Double-Barreled Cannon 🇺🇸

When you visit the City Hall of Athens, Georgia, you can stand right in front of one of the city's most popular and well-known historic landmarks: the Double-Barreled Cannon. Cast in 1862 as an experimental Civil War-era weapon, this unusual side-by-side chain-shot gun was invented by local dentist John Gilleland. It was designed to fire two cannonballs linked by a chain to mow down enemy troops simultaneously. However, the weapon proved to be an erratic failure during its test firings along Newton Bridge Road—knocking down a chimney, destroying a cornfield, and killing a cow instead of hitting its targets. It ultimately never saw battle, serving briefly only as a local signal gun. Today, this unique public curiosity is a contributing property of the Downtown Athens Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places. When you view it on the front lawn of City Hall, you will notice the weapon is still symbolically pointing northward in a nod to its original Civil War-era purpose. It is an ideal, quick stop for anyone interested in American history and eccentric military inventions.

What to see at Double-Barreled Cannon

• Civil War-era experimental double-barreled chain-shot gun
• Located on the front lawn of the Athens City Hall
• Contributing property of the Downtown Athens Historic District
• Symbolically positioned facing northward
• Designed by local dentist and builder John Gilleland in 1862

Visiting tips

Look closely at the cannon on the City Hall lawn to see how it remains symbolically pointed northward.

How long: 15-30 minutes · Best time: Daytime

How to get there & what’s nearby

Double-Barreled Cannon is easy to reach on Athens’s public transport, and pairs naturally with Sanford Stadium and State Botanical Garden of Georgia. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Athens travel guide.