Leave your wallet at home…read more... Its a blast from the past. It's Woodstock's Welcome center and a museum all in one. Dean's store was opened in 1906 by Dr. W. H. Dean-one of the original settlers of Woodstock, GA and it serves as a testament to a by gone era. There is a little of everything at this mini museum from medical equipment used on actual Civil soldiers to old bus tickets schedules to old calculators. One of my favorite is an old licence to sell opium....Fun fact: they were the first in Woodstock to sell Coca Cola.... It's located in the old part of downtown Woodstock across from the restaurant Freight Kitchen & tap. You can park up front or turn on Town Lake pkwy and park in the back. It's a cool little place to check out if you have some time.....

History of the heritage in indian artifacts n the staff give personal tours n education!read more

Very informative and a good exhibit! They offer tours especially for school age kids. Check them…read moreout!

Very impressed We…read morecame down to the Marietta/Kennesaw area to spend time with my son and his wife and the two grandboys and to meet the new Granddaughter who at the time was only about two weeks old. We ended up staying at the Comfort Suites which is across the street and were surprised because I had never heard anything about this museum. Back in March, my wife and I spent 10 days in Israel and one of our visits was to the holocaust museum in Jerusalem. The Jerusalem Holocaust Museum is large and gives an excellent perspective of the horror of the Holocaust. You're overwhelmed at the atrocity of what happened and it tends to overload your senses. This place of exhibit makes the atrocity a little bit more personal and relative by it smaller size. Both add a lot to the understanding or rather the miscomprehension of this total atrocity. Gives a new perspective considering the events of the last week with Gilroy CA, El Paso TX and Dayton OH.

Built in 1908 by the Nashville, Chattanooga & St Louis Railway Company (interestingly L&N or…read moreLouisville & Nashville Railroad Company-the company that build the train depot in the neighboring city of Woodstock, GA owned 55% of NC&StL in 1908.) The railroad tracks that the depot sits on is known as The Western & Atlantic Railroad which was built by the state of Georgia in 1836 at a reportedly cost of 5 million dollars (125 million in today's money.) It is the building of this 138 miles rail tracks that really put Atlanta on the map... If you're a Walking Dead Fan then you know about Terminus...well that was the name originally given to the city of Atlanta. Terminus means "the end point" which was what Atlanta was at the time. The "end of the line" for W&A railroad. Most historians believe that the "end point" probably is where the Georgia Railroad Freight Depot is in downtown Atlanta. (if you're feeling extra history-ish you can go see the stone marker that marked the spot of "the end" at Underground Atlanta. It's known as The Atlanta Zero Mile post.) The Kennesaw Train Depot was restored to its former glory in 2001 at a cost of $150,000 according of their website. It now is a museum and an event venue. There is also a small park next to it known as Depot Park with a small play ground, an outdoor museum narrating the great locomotive chase of the civil war and a pedestrian underpass. In front of the museum there is a tall lamp clock dedicated to city council member Jerry Worthan for his 20 years of service to the city of Kennesaw. Across the street there is the Southern Museum of Civil WAr Locomotive History Museum that houses the famous locomotive "The General". It's a great place to visit for any Civil war history buff....hope you'll check it out.

The Kennesaw Depot is a little spot to relax and unwind in an open air setting. The Kennesaw Beer &…read moreWine festival held over this weekend was my purpose for visiting the area for the first time. I had no idea what I had been missing until now. There are a few spots to visit or you could just sit and people watch while getting some good vitamin D and time in the sun. I will make it a point to take the hiking trail very soon.

The Noble Hill-Wheeler Memorial Center was the first Rosenwald School building constructed in…read moreBartow County specifically designed for the education of black children. It first opened to receive students in 1924. The Rosenwald School project built not only schools, but shops and homes for the teachers (primarily in the South) during the early 20th century. Julius Rosenwald was a Jewish-American who also happened to be part-owner & president of Sears, Roebuck, and Company. He collaborated and partnered with African-American leader, educator, and philanthropist Booker T. Washington, who was president of the Tuskegee Institute. Booker was a strong voice and activist in the education of the black community and spend much time seeking funds and managing a variety of schools. By now (2021) it is no secret public education for black schools was SEVERELY underfunded, so Rosenwald created the Rosenwald Fund. It is important to note this was not a handout fund. Rosenwald required the local communities he helped to raise matching funds as well as labor in the schools construction. It was to encourage ownership and a sense of commitment to the projects long after the funds depleted. [Wilkipedia] IN ESSENCE, he was teaching them to fish and setting them up for success. Brilliant! *** [ THE EXPERIENCE ] Valerie Coleman (the Museum Curator) contacted me after receiving a message from the Bartow County Museum that I was interested in visiting. I'd called several times for several weeks but just couldn't get anyone to answer. Valerie had been away due to a death in the family but graciously agreed to meet me at the museum for a private tour. I was saddened by her news and insisted I could come back at another time, but she would not take no for an answer. She all but said "Don't make me come get you!" LOL The building is basically divided into two large rooms + an office space that protrudes from the main building. Housed in both rooms are historic photos, artifacts, letters and information about the Alma mater of the school. I was pleased to discover that not only is Valerie the curator, but is a direct descendant of the Wheeler namesake. Valerie proudly showed me old student desks, the original blackboard and a hand-made quilt honoring important contributors to the schools history. She also gave me a handbook that acts as a report to inform the public of Noble Hill's past, present and future. In it, it explains the significance of the school: ~ ~ ~ Between 1800-1835, most southern state enacted laws making it a crime to teach slaves to read or write. but by the late 1860's black education flourished for a time, albeit short lived. Black public education was decidedly inferior to white public education. So as southern agriculture (largely performed by blacks) began to suffer as blacks fled their conditions, a crusade for better black education resulted in black common schools. ENTER ROSENWALD SCHOOLS ~ ~ ~ Noble Hill was the only Rosenwald School built in Bartow County and the first in Northwest Georgia. In 1927 there were 13 schools for blacks in the county. Noble Hill was the only one built specifically as a school. The others were held in churches, lodge halls and community buildings, as they had been since the end of the Civil War. *** [ FINAL THOUGHTS ] It is worth mentioning that Dr. Susie Wheeler, an early graduate of the Noble Hill School who eventually returned to Bartow County as a teacher & supervisor, worked with her sister-in-law (Bertha Wheeler) to donate the school and land to the Noble Hill-Wheeler Memorial Center. They are largely responsible for preserving Noble Hill and diligently worked to restore it as an heritage museum. In their lineage, a woman by the name of Ruth Wheeler married the grandson of Melvina Shields, whom would become the great great grandmother of Michelle Obama (I think I got that family tree right). Noble Hill is an excellent place to see a glimpse into the lives of African Americans in the early 1900's and the impact it had on so many lives. Prominent people of old were heavily involved here, actively working to counterbalance the policies of the day so as to build a greater America and bring life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness into reality for all. 2021 / 33 BlackHISTORYSeries

This is a 2-day festival put on by the Service League of Cherokee County that is a fundraiser…read more There are over 100 artisans selling their wares and that is the main draw. When we arrived, there were multiple areas to park and the parking is free. We are already off to a good start. They also have golf cart shuttles that are free to take you to the front entrance. Admission was $5 per person and was either cash or card (there was a fee if you used a card). There is an ATM onsite for convenience. There are two main areas of artisans. The remaining sections include, the rides/games, food, and stage. The shows on the stage are free and the games/rides costs tickets, which can be purchased separately from the admission. There is also the playground that is park of the park that is free of course. The variety in food was decent, although there was not a ton of table space to eat at. Lastly, there is not a ton of shade here so beware on a sunny day. Our family had a great day!

Found this place by mistake driving across 53 to get to the 400 outlets. There are some very…read moreunique pieces in this store. They specialize in garden art, but have some other beautiful pieces that can fit any budget. A little museum in North Georgia.

David and Julie, owners, offer a very unique shop of craft made items, unusual pottery, glass,…read morewood, jewelry, wall art, and in the back of the shop a winery with porch, pavilion, stage, entertainers on weekends. They serve delicious, generous plates of grapes/cheese/crackers with a great assortment of white and red wines. Each glass is a generous pour. One of the best places to spend a day, find some gifts for later, and enjoy good wine and music. Get on their email list to have reminders of what artists will be performing and when. A hidden gem in Ball Ground, hwy 5.

The first Friday of every month in Woodstock is known as Friday Night Live and it goes on all year…read morelong. From what I understand they've been hosting this event for 15 years! What it is: it's a family friendly evening where all the shops downtown stay open later and there is usually live bands, face painting, sometimes a blood drive and other activities for the community. It basically a neighborhood block party where people come out with their kids and their pets. You get to meet some of the people that live in the area and get a chance to check out the local shops. Some of the shops you definitely want to check out includes 1. The Wright Stuff https://goo.gl/maps/6u6QqWnViivTFkue6 2. The Blue Frog Emporium https://g.page/Bluefrogimports?share 3. Partners Pizza https://goo.gl/maps/BWnmuwLUU4dxuxhP9 4. Bob the Turkey Statue https://goo.gl/maps/KVajZk73GGvDeMdv5 5. Pie Bar https://goo.gl/maps/acNKvBURQpLrqTFq6 The only downside is parking. Everyone knows parking is a total mess in downtown and there doesn't seem to be a solution...what they have been doing is allowing folks to park in some of the nearby businesses such as Woodstock Church and then tolley them down to the downtown area. But you definitely want to check their website first before you start parking on private property... you can check the website here to find out where all the designated parking areas are for FNL https://www.woodstockga.gov/905/Downtown-Parking or give them a call (770) 592-6000.