One of Georgia’s newest trails celebrates the heritage that so many people come here looking for – that of the novel (and movie) Gone With the Wind. As designated by the Georgia legislature this spring, it is the nation’s only Gone With the Wind trail.

Among the stops on the trail are the Scarlett on the Square Museum in Marietta, the Margaret Mitchell House in mid-town Atlanta (see my blog here) the Road to Tara Museum in Jonesboro and the Oakland Cemetery, where Margaret Mitchell is buried.

In Marietta, visitors can see a number of displays from the movie set, including the original script of Ona Munson (who played Belle Watson in the movie) and the original Bengaline honeymoon dress worn by Vivian Leigh in the movie. Admission is $7 for adults, $6 for senior & students. Hours are 10 – 5, Monday – Saturday.

At the Margaret Mitchell House, the apartment she lived in and wrote in is open for tours and tour guides explain how important the book was and is internationally. Many Georgia residents tend to take it for granted – but a large percentage of Georgia’s international tourists are looking for a real link to the book they so enjoyed. While we tend to focus on the Civil War parts of the book, others see it as an inspiration to survive desperate times. Hours are 10 – 5:30, Monday through Saturday. Admission is $13 for   adults, $10 for seniors and students 13-18, $8.50 for ages 4-12.

The Road to Tara Museum is located in Jonesboro’s 1867 Historic Train Depot. Displays include an authentic “Sherman’s necktie” – a section of rail twisted so that the trains can’t travel on it, accurate reproductions of some of Vivian Leigh’s costumes as well as others from the film and many other items relating to the book. The museum is open 8:30-5:30 Monday through Friday and 10-4 on Saturday. Admission is $7 for adults and $6 for seniors and children.

Photo from the Road to Tara Museum. Used with permission.