In 1893, it was George who purchased an enormous (50 feet high, 400 feet long) cyclorama painting, The Battle of Atlanta, still considered to be the world’s largest oil painting. He asked the city to assign space for it, and the city agreed. A drum-shaped wooden structure was built in Grant Park to house the painting.
In 1898, George donated The Battle of Atlanta to the city, asking only that the painting be carefully repaired and its housing structure improved. In 1921, a fireproof Cyclorama structure, designed by Atlanta architect John Francis Downing, was dedicated. The painting, eventually enhanced by 3D diorama effects, narration, lighting, music, and sound effects, remained there for nearly a century, along with the famous 1862 Great Locomotive Chase steam locomotive Texas. The Cyclorama became the crown jewel of Atlanta’s Grant Park.
In June 2015, the painting was removed from Grant Park to undergo an estimated $8 million restoration. At the time of this writing, it is scheduled, along with the Texas, to move to a new, 23,000 square-foot building, part of the Atlanta History Center, and reopen to public view in 2017.
As for George Gress, he became the father of two sons, but tragically suffered the loss of his first wife in 1881. In 1883 he married Ida May Nelson (the surname Avinger is fictitious). Together they had a daughter, Marie.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Dedication Chapter 11
Prologue Chapter 12
Chapter 1 Chapter 13
Chapter 2 Chapter 14
Chapter 4 Chapter 16
Chapter 5 Chapter 17
Chapter 6 Chapter 18
Chapter 7 Chapter 19
Chapter 8 Chapter 20
Chapter 10 A Note to Readers