomes available on the market, just contact us and we will keep you informed.