Historical | Holly Hildreth Photography

The second day we were in Atlanta, we went to CNN’s World Headquarters. The CNN building was once an indoor amusement park and hotel. After 6 months, the amusement park went bankrupt, and CNN bought the building. The hotel is still functional and takes up a large amount of the building. CNN belongs to Turner Broadcasting, which is a corporation also responsible for HLN, TBS, TNT, TCM, truTV, Cartoon Network, Boomerang, Adult Swim, and many more. The tour was interesting. As some of you may know, my sister is a meteorologist for a local NBC affiliate. I had been in her studio a few times before, so it was cool to see the differences and some similarities the two studios share. Here are a few photos from the tour.

Before the tour. The family from left to right: Dad, Jen, Mom, Kristin, Greg, and Uncle Randy

Before the tour. My brother-in-law, Greg, Me, and my sister, Kristin

Offices at CNN and part of the hotel

CNN Newsroom

After our tour of CNN, we used our City Passes to go to the Atlanta Historical Center. My brother-in-law, Greg, is a history buff. On the way down, he was reading, “Team of Rivals,” which is a book as thick as a dictionary about Lincoln’s presidency. So, of course, he was totally into the museum as it was all about the Confederacy and their roll in the Civil War. It was unique to see the South’s side of the War. In school we were taught with a bias for the North. Celebrated generals and other historical figures from the North were cast in a slightly negative light. It wasn’t outrageously biased, but it was interesting to see the different perspectives.

The museum also featured a large wing devoted to the Atlanta Summer Olympics. It contained Olympic torches from nearly the past 100 years as well as the costumes from the opening ceremonies and a lot of the athletic equipment used.

Me in the Olympics Wing

The museum had two historical houses on the premises–one a farm and the other a mansion. Our City Passes let us tour one, so we picked the Swan House Mansion. The museum did not permit photography inside the house, so I was only able to get pictures around the premises.