Resaca Historic Battlefield
183 Resaca Lafayette Road NW Resaca, GA 30735
Just west of I-75 off of exit 320
The Resaca Battlefield Park is open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The operating hours are seasonal.
From April 1 through October 31 the hours are from 7am to 8pm. From November 1 through May 31 the hours are from 8am to 5pm.
*Disclaimer – hours and dates subject to change without notice*
The Resaca Battlefield Historic site has been dedicated as a Heritage Preserve to protect, conserve, and preserve the cultural, natural, and recreational resources of the property for the benefits of present and future generations. The historic site is a 483 acre park with over four miles of walking trails. The battlefield was a part of the Civil War’s Atlanta Campaign.
The long awaited opening of the Resaca Battlefield Historic Site happened on Friday, May 13, 2016, hosted by the Friends of Resaca Battlefield and the Gordon County Chamber of Commerce Convention & Visitors Bureau. Many dignitaries and special guests were on hand for the grand opening, recognizing the hard work of many who made the site a possibility. The Gordon County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard posted the Colors to open the ceremony.
Ken Padgett, president of Friends of Resaca Battlefield, had dreamed of this day since 1989, when he and Dr. Phil Secrist sat on a nearby hilltop in the Confederate fortification in Resaca, discussing the possibility of having a park at the site.
“Today, we gather here on part of the historic Resaca Battlefield to honor those brave men who fought and died here and helped forge the strongest nation on Earth,” said Padgett.
Padgett gave the crowd a history of the events that took place in Resaca from May 13 – 16, 1864, which was the largest battle fought in Georgia during the Civil War; over 160,000 from both the Confederate and Union armies were engaged in the fight. The Battle of Resaca resulted in an estimated 5500 to 8000 casualties.
In addition to Padgett, addressing the crowd during the grand opening were Gordon County Commission Vice-Chair Chad Steward; Director of Convention and Visitors Bureau Sarah Husser; and Representative John Meadows.
President Ken Padgett cuts the ribbon along with FORB founding member Jule Medders (fourth from left) and other dignitaries who helped make this moment possible.
An honor guard of reenactors in both blue and gray assisted with the dedication of this site to history and to future generations
A pavillion is located about halfway up the valley. There are restrooms provided here as well as some picnic tables to relax and enjoy the surroundings or to discuss the battle that took place all around the pavillion.
This is an example of the signage in the Historic Site. The signs discuss the Atlanta Campaign in general, many of the aspects of the campaign that happened near the Historic Site and, of course, the Battle of Resaca itself.