An exhibition exploring the origins of Atlanta through two historic artifacts of the Western & Atlantic Railroad, including a restored locomotive and the Zero Mile Post.
Locomotion: Railroads and the Making of Atlanta is currently on view at the Atlanta History Center, and it's a good look at how the city actually got its start. The whole exhibition centers on two artifacts from the Western & Atlantic Railroad that tell the story of Atlanta's origin. One is The Texas, a locomotive built in 1856. It's one of only two surviving Western & Atlantic engines, the other being The General. Its 4-4-0 'American-style' design was so iconic that it ended up at the center of Atlanta's first city seal. The other is the Zero Mile Post, an 1850s marker that served as the point around which the city grew and determined where the city center would be in 1842.
There's a bit of history behind the engine on display, too. It's not the original 1856 machine—only the bell stand, frame, and a few parts remain—and it's been restored to how it looked in 1886, the year of its last major upgrade and when "THE BATTLE OF ATLANTA" was painted on it. Both the locomotive and the post have been displayed alongside the Battle of Atlanta cyclorama since 1927, and both are owned by the City of Atlanta.
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Shibui Design handled the exhibition, and they've built it around more than just the two pieces. You'll find interactive A/V stations, interpretive floor graphics, and text panels to fill in the gaps, plus a climb-a-board cab experience that lets you get inside the locomotive. It's a straightforward way to see how the railroad shaped the city we live in, and it's part of the current lineup at the Atlanta History Center in Buckhead.
