Civil War structures at center of Cobb zoning fight

<p>A proposed housing development has suburban Cobb County debating how to accommodate newcomers while still preserving its Civil War relics that historians prize, but sit on valuable land.</p><p>The county zoning board is scheduled to consider the case Thursday of Walton Communities, which wants to build 103 townhouses and homes on a 25-acre parcel. The proposal has sparked opposition because the land includes remnants of rare Civil War fortifications called "Shoupades."</p><p>The Shoupades, arrow shaped and originally 16-foot-tall structures of wood and dirt, were built by slaves in July 1864 during the weeks following the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain. Historians say the fortifications _ named for Col. Francis Shoup, chief engineer for the Confederate Army _ exist only in Cobb County.</p><p>"Shoupades are like time capsules," said Roberta Cook, a local activist who opposes the development. "They are a gift from the past."</p><p>Originally, 36 Shoupades could be found along the north bank of the Chattahoochee River. By 2001, about 12 remained.</p><p>Today, only nine are left and each is located in an isolated area, said Bill Scaife, author of the book "The Campaign for Atlanta."</p><p>"This is the one place left in the entire world where we can see a Shoupade and an artillery redan and see how those two elements worked together," Scaife said. "That makes it extremely critical."</p><p>Charlie Crawford, president of the Georgia Battlefields Association, said he's sympathetic to Cobb's dilemma.</p><p>"Cobb now is an increasingly desirable location," Crawford told the Marietta Daily Journal. But with development booming between Atlanta and Chattanooga, Tenn., the path of the Civil War's Atlanta Campaign, Crawford said historic sites are being "eaten up."</p>