Group Tour Services:
- “Red Carpet” Welcome
- Welcome packets
- Customized Itineraries
- Step-on Guide
- Entertainment & Dining
- Scheduling of local attractions
- Hotel Rates
- On Staff Event Coordinator
Sample Tour:
Arrive at the Visitor Center to receive a warm welcome, free brochures, maps and helpful information to guide you as you explore Rome & Floyd County.
The Last Stop Gift Shop, located in the Visitor Center, offers a variety of memorabilia related to the Civil War, Rome’s history and the works of many local artists.
Historic displays, adjacent to the Visitor Center, will introduce you to Rome’s early years. Walk up the Gilbert Smith Trail to see the reproduction 32 pound siege guns. Continue on the trail up to the site of Fort Norton, a strategic location during the Civil War. Its importance is obvious as you look down across Rome and the rivers. The earthen embankments and abandoned waterworks are silent reminders of the past.
Begin a self-guided driving tour of the historic “Between the Rivers” district (brochure & compact disc available). This area which lies between the Etowah, Oostanaula and Coosa Rivers, is the site of Rome’s founding in 1834. Several National Register sites, Victorian homes & churches, Rome’s landmark Clocktower & Capitoline Wolf are located in this district.
A compact disc and brochures are also available for a self guided tour of Civil War sites including Myrtle Hill Cemetery, Fort Stovall, Fort Attaway, Farmers Bridge & the Noble Foundry.
While visiting the downtown area, enjoy the local restaurants and shops. Relax for a while on the Town Green and then walk over to the Rome Area History Museum to learn more about the four years of Union occupation in our city. Records pertaining to Confederate soldiers in this area can be reviewed at the Rome/Floyd County Library in the Heritage Room.
The story of Rome continues at Chieftains Museum, home of prominent early nineteenth century Cherokee leader Major Ridge and his family. The tragic events that led to the removal of the Cherokee people on what is now known as the Trail of Tears began here with Major Ridge. StandWaite, uncle of Major Ridge, was the last Native American Confederate general to surrender. General Order # 9, authored by General Robert E. Lee, is part of the Chieftains Museum collection.
Oak Hill is a “must see” for every visitor to Rome. This stately, white columned mansion was home to Captain Thomas & Frances Rhea Berry. Thomas earned the rank of Captain in 1861 while serving in Company A, with the 31st Regiment, Alabama Infantry. He was with his unit when it surrendered at Vicksburg on July 4, 1863, following the Union siege. Martha Berry, the second of eight children, born to Thomas & Frances Berry, devoted her life to building a school where underprivileged children could be taught a vocation along with academic studies. The Martha Berry Museum presents a timeline of this incredible woman’s journey which is called “The Miracle in the Mountains”.
Regional Civil War sites within driving distance of Rome:
- Allatoona Pass - 34 miles
- Pickets Mill Historic State Site - 40 miles
- Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield - 50 miles
- Tunnel Hill Heritage Center - 51 miles
- Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park - 58 miles