In 1892, Congress purchased 5200 acres of land in northwest Georgia that now forms the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park. This was the first major Civil War battlefield set aside to memorialize the soldiers who fought there. The park was officially dedicated in 1895 by North and South veterans. The battlefield’s visitors center offers interpretive exhibits, a large bookstore, and a 26-minute multimedia program that gives a unique orientation to the battle. The Fuller gun collection features many rare items among the 355 weapons on display. Outside, an artillery display illustrates the various types of light field artillery used at Chickamauga and Chattanooga. The battlefield contains numerous monuments, historical tablets, wayside exhibits, and hiking trails.
Visitors should also visit the nearby Missionary Ridge and Lookout Mountain Battlefield in Tennessee, which includes Point Park and a visitors center. The center features James Walker’s impressive Battle of Lookout Mountain painting that measures 13×33 feet.