The town of Allatoona, in Bartow County, was a travel hub prior to the Civil War. Wagon roads converged there, where ridges came together for an "easy" crossing of the Allatoona mountains. In 1864, the Battle of Allatoona was fought between Confederate and Union soldiers. More than 1,500 men lost their lives, some being buried on the battlefield.
I visited this battlefield about a year ago, and it is amazing how little has changed in these almost 150 years. Though the land was reclaimed by the forest, the battlefield is easy to view with the still standing plantation home, deep railroad cut, easily traveled old wagon road, visible trenches, and defined Star Fort.
In 1866, photographer George N. Barnard captured an image of the town and railroad. I found it on an informational marker maintained by Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites: