North of Lovejoy, Georgia
Surveyed 1985 & Revisited 1994
Update 2008
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1985 Survey
The site is located approximately three quarters of a mile to the north of McDonough Road and west of US Hwy 19&41 or what is known as Tara Blvd. The property was that of the Hastings Family of the Hastings Seed Company. Permission was gained to survey the site. The field in front of the home facing the highway is still very well intact. Just to the south on the ridge is still the remains of the trench line and rifle pits. Grid searches were conducted just in front of the home as well as to the rear.
Many artifacts were recovered and cataloged to be studied later. This area saw artillery bombardment from the batteries set up just south of the McDonough-Fayetteville Road.
This action occurred during September 2-6, 1864 after General John B. Hood CSA had evacuated Atlanta and made his headquarters at the Crawford House (known today as the Crawford-Talmadge Home) south of Lovejoy Road. Again the Union Army returned to this site during the March to the Sea in November 1864 as General Kilpatrick USA covered the flank of the Right Wing as it moved farther to the east of this area. He skirmished and fought with Confederate forces under General Iverson here and pushed them south to Bear Creek (Hampton).
Return 1994
The Old Hastings Home was destroyed by fire. The property sold and was growing over to become an abandoned waste. Some few artifacts were recovered but not as it was in 1985.
Update 2008
The property today has gone to development. The remaining earthworks have been reduced to just a small glimpse of its former self just to the north of the Sigma Chi Monument. The rifle pits are gone and only about a 100 foot section of trench line still exists there. History again has been lost to the bulldozier.
References:
1. O.R. Civil War Actions between Jonesboro & Lovejoy.
2. Atlanta Historical Society, 1985.
During the days after the fall of Atlanta, several Confederate soldiers discussed near here the outcome of a probable Confederate defeat. Those men wondered if their fraternity would survive in the South. They organized the Constantine Chapter of Sigma Chi during those trying days.
In 1939, a monument was erected on property donated by the Hastings family. The monument was to honor the devotion of those soldiers who gathered to discuss their cause.
Just along the north end of the parking area is the remains of earthworks from the engagements at Lovejoy Station in 1864. The site is north of Lovejoy along Hwy 41.
The Constantine Cross can be seen from the roadway.
References:
1. The Historical marker with the monument.
2. Atlanta Historical Society, 1985.
Clayton Co. Georgia
Mr. H.G. Hastings brought the Hastings Seed Farm to the area just before 1899. This gentleman was the son of G.A. Hastings of Hastings, Fla. the home of the seed company. Mr. S.H. Hastings brought his home to the area in the early 20th century.
The railroad siding from the earlier years at the site of the bridge over the Macon
railroad was used to transport all sorts of seeds , flowers, bush's, and trees all over the U.S. This is the reason for the diverse flowers and shrubs in the area today. The railroad sits along a ridge which is the continental divide in the area. All waters east of the railroad track flow to the Atlantic Ocean and those west of the railroad flow to the Gulf of Mexico.
The Old US Hwy 41 which was known as "Dixie Highway" was a two lane road that passed through Lovejoy. The highway number was changed to Hwy 3 after the new four laned Hwy 41 was brought through the area. Today the stretch of this two lane road is also known as Hastings Bridge Road in honor of the Hastings family. For a time the area north of McDonough Road west of the railroad was known as Hastings.
Today the seed farm is just a distant memory. The area prior to the seed farm was the site of Civil War engagements in 1864.
References:
1. Early newspaper articles of Clayton Co.
2. USGS
3. GDOT
