Georgia to Commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War

ATLANTA, October 7, 2010 — On Saturday, October 9, the Tourism Division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) will introduce Crossroads of Conflict: A Guide to Civil War Sites in Georgia in commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War at the Atlanta History Center. GDEcD partnered with the Georgia Civil War Commission, Georgia Humanities Council and UGA Press on the book that features more than 350 Civil War historic sites in Georgia. A cornerstone of the state's sesquicentennial commemoration efforts, Crossroads of Conflict: A Guide to Civil War Sites in Georgia was written by former Georgia Civil War Commission staff members Barry L. Brown and Gordon R. Elwell. This full-color edition of Crossroads of Conflict is an updated and significantly expanded version of the guide released by the state of Georgia in 1994. Copies of the publication will be available for purchase on site. 'In addition to recognizing a period of great importance in our state, this five-year commemoration is also expected to generate a significant increase in heritage travelers to Georgia,' said Kevin Langston, Deputy Commissioner for Tourism for the Georgia Department of Economic Development. 'We want visitors and locals to experience the impact of the war on Georgia's landscape, people and culture, not just what happened on the battlefields.' The GDEcD Tourism Division introduced the state's official Sesquicentennial logo at the Governor's Conference on Tourism in Athens in August. It is a modern interpretation of a real historic icon that incorporates cast brass buttons and medals commonly worn during the Civil War era. The logo will be available for GDEcD tourism partners and stakeholders to use in their CW150 promotions. The Tourism Division is also producing Georgia's Map Guide to the Civil War. The printed guide features 78 Civil War sites with GPS coordinates, driving trails and a map. The guide will be available at the state's 11 Visitor Information Centers in early November and will be distributed through the GACivilWar.org and ExploreGeorgia.org websites. Scheduled for launch in late October 2010, GaCivilWar.org will provide an online portal to hundreds of organizations and community-related Civil War commemoration activities across the state. Features include an interactive map, access to a free trip planner, driving trails, an e-commerce section and more. The Georgia Tourism division is partnering with the Georgia Civil War Commission, Georgia Humanities Council, Georgia Historical Society, the Tri-State Civil War 150th Association and many other entities in Georgia to maximize exposure and increase the number of heritage travelers during this five-year commemoration and beyond. About the Georgia Department of Economic Development The Georgia Department of Economic Development is the state's sales and marketing arm, the lead agency for attracting new business investment, encouraging the expansion of existing industry and small businesses, locating new markets for Georgia products, attracting tourists to Georgia, and promoting the state as a location for film, music and digital entertainment projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development.