| August 3, 1836 |
Governor William Schley hires Abbott Hall Brisbane to study possible routes between the Chattahoochee River and Chattanooga for the Western and Atlantic Railroad. |
| |
Western and Atlantic Railroad |
| |
William Schley |
| December 21, 1836 |
The Western and Atlantic Railroad Company is created by act of the Georgia legislature
|
| |
Western and Atlantic Railroad |
| May 12, 1837 |
Stephen Harriman Long is hired by the state of Georgia as chief engineer for the Western and Atlantic Railroad. |
| |
Western and Atlantic Railroad |
| |
Stephen Harriman Long |
| September 10, 1837 |
Abbott Hall Brisbane and another man place a stake at the site of the "zero mile marker" for the Western and Atlantic Railroad. The location is at the corner of present-day Wall St. and Central Av. in downtown Atlanta. |
| |
Western and Atlantic Railroad |
| December 4, 1841 |
The state suspends all work on the Western and Atlantic Railroad north of the Etowah River and dissolves the board managing the railroad. |
| |
Western and Atlantic Railroad |
| January 1, 1842 |
The state asks former U. S. Senator and Governor Wilson Lumpkin to become disbursing agent for the Western and Atlantic Railroad. Lumpkin accepts. |
| |
Western and Atlantic Railroad |
| July 11, 1842 |
A portion of Land Lot 77 is donated by Samuel Mitchell for use by the Western and Atlantic Railroad. These 5 acres, known at the time as "State Square" are now part of Underground Atlanta and the site of the 0 mile marker for the W&ARR
|
| |
Atlanta, Georgia (through 1900) |
| |
Western and Atlantic Railroad |
| July 22, 1847 |
Mail service from Atlanta to Dalton on the Western and Atlantic Railroad begins
|
| |
Western and Atlantic Railroad |
| April 12, 1862 |
The Great Locomotive Chase |
| |
Civil War - 1862 |
| |
Western and Atlantic Railroad |
| |
Cobb County, Georgia |
| |
Bartow County, Georgia |
| |
Gordon County, Georgia |
| |
Whitfield County, Georgia |
| |
Catoosa County, Georgia |
| April 15, 1862 |
After minor repairs, the General re-enters service on the Western and Atlantic Railroad |
| |
Western and Atlantic Railroad |
| May 2, 1862 |
The General transports Andrews Raiders from the Chattanooga station to Atlanta |
| |
Western and Atlantic Railroad |
| December 12, 1870 |
State operation of the Western and Atlantic Railroad ceases. Former governor Joseph E. Brown begins running the line under a 20 year lease from the state.
|
| |
Western and Atlantic Railroad |
| December 27, 1890 |
Georgia leases the Western and Atlantic Railroad to the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railroad |
| |
Western and Atlantic Railroad |
| December 17, 1928 |
New tunnel enters operation through Chetoogeta Mountain near Tunnel Hill, replacing a 1,477 foot tunnel built to complete the Western and Atlantic Railroad
|
| |
Western and Atlantic Railroad |
| December 28, 1928 |
Western and Atlantic Tunnel through Chetoogeta Mountain is officially retired. |
| |
Western and Atlantic Railroad |
From its completion in 1850 until its incorporation into the Louisville, Nashville and St. Louis Railroad in 1891, the Western and Atlantic Railroad connected the port of Savannah to markets in the West, provided transportation through this essential corridor and gave farmers a ready market for their goods.
For more information on the building of the railroad see the
Western and Atlantic Railroad.
