By Darrin Heatherly, Cody McGhee, Gabe Ramos, James White and Cam Moyer
STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. — Lost in all of the ruckus of the Rock Stone Mountain rally at Stone Mountain Park is the main reason why people visit the park on an everyday basis: the attractions. Two of the park’s most popular attractions show what life was like in the South during the late 1800s.
The Historic Square is a collection of old southern houses from around the state of Georgia that have been relocated to the park and restored. These buildings feature rural plantation houses that date all the way back to 1794, as well as houses from 1845 and 1850. The park even kicks it up a notch with a barn featuring historic breeds of animals that guests can interact with.
Also amongst the buildings are two slave cabins, allowing guests to see exactly how the slaves lived during that dark period of our history.
To see what life was like after the Civil War, guests can pay a visit to the Crossroads area of the park. Crossroads is a replica of an old southern town with architecture designed to look the part. While there, guests are able to visit and shop around town just like it is 1872. There are also demonstrations in some stores showing how things were made during that time. Workers show how they make candy in one store. Another houses a glass blowing demonstration.
These attractions show there is more to Southern heritage than just “white pride,” as some would have you believe. It was a completely different time period with different mindsets than what we have now. It is important as we move forward as a nation that we don’t erase our past history, but rather learn from it. Stone Mountain Park does a great job of preserving and showing off that history, and giving us a way to learn from it.
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