During a pre-pandemic visit to Cartersville, Georgia, an easy daytrip from much of north and east Alabama, I expected to find great restaurants, charming boutiques and unique attractions, but I was surprised to learn of Cartersville’s connection to our beloved Lottie Moon.
Lottie’s launch pad
In 1871, Lottie Moon, a very intelligent and well-educated woman for her time, helped found and operate the Cartersville Female Seminary.
In addition to her duties in the classroom, she was active at Cartersville Baptist Church. It was there during a Sunday morning sermon that Lottie felt a clear call to go to China and serve as a missionary.
The building on Fite Street, originally built as a church in 1856, was damaged by Gen. Sherman’s troops during the Civil War and is now a private residence.
Locals refer to it as the Lottie Moon House. It is not open for tours, but a large concrete memorial is near the sidewalk.
The Cartersville church enthusiastically rallied behind Lottie. They formed a missionary society specifically to assist in her financial support. They helped buy a bell for the school where Lottie taught in Kiang Chia, China, while also contributing room and board for girls attending the school.
This missionary organization, plus pleading letters from Lottie, finally ignited the beginning of the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions in 1888.
Since my husband and I were ourselves supported by that very offering when we served in Ecuador, I immediately felt a kinship to Cartersville. It was a special treat to see a plaque honoring Lottie Moon on the town’s Fence of Fame beside the Cartersville Depot Visitor Center and Friendship Plaza.
Cartersville also is quickly gaining a reputation for being “Georgia’s Museum City.” Two of the largest are the Booth Western Art Museum and Tellus Science Museum.
The 120,000-square-foot Booth Western Art Museum is the only one of its kind in the Southeast. In addition to an immense collection of Western-themed paintings and sculptures, Booth Museum houses a Presidential Gallery, Civil War art gallery and children’s gallery known as the Sagebrush Ranch.
Those who love cowboys, American Indians, Wyatt Earp and Matt Dillon will have much to enjoy. My favorite area was the room containing photos and signed, one-page letters from every American president from Washington to Trump. The museum has a large gift shop and a nice café that serves lunch, so plan to stay awhile and enjoy it thoroughly.
The Tellus Science Museum focuses on minerals, fossils, transportation and astronomy within its 125,000 square feet. The planetarium has a schedule of shows throughout the day, and a solar house built by students from Western Virginia University sits to the left of the main museum entrance.
Bartow History Museum is downtown in a former courthouse building, where exhibits portray 200 years of life around Cartersville going back to the Cherokees.
The Etowah Indian Mounds State Historic Site provides glimpses of life from 1000 to 1550 A.D. In addition to six earthen mounds, visitors can see a number of artifacts excavated from the site in the museum at the visitors center.
More Christian history
During a tour of Rose Lawn Museum on Fite Street, you will hear the inspiring story of Sam P. Jones, a former alcoholic who accepted Christ and became one of the leading evangelists of the late 1800s. Jones was known for his admonition, “Quit Your Meanness.”
Jones lived with his family in this Victorian home from 1885 until his death in 1906.
Another surprise for me was the wide range of culinary options in Cartersville. Ross’ Diner and 4 Way Lunch are tiny eateries near the square that have stood the test of time. 4 Way opened in 1931, and Ross’ started serving customers in 1945. These two will be full of locals wanting breakfast or lunch.
Maine Street Coastal Cuisine and Appalachian Grill serve a wide variety of seafood and steaks. Table 20 and The City Cellar both have creative menus as well. All four are within a block or two of each other near the train depot.
Moore’s Gourmet Market is a neighborhood bistro tucked into a side street near Rose Lawn Museum. It offers delicious daily specials and offers plenty of outdoor seating.
Find more tips and suggestions for a visit to Cartersville at tabonline.org/cartersville.
More insider tips
What downtown would be complete without a few unique shops and boutiques? They include BridgeHouse Interiors and Olive Tree & Vine. BridgeHouse has a great bistro in the back, and Olive Tree & Vine doubles as a coffee shop.
One more tip: beside the railroad, you’ll find a large painted Coca-Cola advertisement on the side of the Young Brothers Pharmacy. It is, in fact, the world’s first outdoor Coca-Cola advertisement and was painted by James Couden in 1894. See if you can spot the mistake!
George Washington Carver Park and Pine Acres Retreat are appealing choices for a day on the lake or for church youth retreats or family reunions.
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