For centuries, explorers and pioneers told of a place in Georgia where there was a gigantic mountain of solid granite resembling �a great gray egg lying half-buried on a vast plain.� In time, Stone Mountain, 15 miles east of Atlanta, became a local landmark. In 1915, it was decided that the mountain�s sheer north face would be a good spot to carve a lasting memorial to the lost cause of the Confederacy. This proved to be easier said than done. Before the project was completed, one of Georgia�s top tourist attractions was established around Stone Mountain�s base.