A section of land bordering one of the most visited and historically significant Civil War sites in the Southeastern U.S. has been spared from metro Atlanta’s sprawl. 

National nonprofit Trust for Public Land has closed on the acquisition of 21.4 acres of property adjacent to Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park that was previously targeted for residential development, officials announced today. 

Instead of OTP housing, the acreage will become part of a larger, cohesive park under National Park Service ownership and remain permanently preserved for conservation, public recreation, and historical education purposes, according to TPL. 

The undeveloped land will help retain the area’s rural feel and safeguard any archaeological treasures related to the Civil War hidden underground, per TPL officials. The property also includes a pond—considered an important water source for fighting forest fires—that was used by helicopters for fire suppression in March. 

The acreage in question (orange) in relation to today's Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. Courtesy of Trust for Public Land

The Cobb County park now spans 2,923 acres and is the only National Park Service property commemorating the Atlanta Campaign of 1864. It features three battlefield areas, 11 miles of preserved Civil War earthworks, picnic areas, and more than 18 miles of trails. 

“This acquisition isn’t just about adding acreage—it’s about preventing the fragmentation of this irreplaceable landscape and keeping it from being lost to suburban development,” George Dusenbury, Georgia state director for Trust for Public Land, said in a statement. 

Overview of Cobb County housing and the nearly 3,000-acre Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield.Shutterstock

TPL is no stranger to Kennesaw Mountain land preservation.

In the early 2000s, the agency added roughly 50 acres to increase continuity and expand access to the park. That was followed in 2008 when TPL bought 34 acres with a lake, fields, and forests from longtime residents the Hensley family. 

TPL in 2013 also added a 42-acre property called Hays Farm to the park. That features Nodine’s Hill, which includes Union entrenchments, cannon placements, and rifle pits. 

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