Broad Street is one of the most popular places people go “When In Rome, Georgia.” It has the best food, shopping, and entertainment venues in and around Rome. You may not know how a tour of Broad Street reveals our rich local history. If you start at one end of Broad Street and stroll to the other end, you will find some fantastic stories and the history of our town.
This tour is perfect for anyone searching for history and facts about Rome, Georgia. It would be a great field trip for kids of all ages to help them learn and appreciate local history. It is also a great way to exercise. The day we went, we started our tour in front of the Carnegie Building and headed to Myrtle Hill’s Veteran Memorial Plaza and back. This walk took us a couple of hours, so be mindful of that when you park.
Andrew Carnegie built the Carnegie Building as a library. It was one of thirty libraries that he built in Georgia. Its construction was completed in 1911. It housed Rome’s Library until 1988 when it was moved to its new home, Sarah Hightower Library. Just outside the Carnegie Building is a miniature replica of the building that serves as a “Little Free Library” for you to swap books. Today the building is used for Government Offices.
The Spanish-American War Memorial is a monument dedicated to the local men of Rome, Georgia, who fought during the Spanish-American War. Read about the Spanish American War Memorial at Remembering Romans Who Fought In The Spanish-American War
The Robert Battey Memorial is erected to honor Dr. Robert Battey. He was an eminent and innovative surgeon whose significant contributions are still taught in medical schools today. You can learn more by reading: The Legacy of Dr. Robert Battey’s Life And Work
The Capitoline Wolf is in front of the Rome City Auditorium or City Hall. Georgia’s Rome is named after Rome, Italy, because of the similarities between the two cities. In 1929 Benito Mussolini presented Rome, Georgia, with a statue of the Capitoline Wolf with the inscription as follows:
“THIS STATUE OF THE CAPITOLINE WOLF AS A FORECAST OF PROSPERITY AND GLORY HAS BEEN SENT FROM ANCIENT ROME TO NEW ROME, DURING THE CONSULSHIP OF BENITO MUSSOLINI, IN THE YEAR 1929”.
The Rome City Hall & Auditorium is on the National Registry of Historic Places. The City Hall is home to the City Auditorium. It was built in 1916 and was the largest theater of its time. The City Auditorium is still in use today and hosts a variety of shows throughout the year.
The Olympic Torch is a Plaque displayed in front of the Rome City Auditorium or City Hall. It commemorated when the torch passed through Rome, Georgia, in 1996 on its tour of the state of Georgia. The Olympic games were held in Atlanta that year.
The Admiral John H. Towers Memorial Plaza depicts Admiral John H. Towers’ role in developing naval aviation, including the first successful group trans-Atlantic flight in 1919. We did not see it, but a Towers Marker is a block away from the memorial. This historical marker recognizes the location of the childhood home of Admiral John H. Towers, a pioneer in naval aviation.
Firefighters Memorial Plaza is one of the newest additions to the downtown Rome area. It honors all firefighters: those who served in the past and the present. It recognizes the service the men and women provide to our community. Some bricks that make up the arch that reads “No. 2 Mountain City” were from an old fire station in downtown Rome. The arch somehow ended up in the Oostanaula River, buried in the mud. They were recovered and made into this great memorial.
The Winecoff Hotel Fire Memorial marker honors the four Rome students on a field trip who died in Atlanta’s 1946 Winecoff Hotel fire. It was America’s deadliest hotel fire. Because of the fire, significant improvements in building and fire codes were enacted and are still in place today.
The Call To Duty Memorial is located outside the Rome City and Floyd County Police Department. It is a memorial for all of the fallen Law Enforcement Officers. Every year they hold a memorial service in May to remember the fallen heroes.
The Old Floyd County Courthouse sits just behind Broad Street on 5th Ave. It was built in 1892 and is home to the tag and tax offices. It stands tall and can be seen throughout downtown Rome.
In front of the Old Floyd County Courthouse, the Flame Of Freedom is lit. It was donated by the local chapters of the American Legion in honor of their 50th anniversary.
The archway of Opera Alley marks the opening to the walkway that The Nevine Opera House once used. The Nevin Opera House was located on Broad Street and was once the hotspot for entertainment. It was built by Mr. M.A. Nevin in 1880 and was destroyed by a fire in 1919. The alley was a thoroughfare so that the performers, stagehands, and suppliers of the Nevin Opera House might enter and leave the opera house without passing through the box office. Today Opera Alley is used as a popular spot to take pictures.
Mitchell Plaza is located outside the Rome Area History Museum. It is named after a former city commissioner, Buddy Mitchell. The image shows landmarks in historic Downtown Rome and the meeting of the rivers. To the right of the fountain is a plaque that shows the height of floodwaters and the year recorded.
The paved bricks on the ground represent where the rivers meet.
The Town Green is just behind the Rome Area History Museum, in front of The Forum. It is a fountain designed to represent Rome’s three rivers, the Etowah River, the Oostanaula River, and the Coosa River. The fountain also acknowledges Rome’s Cherokee roots.
Ellen Axson Wilson Memorial. She was the wife of President Woodrow Wilson and died while he was in office. She is buried at Myrtle Hill Cemetery along with members of her family. She and Woodrow Wilson met while he was in Rome, taking care of his family’s estate. He visited Rome’s First Presbyterian Church, where Ellen’s father was a pastor. They fell in love and married in Savannah Ga in 1885. Ellen Wilson was an influential person at Berry College and a mentor of Eleanor Roosevelt. She was passionate about the arts and was a notable artist from an early age.
The Chief John Ross Memorial Bridge is named after John Ross, the first elected leader of the Cherokee Nation. The bridge is outside the Forum River Center at the Town Green and crosses over the Oostanaula River. The Courtyard Marriot sits on the opposite side of the river. The bridge is a popular spot for photos and has some of the prettiest views of the river.
The Rotary Club of Rome Memorial Wall is behind The Forum River Center overlooking the Oostanaula River. It comprises four large bronze plaques that list the names of Floyd County’s fallen veterans.
The Chiaha Monument is located on the 100 block of Broad Street. It is dedicated to Ms. Connie Conn for her role in organizing the first Chiaha Harvest Fair. Chiaha Harvest fair is a community art and craft festival. The first Chiaha Harvest Fair was in 1964 and is held annually.
Robert Redden Foot Bridge, built in 1905, was once a train trestle. The bridge could be pivoted on its center to allow steam vessels to travel upriver. This was one of the state’s first “Rails to Trails” projects. Today it is part of the Heritage Trails and a popular place to take pictures. On one side of the river is the backside of Broad Street, and it is within easy walking distance from restaurants and shopping. On the other side are Heritage Park and a boat ramp. It is also within walking distance of the football and baseball fields.
In the same area, just to the south of the bridge, is Unity Point, sometimes referred to as Legacy Plaza. It recognizes Rome and Floyd County’s participation in Atlanta’s 1996 Centennial Olympic Games.
Charles Graves Bridge is named for America’s Known Soldier, Charles Graves, who was buried at Myrtle Hill Cemetery.
The Hightower Monument recognizes the Battle of Hightower between the Cherokee Nation and early settlers. It is where General John Sevier conquered the Indian leader Kingfisher in 1793. The Cherokee–American wars were when the Cherokee sought to defend tribal territory from an increasing number of people settling in the United States. This battle took place at the Cherokee village of High Town (Itawayi), overlooking Downtown Rome, Georgia, resulting in the defeat of the Cherokee by force led by John Sevier. He eventually became the Governor of Tennessee.
Myrtle Hill Cemetery, established in 1857, is the second oldest cemetery in Rome and the resting place of over 20,000 Romans. The cemetery sits at the end of Broad Street, overlooking the spot where the Etowah and Oostanaula Rivers meet to form the Coosa River. It is one of the seven hills that make up the Rome area.
The Women of the Confederacy Monument is believed to be the first monument to honor the role of women in war. President Theodore Roosevelt dedicated it on October 8, 1910.
The United Daughters of the Confederacy erected the Nathan Bedford Forrest Monument in 1908. It honors General Forrest for capturing Colonel Abel Streight and his Union raiding party in 1863. In January 2021, the statue at the top of the monument was relocated to storage to prevent vandalism due to public outcry against General Forrest. The statue has since found its permanent home at the Rome Area History Museum, with informational placards detailing his contributions to the Civil War and his atrocities against black soldiers during and after the war.
The Anchor Duck Mills World War I Memorial honors soldiers from Rome, Georgia, who were once mill employees and died serving our country during World War I.
America’s Known Soldier at Veterans Plaza. The Tomb of the Known Soldier is a gravesite dedicated to a soldier killed in World War I, Private Charles Graves. Like the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington, this memorial is dedicated to the soldiers killed in WWI who were known. On either side of the Tomb of the Known Soldier are two Confederate monuments relocated from Broad Street and Second Avenue. Around the grave are more than 3,000 engraved bricks that honor or memorialize military veterans.
The Doughboy Statue is a bronze replica of a World War I “Doughboy.” A “Doughboy” is an American Soldier. During the war, each country had nicknames for its soldiers. Although it is unclear how the American Soldiers became “Doughboys,” it is thought to have something to do with the color of their uniforms and being covered in dust, looking like they were covered in flour.
Georgia’s Paul Revere Historical Marker honors John Wisdom. He bravely rode from Gadsden, Alabama, to Rome to warn the citizens that the Union Troops were coming.
The Noble Brothers Foundry sign tells the history and contributions of the foundry to the Confederate effort during the Civil War. Part of the machine, called a Lathe, can be seen on display at Jackson Hill.
The Founding of Rome Plaque is located on 3rd Ave. The plaque tells the names of the founders. It was fifteen feet below that exact location that once lay a spring where the five men met in 1834 and decided it was a “splendid site” for a new town.
General Sherman burned the original Masonic building. It was rebuilt in 1877 by Union Soldiers that were also Masons. It is interesting to stand close to the building and look at its unique details that cover every inch of the building.
The Woman Who Saved Football memorial. When Roman Von Gammon died from injuries sustained in a collegiate football game, his mother, Rosalind, intervened in the legislature’s decision, preventing them from outlawing the sport.
Karl Dance was a metal fabricator that created many ironworks around downtown Rome. This plaque stands on the corner of Broad Street and 5th Ave.
The Dancing Flower is a sculpture that the Rome Area Council for the Arts dedicated to the City of Rome. It honors Mickie Dobbs, who was the director of Keep Rome Floyd Beautiful for twenty-five years.
The African American Heritage is a plaque that honors the immeasurable contribution of the African American community to the economic life of Rome.
The Desoto Theatre is still an active part of the Rome community. When it was built in 1929, it was the first venue in the south specifically designed for movies with sound. It was modeled after New York’s Roxy Theatre. The DeSoto now features live theatrical productions year-round.
Constitution Corner is an inlaid marker that depicts the Preamble and the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. It is on the corner of Broad Street and 6th Ave. The words of the First Amendment are engraved on markers on both sides.
Once we made it to Constitution Corner, we had made a full circle back to our vehicle, and our tour was completed for the day. There is much more to see on Broad Street than I have listed. Take your time and learn the history. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
