Press Releases

Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) issued the following statement after the House and Senate passed a package of natural resources bills, S. 47, including the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park Boundary Adjustment Act:

“I first introduced this legislation in 2015, and it’s now headed to the president’s desk to be signed. Kennesaw Mountain is one of the wonderful historic attractions in our district, and the addition of the Wallis House and Harriston Hill will bring even more valuable historic property to the park. Our nation has long recognized the importance of preserving historic sites, especially those battlefields where Americans fought and died for our freedoms. I am grateful to my House and Senate colleagues for supporting this bill, particularly Senator Johnny Isakson, who has sponsored this legislation in the Senate and fought tirelessly to get it passed. I am proud to be a part of these historic properties being added to Kennesaw Mountain Park so they can be visited and learned about for years to come.”

Summary of the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park Boundary Adjustment Act:

• Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to acquire, by donation, approximately eight acres of property to be added to Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. Specifically, it would add the Wallis House and Harriston Hill to the park’s property.
• S. 47 passed the Senate on February 12 by a vote of 92-8 and passed the House on February 26 by a vote of 363-62.

History:

Built by Josiah Wallis in 1853, and occupied by his family until the Civil War, the Wallis House was later used as a hospital by the Confederate Army. During the Atlanta Campaign, the Wallis House was used as the headquarters for Union General William T. Sherman during the Battle of Kolb’s Farm. The house was also used as the headquarters for Union General Oliver O. Howard during the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain – the last major battle leading to the fall of Atlanta. Adjacent to the Wallis House is the 5.5-acre Harriston Hill, which was used by General Howard as a signaling position and offers a sweeping view of the valley leading to the Confederate line atop Kennesaw Mountain.