Located on the northwestern outskirts of Atlanta, Cartersville is a lively city founded by English settlers in 1832. It was originally known as Birmingham before being renamed after a local plantation owner, Colonel Farish Carter. In 1867, it was designated as the seat of Bartow County and remains so today.
Things to do in Cartersville
In the heart of Cartersville is the Bartow History Museum, which occupies an Italianate-style courthouse that dates back to 1869. It only served as a legal institution until the turn of the 20th century, with the noise from passing trains making it unsuitable for holding trials. On display are Cherokee artefacts, historic photographs and documents detailing life in Bartow County over the last 200 years.
Adjacent is the Booth Western Art Museum, which is dedicated to artworks depicting the American West. It houses everything from Civil War paintings to Indigenous artworks and contemporary illustrations featuring cowboys, stagecoaches and quintessential Western landscapes. You can get up close to works by Albert Bierstadt and Charles Russell while the kids get hands-on in the interactive ranch.
A short drive south of Cartersville is the Etowah Indian Mounds State Historic Site, which is one of the best-preserved Mississippian cultural sites in the Southeast. It consists of three platform mounds that are believed to date from around 1000 to 1550 AD. At the on-site museum, you can see centuries-old pottery and artefacts uncovered during the site’s excavation.
Getting around Cartersville
Cartersville is around 45 minutes’ drive from the centre of Atlanta and one hour from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, which has flights to destinations across the globe. Renting a car is the most convenient way of getting to Cartersville and exploring the area.