This stream of visitors, both domestic and foreign, is expected to last at least five years and start showing up roughly two years from now as the retelling of the 1860-65 saga unfolds. (The shooting started in 1861, the secession by the states of the Confederacy in 1860).

Unless Greater Rome officials kick an effort into high gear instantly, few of those visitors and dollars will head in this direction despite this locale being one of richest in that war’s history, even though no major bloodletting occurred here.

This was, after all, where Sherman’s March to Sea began (it wasn’t Atlanta). This was the first Southern city burned by the Yankees. There were three major forts here, the site of one remaining mostly intact and largely unnoted. This was an armaments manufacturing center for the South (cannon and rifles). This is where a major Union attacking force wound up as prisoners. And so forth and so on, with quite a few more forths and so-ons.

Taken together, Rome should be a must-visit location for any of the coming army of history-seeking visitors.

ALAS, THERE is no “together” here at all regarding this portion of the community’s rich heritage. It is all fragmented with no magnetic attraction to pull tourists off the beaten battle trail of Chattanooga/Chickamauga, Resaca, Kennesaw, Atlanta.

Nor, despite state-level planning for a variety of special historic trails and such, is there much certainty that the fate of Georgia, which pretty much determined the war’s eventual outcome, will get much special attention. Given the state’s current revenue problems and projected budget cutbacks, trails and such may soon be regarded as frills — which they are if the other choice is using the same dollars to take care of sick children.

Indeed, the supposedly high-priority new state park at the Resaca battlefield may be in considerable danger now of not being ready in time.

However, Greater Rome in particular is going to lose out big time unless quick action is taken. Chickamauga and Kennesaw have huge national battlefield parks; Atlanta has the Cyclorama and so forth. To some extent, those places just need to sit there and make sure there will be enough parking places.

Rome, on the other hand, has no centralized gathering place — and has never done all that much to tout or highlight existing attractions.

WHILE SOME outlays will doubtless be required — investments might be a better term — the payback is likely to be considerable. Besides, even without tourism dollars as the carrot, Greater Rome has long needed to do better by its rich and unique Civil War history.

Just recently, national news was made by Williamston, S.C., where town council members approved $20,000 for the restoration of a Noble Brothers cannon with an eye on having something to shoot off during the coming anniversary celebrations.

Noble cannons were made in Rome ... which doesn’t have one.

Local Civil War buffs have been trying for years to drum up enough private and government support to get one when it could have been gotten for the price of what a restoration costs now ... but without luck. The price tag on one is considerably more now.

Same with Fort Norton up on Jackson Hill, one of the few such where progress has not encroached, entrenchments remain visible ... and is city owned. A citizen-led effort some years ago got it on the National Register of Historic Places yet there it still sits, despite much planning talk, not turned into something to see ... and maybe with a daily cannon firing demonstration to pull in tourists.

FLOYD COUNTY is home to the Cherokee Artillery re-enactors, after all — and the 8th Regiment Band. Both are nationally known and will be spending the next few years booked solid and running all over the country to help other communities put on big 150th anniversary events.

What do they get to do in Rome? What does Rome do to pull those coming hordes of history seekers to the place where there are so many pages of the Civil War story yet nothing much that was gory happened?