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Atlanta Cyclorama and Civil War Museum visual arts materials

 Collection
Collection number: ahc.VIS267

Scope and Content

This collection contains photographs including parts of the painting depicting the Battle of Atlanta, portraits of generals, museum displays, creation and maintenance of the painting, and staff. Also included are photographs from Civil War reenactments and commemorations, museum events, the Cyclorama in Gettysburg, and Georgia landmarks such as Stone Mountain and the Old State Capitol in Milledgeville. Of special interest are maps of Civil War battles; a Cyclorama elevation plan; a Cyclorama building plan; and color drawings titled, "The Texas," "The General," and "The Chase."

Dates

  • 1884-2012, undated

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

This material is protected by copyright law. (Title 17, U.S. Code) Permission for use must be cleared through the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center. Licensing agreement may be required.

Administrative/Biographical History

The Battle of Atlanta, commonly called the Atlanta Cyclorama, is a 360-degree panoramic painting depicting the Battle of Atlanta, a key event in the Atlanta Campaign of the Civil War in 1864. The American Panorama Company completed the painting in 1886. In 1898, Florida businessman George V. Gress donated the Atlanta Cyclorama to the City of Atlanta, where it was operated jointly by the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Department of Cultural Affairs. In 1921 a fireproof building was constructed in Grant Park to house the painting, and in 1927 the Texas, one of the locomotives from the Great Locomotive Chase, was added to the museum. The painting underwent its first restoration and the addition of the diorama to the exhibit in 1936. From 1979 to 1981, the painting underwent its second major restoration. In 2015 custody of the Atlanta Cyclorama and the artifacts from the Civil War Museum was transferred to the Atlanta History Center.

Extent

668 image(s) (320 black and white photographic prints, 7 black and white negatives, four printing blocks, 155 color photographic prints, 158 color negatives, 17 drawings, three maps, two posters, one film, one floppy disk)

Language

English

System of Arrangement

This collection is arranged alphabetically according to titles supplied by staff.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Some of this collection is located in cold storage (CS) as indicated in the descriptive inventory. Patrons must allow 24 hours after retrieval of cold storage items before viewing material.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

16 mm film and 3 1/2 inch floppy disk can be made accessible only through conversion to digital format. Patrons who request access to the digital content in this collection are responsible for digital conversion costs.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Loan, 2015

Related Archival Materials

Atlanta Cyclorama and Civil War Museum records, MSS 1103, Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center

Description Control

This collection was processed in 2017.

Title
Atlanta Cyclorama and Civil War Museum visual arts material
Author
Maeve Vitale and Kelley Warrington
Date
August 2017
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid is written in English.

Repository Details

Part of the Kenan Research Center at Atlanta History Center Repository

Contact:
130 West Paces Ferry Road
Atlanta GA 30305
404-814-4040