If you live in Atlanta or are visiting and you search for “Atlanta Battle Map,” you’re usually trying to do one of three things:
This guide walks you through how the Battle of Atlanta unfolded on today’s streets, which parks, markers, and museums to look for, and how to build your own Atlanta battle map experience using places you can visit right now.
The Battle of Atlanta took place on July 22, 1864, just a few miles east and southeast of downtown. While the battlefield is now dense neighborhoods, commercial corridors, and interstates, you can still trace the lines on a modern map.
In modern terms, the main battle area stretched across parts of:
If you overlay most historical “Atlanta battle maps” onto today’s city, you’ll find:
The landscape has changed, but road names, markers, and small parks still help you mentally reconstruct the historical map.
While not on the original battlefield, the cyclorama painting is one of the most powerful “maps” of the battle you can see.
Atlanta History Center
130 West Paces Ferry Rd NW
Atlanta, GA 30305
Phone: (404) 814‑4000
Highlights:
If you’re trying to understand the battle before you drive around the city, this is an excellent starting point.
Much of the actual fighting occurred where East Atlanta Village and surrounding neighborhoods now sit.
Focus your map search on:
Look for:
While there is no single large battlefield park inside the city, these markers collectively form an informal “walking map” of key spots from July 22, 1864.
Oakland Cemetery is not a battlefield, but it was inside the defensive perimeter of wartime Atlanta and is very helpful for understanding the geography of the city during the campaign.
Historic Oakland Cemetery
248 Oakland Ave SE
Atlanta, GA 30312
Phone: (404) 688‑2107
Why it’s useful for your “battle map”:
If you overlay an 1860s map of Atlanta over a current one, Oakland sits close to the heart of key supply routes and defensive positions.
Even though the main Battle of Atlanta occurred east of downtown, the broader Atlanta Campaign included major fights to the northwest of the city, especially at Kennesaw Mountain.
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
900 Kennesaw Mountain Dr
Kennesaw, GA 30152
Phone: (770) 427‑4686
What you’ll find:
If you’re planning a multi-day Civil War-focused visit, combining Kennesaw with in-town sites gives you a much better strategic map of how armies closed in on Atlanta.
Below is a simple reference table to help you translate historical map terms into modern locations you can plug into your GPS.
| Civil War Reference (1864) | Approximate Modern Area / Landmark | How to Use It on Your Map |
|---|---|---|
| City of Atlanta (war-era) | Downtown & Capitol area | Start at the Georgia State Capitol as your “city center” |
| Union main lines | East of downtown toward Inman Park / Candler Park | Trace along DeKalb Ave, Moreland Ave, and rail lines |
| Confederate attack from the south | Southeast of city through East Atlanta | Focus on Flat Shoals Ave SE, Bouldercrest Dr SE |
| Leggett’s Hill | Near modern Moreland Ave SE and I‑20 | Use this intersection to imagine high ground and lines |
| Eastern approaches to the city | Edgewood, Kirkwood, East Atlanta | Drive or walk these neighborhoods looking for markers |
Use this as a mental overlay: when you’re standing at an intersection, think about whether you’re roughly on the Union line, Confederate line of attack, or no-man’s land according to Civil War battle maps.
You don’t need a specialized historical atlas to follow the Battle of Atlanta. You can create a simple, effective plan using your phone and a few key stops.
Begin at either:
Use their exhibits to capture a few key points:
Head to:
Here, your map focus is “Where was the original Atlanta, and how big was it?” This gives you scale when you later stand several miles east where heavy fighting occurred.
Drive or bike through:
Tips for mapping the battle:
This section of your tour turns a vague “Atlanta battle map” into specific corners and landmarks you’ll actually recognize later.
If you prefer paper maps or official diagrams, you have several local options.
If you want more detailed or historical maps:
Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System – Central Library
1 Margaret Mitchell Sq
Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: (404) 730‑1700
The central location often holds Atlanta history references, including Civil War atlases, local history books, and map collections.
Georgia Archives (just outside Atlanta)
5800 Jonesboro Rd
Morrow, GA 30260
Phone: (678) 364‑3710
Useful if you are doing deeper research and want to look at archival-quality maps of the campaign and battle positions.
A few local-minded suggestions to make your exploration smoother:
To get the most out of any Atlanta battle map—digital or printed—keep these ideas in mind:
The more you connect historic features to modern names, the easier it is to mentally carry your “Atlanta battle map” with you as you move around the city.
By combining onsite markers, museum exhibits, and simple GPS navigation, you can turn the phrase “Atlanta Battle Map” into a real, walkable and drivable experience that makes the 1864 campaign visible in today’s Atlanta streetscapes.
