MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) - It's been 150 years since the Civil War, and although no battles were fought in Macon, the city did play a big role during the four year long war.
Sesquicentennial is a big word to commemorate a big part of American history. The Macon Civil War Sesquicentennial Committee is celebrating the 150th anniversary by educating the community on what happened in Macon.
"Macon's role in that war was considerable and we are trying to explain that role better," Bill Elliot, the chairman of the committee, said.
That's why this year the committee is putting up markers throughout Macon to highlight the city's efforts during the war.
"The ammunition factories were here, we had a confederate arsenal, confederate armory, confederate laboratories were here, so it had quite a role," Conie Mc Darnell, a member of the committee, said.
"We got a lot of stories to tell and the 150th anniversary of that terrible time is the appropriate time to do that," Elliot said.
The committee's first story to tell is the city churches. The first marker commemorates the white and African American churches in downtown during the Civil War.
"The churches played a major part in really addressing many of the spiritual, psychological needs that they had at the time," Rabbi Larry Schlesinger of the Temple Beth Israel said. "The war went from better to worse here in the South and the churches were there to minister the people as well."
And as we remember the past, the hope is you will learn more about Macon's rich history.
Another interesting piece of Macon civil war history, the city had the second largest number of hospital for injured soldiers in the South.
Over the next five months, the committee will place five more markers around the city and share a piece of Macon's history.
