(Photo) A “Spirit” at Oakland Cemetery.

Piece 1: Oakland Cemetery. Just east of downtown Atlanta in the city’s Grant Park community is historic Oakland Cemetery (248 Oakland Drive SE).

Established in 1850, this 19th century graveyard has grown exponentially over the years and now encompasses 48 acres.

Among the almost 70,000 individuals interred at Oakland Cemetery are a number of notable people including “Gone with the Wind” author Margaret Mitchell, golf champion Bobby Jones, and country music legend Kenny Rogers.

We decided to become members of the Historic Oakland Foundation after taking one of the “Sights, Symbols, and Stories of Oakland” guided tours that highlights selected pieces of cemetery art and architecture.

We really enjoy walking around the property, which is beautifully landscaped with close to 1,600 trees including crepe myrtles, dogwoods, magnolias, and (of course) oaks.

As members of the foundation, we were given priority access to the popular “Capturing the Spirit of Oakland” Halloween event, which runs over ten days during the end of October.

These “spooky strolls” are led by a costumed docent who guides visitors along a lighted pathway within the cemetery grounds to meet a variety of “spirits” (actors portraying historically significant people buried at Oakland) who share informative and entertaining stories about Atlanta.

An assortment of alcoholic drinks were available for purchase (to those of age) at the cemetery’s Gothic Revival Bell Tower, the tour’s starting point. This probably helped some event patrons have an even more spiritual experience.

The Dwarf House (Hapeville GA)

Piece 2: The Dwarf House Restaurant (Hapeville GA). Located in the suburb of Hapeville, just south of downtown Atlanta, is the Dwarf House Restaurant (461 North Central Avenue) where Chick-fil-A founder Truett Cathy established his food service business back in 1946.

The eatery’s name was a nod to the somewhat diminutive building it operated in. While the modern renovated Dwarf House is a larger and more contemporary facility, it retains some elements of the original restaurant, including a small red door and several stained glass windows.

Just in front of the entrance, patrons encounter a metallic sculpture of Mr. Cathy seated at the end of a long bench, with plenty of room left for another person (maybe two). A great photo opportunity!

What’s really special about this place is that it serves the standard Chick-fil-A fare but also has other items consistent with the original restaurant menu (such as hamburgers, fried okra, sweet potato casserole, kale salad, and corn bread).

The original side also side offers an entree called the “Hot Brown”, which is chicken mixed with a cream sauce, topped with cheese and bacon, and surrounded by four triangle-shaped pieces of toasted bread.

I was intrigued and ordered the Hot Brown with a side of okra for lunch. I’m sure it’s a little different than the Kentucky Hot Brown sandwich I’ve heard described, but this was very good!

We ended our visit (and meal) with slices of homemade chocolate and coconut pie.

Fun place to stop and eat, especially if you are acquainted with the business history of Chick-fil-A. Good selection of souvenir items and apparel too!

Early Delta Passenger Airplane

Piece 3: The Delta Flight Museum (Hapeville, GA). Located on the perimeter of Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is the Delta Flight Museum, housed in two 1940’s-era hangars near the Delta Airlines Corporate Headquarters.

The exhibits and related signage tell the history of Delta from its beginnings as a crop dusting operation established in Monroe LA to combat the boll weevil infestation of cotton crops.

Visitors get access to two prominent examples of the modern Delta fleet, a Boeing 767 in hangar two and a Boeing 747 in the museum parking lot.

An enjoyable experience, particularly for commercial aviation history buffs.

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