Big Shanty Village Historic District
Why it's listed
Big Shanty Village Historic District covers about 28 acres of downtown Kennesaw, Georgia. It includes two blocks of one- to three-story, turn-of-the-century brick commercial buildings on the west side of Main Street, notably a two-story bank and a three-story Masonic building. Along the railroad tracks are the bracketed, board-and-batten depot, a cotton gin now used as a museum, a warehouse, the site of the Lacy Hotel, and a commemorative park. Several blocks of Victorian and turn-of-the-century cottages and houses line Harris Street, Whitfield Place, Lewis Street and Park Avenue. The district was recognized for its role in transportation history, from the Old Peachtree Trail and wagon roads to the railroad that brought the town into being. It also served as the staging ground for Andrew's Raid during the Civil War. Its commercial center and largely intact buildings represent typical downtown areas of small northwest Georgia towns.
Significance in brief: The district is presented as the historic commercial and residential center of Kennesaw, tied to transportation history through the Old Peachtree Trail, wagon roads, automobile highways and the railroad. It was the staging ground for Andrew's Raid during the Civil War. It also has turn-of-the-century commercial buildings, railroad section houses and Victorian cottages that remain largely intact and typify small northwest Georgia town centers.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 80000995, listed March 20, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Park Ave., Whitfield Pl., Main, Harris, Lewis, and Cherokee Sts., Kennesaw |
|---|---|
| County | Cobb County |
| Listed | March 20, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000995 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architectural style | Victorian and turn-of-the-century commercial and residential buildings, including a bracketed board-and-batten depot |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Military, Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Largely intact in physical fabric and setting; non-contributing properties include several contemporary residences and a mobile home and used-car lot. |
| Acreage | 28 |
| Coordinates | 34.02521, -84.61516 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 80000995.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q34898884
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.