Hitch 1

Chapter 1: Kennesaw Mountain Bamboozled

We started this week with a road trip to Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield, a pivotal battle site during the civil war, located outside of Marietta, Georgia near Atlanta. The next day we were unable to do any field work due to the rain so we took the opportunity to learn more about the park and get some administrative tasks done. We were educated on the historic and cultural importance of the park during the civil war through the park film and a guided museum tour from park staff. The tour was thorough and engaging, acquainting us with the likes of Generals Sherman, Johnston, and Hood, and informing us that the historic Kolb Farm house we would be staying at for the week was the site of tremendous battle and bloodshed. The next day was dry enough to get into the field and remove some kudzu and get started on a large bamboo infestation. The rest of our time at Kennesaw would be spent doing cut stump treatment on bamboo at a site right across from our historic lodgings. Experiencing Kennesaw Mountain was like stepping into the past, deep in the midst of Civil War turmoil, yet as we faced present day issues in our work, we kept in mind the importance of preserving this park’s significant cultural heritage for the future.