Kennesaw, Ga. has a history steeped in the American Civil War. Located some 20 miles northwest of Atlanta in Cobb County, Kennesaw is the eighth largest Atlanta suburb with a population of around 30,000. Median home prices and median household income are slightly above state and national averages, according to the 2010 United States census.

History

Kennesaw, Ga. has its beginnings during the rail boom of the mid-1840s. The area where Kennesaw now sits was officially incorporated in the late 1880s after being decimated during the American Civil War. Originally called Big Shanty thanks to the community of traders who congregated around the rail line, Kennesaw was one of many smaller towns to crop up along the Western and Atlantic Railroad.

Education

Kennesaw is home to the main campus of Kennesaw State University, one of the largest universities in Georgia. Kennesaw students belong to the Cobb County School District.

Attractions

Kennesaw Mountain, the site of the Civil War’s Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, is located just outside of the city and features some 18 miles of hiking trails and battle sites. Other attractions, like the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History, also showcase the area’s involvement in the Civil War.

Annual events, including the Big Shanty Festival, highlight a vibrant local culture.