historic western & atlantic railroad tunnel

In an attempt to fill our time in Chattanooga with something other than tourist traps, I was looking online and came across a Groupon deal for this. What a gem! We had a gentleman tell us the Train Chase story and Mr. Ron was our guide - so knowledgeable and friendly to our crew - from 7 to 37.We will definitely bring other family members who've missed out.

All of the folks at the Historic Western & Atlantic Railroad Tunnel were so friendly, and wow, did they know their history ! ! Be sure to ask for the deluxe tour so that you can not only tour the tunnel, but also visit the nearby Clisby Austin house, and walk around the grounds, literally in the footsteps of some of the most famous people in our nation's history. I got goosebumps, standing in the spot that General Sherman stood in, looking out the same window, at the same view he had, while he planned his Atlanta Campaign. This turned out to be a once in a lifetime experience when I walked into the lobby of the museum, having pulled in off the interstate on a whim, hoping they might help me find local historical society or genealogy folks who could help me figure out where my ancestor was buried, who fought in the Civil War and died at Tunnel Hill. Sadly, all my life I had heard that no one knew where he was buried, so his remains could not be brought home to rest in the family cemetery in Alabama, after the war. To my surprise, I found that the folks around Tunnel Hill, GA certainly know where Uncle James is....and they have honored him in one of the exhibits in the museum. Long story short, some local folks got a grant to do some digging and cleaning up, at a site that was supposed to be an old cemetery where some local familes, and some Civil War veterans were buried. Not only did they find my ancestor, they went so far as to make sure that he got a veterans marker on his long-lost grave, and now our family can come and see him. Be sure to look for the ask that staff to tell you about James B. Snell, and tell them Sheila, his brother's great-great-great grandaughter sent you! Civil War buffs, and history lovers in general, will enjoy the visit. The local scenery is beautiful. There are several other Civil War battlesites within a few miles of this museum, so you may want to go get a room in nearby Dalton as I did, and spend a couple of days. The folks in this area are very hospitable, and there are family-owned restaurants as well as brand-name chain restaurants, a short drive away.

We were driving home and just happen to see a sign for this place. I being a bit of a history nerd demanded we stop. We didn't have time for the entire tour so we visited the museum and tunnel only. There is also a house portion, that we didn't do. This is a must do if in the area, the history here is amazing and our tour guide was super nice.

Who knew going through a tunnel could be so interesting? Thanks to Hub, it was a fascinating tour. We started in the Clisby House, which is a beautiful historical site, then rode through the tunnel. Hub pointed out the construction methods, noted the way the restoration had been done (those aren't bricks), showed us the manholes where workers could avoid trains coming through the tunnel, talked about how the workmen, digging from each side, missed by only a few inches, showed us the soot trail from locomotive smoke stacks at the top of the tunnel, talked about the history of the tunnel and why it was abandoned, then showed us the 1928 replacement tunnel. It was an intriguing afternoon. Thanks, Hub.

My wife and I stopped here just to say we did. What a treat. The tour is only $10.00 per adult and less for the kiddies. We spent a little more than two hours here. The tour guide is very very knowledgeable about the area and history of the Civil War era. There is so much history in this area I had no idea. I would love to go back when they are doing there reenactments. This has been the best tour I have done all year. Thank You so much for the tour.

It's a small museum but they have interesting displays that kept my 9 and 12 year old sons engaged. The ride through the tunnel is great. My kids loved it. Just don't sit on the very back of the extended golf cart because going through backwards it not the way to go!

We had a great & personal tour, as we were the only ones there at the time. Hub was very informative & knowledgeable. Love the history of the area. Thank so much. A must see if you are a civil war buff!

What a wonderful experience. The gentlemen that walk you through the exhibits in the museum and explain everything were very knowledgeable and took into consideration their audience. (We had our 8 year old daughter with us.) we enjoyed the ride to the Clisby Austin house and then the ride through the old train tunnel. A definite stop for train and Civil War buffs.

The W/A historic tunnel is something of a hidden gem. It is rare, real history that not a lot of people know about but one that is a great firsthand lesson for adults and kids. Staff always ready to answer questions and accommodate.

The tunnel is a great piece of history. Wonderful walk through the tunnel. Make sure you take a jacket it 47 degrees inside the tunnel.

Awesome to see, and try to imagine how they built the tunnel all those years ago. Museum is very nice!! Large collection for a small museum, definately worth seeing!!The history behind the tunnel is a great story, take the tour.

The riding tour(in golf cart) thru the tunnel is at very reasonable cost, including narration of engineering, construction, and history. If you are in to Civil War, Engineering, or Railroad History, this is a sure bet.

This was a lucky find not far off I-75. The museum was small but very informative. The tour through the tunnel was interesting and the guide was from the area and very knowledgeable. This is a part of Civil War history that is not well known but was very intersring.

There is a small museum and a guided tour of it at that. We had a very knowledgeable guide and were whisked off to the actual tunnel on a golf cart conveyance that seated 7-8 people. We were driven through the cool tunnel and turned around and went through again to return to the museum about a half mile from the tunnel, over a short covered bridge. The current railroad runs through a “new tunnel” built in 1929 and both tunnels can be seen at the same time, if you stand in just the right spot in the parking lot closest to the tunnel. During the winter months, it should be a lot easier to see them both at the same time. I really enjoyed everything about this place EXCEPT when I stepped off the tram I stepped SQUARELY INTO a fire ant hill. I was exceedingly lucky to escape the swarming mass of vicious ants, unscathed. If I was older/slower I would have the rest of my trip ruined by this. (This happened to be our first stop, something we had been looking forward to for thirty years, LONG before there was a museum) Definitely worth a stop to learn about the local history.

For anyone interested in history, especially Civil War history, or like me, the history of railroads, this is a must see. The tour is a very rare chance to to LEGALLY peer inside a railroad tunnel without trespassing our putting yourself in danger.The cost of the tour is very inexpensive. The staff is very friendly and accommodating, the museum inside has some great stuff, it's a great stop all around.