Q: My question is about the original Chick-fil-A boneless breast of chicken sandwich, which founder S. Truett Cathy created in the early 1960s. Where and when was it first served?
—Scott A. MacLean, Forest Park
A: What came first, the sandwich or the restaurant? In Chick-fil-A’s case, the iconic sandwich was created by Cathy in 1964 and was served at the Dwarf House, his original restaurant in Hapeville, company spokesman Mark Baldwin told me. “He spent the early 1960s tinkering with the recipe,” Baldwin said. He said Cathy perfected the sandwich in 1964 and it “hasn’t changed since that date,” Baldwin said, adding that Cathy tried licensing it to other companies and food service vendors but stopped after worrying about the quality. And while the sandwich came before the first Chick-fil-A restaurant opened in Atlanta’s Greenbriar Mall in 1967, Cathy hatched the name before he began serving his fine finished product. He trademarked the name Chick-fil-A in 1963. It’s a play on chicken fillet, with the “A” at the end representing “top quality.”
Q: I often drive past the Kennesaw Mountain battlefield. Can you tell me more about the battle fought there during the Civil War?
A: Confederate Gen. Joseph E. Johnston tried to block the Union advance on Atlanta by fortifying a rough semicircle near Marietta, anchored by Kennesaw Mountain at one end in June 1864. Union Gen. William T. Sherman wanted to move around the position at Kolb's Farm, but was stopped by a Confederate counterattack, leading him to think that Johnston had overextended his forces and he could break the center. Union artillery began bombarding Confederate positions on the morning of June 27 and launched a diversionary attack on nearby Pigeon Hill. Sherman's main assault was aimed at a wooded ridge in the center of the line, which is now known as Cheatham Hill. The attack on Pigeon Hill stalled and the assault on Cheatham Hill was repulsed with losses so heavy that it was nicknamed "Dead Angle." The battle was technically a victory for the Confederates – who suffered 1,000 casualties compared to about 3,000 Union casualties -- but didn't stop Sherman. He forced Johnston's army from its fortifications by more maneuvering and continued his march to Atlanta. Kennesaw Mountain was designated as a national battlefield in 1917 and Cheatham Hill was added in 1933. The area includes 2,923 acres, a visitor's center and museum, and 17.3 miles of walking trails.
What do you want to know about Georgia?
If you’re new in town or have questions about this special place we call home, ask us! E-mail Andy Johnston at q&a@ajc.com.
