Previous Page | Title Page | Document Archive | Key Players | Timeline | Mail | Next Page
For More Information, Contact K" Thweatt or Mauri Spalding (404) 498-5637
Stone Mountain. Ga.--To the Creek Indians, it was considered a shrine. In the 1830's, Andrew Johnson and a friend bought it for a shotgun and twenty dollars. It has witnessed the transformation of the tiny town of Terminus to the sprawling metropolitan city of Atlanta.
Today, Georgia's Stone Mountain Park and the surrounding 3,200 acres of meadows and forest reflect the rich history of this land and its people. Each year, millions of people visit the Park, making it one of the most visited attractions in the United States.
Standing 825-feet and covering 583 acres, Stone Mountain is the world's largest mass of exposed granite. In the early 1900's, the United Daughters of the Confederacy first envisioned the mountain as the site of a Confederate Memorial.
In 1916, it was decided that the memorial would take the form of a massive carving on the mountain's north face. But it wasn't until 1972--46 years, three sculptors, and two designs later-- that the famous carving depicting Robert E. Lee, "Stonewall" Jackson, and Jefferson Davis was finally completed.
While the three-acre carving was rapidly evolving, Georgia's Stone Mountain Park was too. In 1958, the Georgia General Assembly officially set aside the Park as a recreation and historic preservation area. Shortly after purchasing the mountain and surrounding land, the Georgia General Assembly created Georgia' B Stone Mountain Memorial Association to develop and operate the Park.
As the turmoil of the 1960's unfolded in America, the Park was also undergoing some changes.. but positive ones. Amenities and attractions such as the scenic railroad, paddlewheel riverboat, and the antique and auto and music museum were added to the Park. In an effort to enrich the Park's growing historic legacy, the Stone Mountain Memorial Association constructed the Antebellum Plantation, Memorial Hall, and Confederate Hall.
The 1970's saw a growing emphasis on improving the Park's recreational facilities. Already noted for its championship golf course, Georgia's Stone Mountain Park added a new sports complex featuring miniature golf and tennis court-. These, combined with the campgrounds and a beach, earned the Park the reputation as a recreational haven.
The 1980's was a decade of innovation and dramatic changes for the Park. Set against the backdrop of the mountain's historic carving, the new Lasershow began beaming its dramatic stories, historic tales, comical characters and graphic images.
In 1989, the Evergreen Conference Center and Resort opened, and just four months later, was voted one of the "Top 10 Conference Centers in America." The 80s also spurred a renewed interest in physical fitness. Riding the wave of enthusiasm, the Park introduced two nine-hole additions to the golf course.
Today, Georgia's Stone Mountain Park is the most visited attraction in Georgia and one of the most popular in the country.
As its success grows, the Park continues to evolve, producing more recreation, history, natural beauty and attractions for visitors. The Park's new long-range Master Plan is the next step in this process.
The Master Plan is designed to preserve and enhance Georgia's
natural and cultural legacy so that it may bring enjoyment to
visitors for generations to come. Under the Master Plan, the
Park will be divided into four districts: a Natural District, an
Historic District, a Recreation District and an Events District.
When fully implemented, in 2010, the Master Plan will transform
Stone Mountain Park into the Crown Jewel of the South.