The DeFeo Groupe | Author Todd DeFeo

Keep Smyrna Beautiful Garden Tour
2025-05-03 10:30 - 11:30 (America/New_York) | Reed House, 3080 Atlanta Road, Smyrna, GA, United States
Please check with Keep Smyrna Beautiful for information on how to attend.

Death on the Rails in Georgia & Beyond
2025-06-13 19:00 - 20:00 | Covenant Presbyterian Church, 2881 Canton Road, Marietta, GA, 30066, United States

Slavery and the Southern Railroads
2025-06-16 13:00 - 14:00 | North Cobb Senior Center, 3900 South Main Street, Acworth, GA, 30101, United States
Learn from a railroad historian how the railroad companies in the South were the first to build railroads, and how they heavily relied on enslaved labor to not only build, but also operate one of the most extensive railroad networks in the world.

An angry mob and a hollow tree: A look at Clarksville’s unexpected railroad history
2025-07-06 15:00 - 16:00 | Customs House Museum & Cultural Center, 200 S Second Street, Clarksville, TN, 37040, United States
Clarksville has a deep railroad history, and three railroads passed through town, and the city also boasted a streetcar network. Despite the history, the city has had a love-hate relationship with the railroad. Its first railroad was derided as “beginning in the woods and ending in a hollow tree.” When one railroad faltered, city leaders regrouped to build a second railroad, and the outcome was a line named for three states it never reached.
Todd DeFeo has written extensively about railroads, authoring several unique railroad books, including histories of the Memphis, Clarksville & Louisville Railroad, the Indiana, Alabama & Texas Railroad and Clarksville’s streetcar network. His presentations include rare and well-researched anecdotes to bring the stories of those impacted by railroads to life. He is the owner of The DeFeo Groupe and the publisher and editor of Sightseers’ Delight and Railfanning.org.

The Unexpected Local Railroad History
2025-07-19 09:00 - 10:00 | Donaldson-Bannister Farm, 4831 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, GA, 30338, United States
Railroad history isn’t always like what the history books tell. Whether it’s the lines that passed through an area or the ones that were proposed but never built, railroads are the story of the region’s transportation. It was a combination of railroads that made sense, some that didn’t and ambitions that never made it to fruition. Still these stories provide a valuable insight into the community that was and almost was and provide context for the conversations we have today — and in many ways mirror those we had decades ago.

The People Who Ran (and Rode) the Trains
2025-09-07 15:00 - 16:00 | Smyrna Public Library, 100 Village Green Circle SE, Smyrna, GA, 30080, United States
Railroads didn’t just pass through Smyrna; many in the area depended on them for their livelihoods. Whether holding high-profile positions such as a conductor or meeting your spouse because of the streetcar, railroads played a role in many lives. This presentation will look at some of the lesser-known railroad stories throughout history.
Todd DeFeo has written extensively about railroads, authoring several unique railroad books, including histories of the Atlanta Northern Railway, the Memphis, Clarksville & Louisville Railroad and the Western & Atlantic Railroad. His presentations include rare and well-researched anecdotes to bring the stories of those impacted by railroads to life. He is the owner of The DeFeo Groupe and the publisher and editor of Railfanning.org.

Railroaders with a connection to Smyrna, Georgia
2025-10-31 07:00 - 08:00 | TN

The Roswell Railroad Ecosystem
2026-01-17 09:30 - 22:30 | Donaldson-Bannister Farm, 4831 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, GA, 30338, United States
When we think of a railroad, it’s easy to think of it in a silo. However, these lines are a small part of a broader railroad network. Throughout history, smaller roads connected with larger ones, working together to move passengers and freight. Over the years, larger railroads began acquiring smaller ones, expanding their networks and reducing the overall number of railroad companies. The Roswell Railroad is the perfect example of this system. But if we zoom out for a moment, we can see that the Roswell Railroad wasn’t alone.

KSB Garden Tour 2026
2026-05-02 10:00 - 11:00 | Reed House, 3080 Atlanta Road, Smyrna, GA, United States

The Transcontinental Railroad and Georgia
2026-05-03 15:00 - 16:00 | Smyrna Public Library, 100 Village Green Circle SE, Smyrna, GA, 30080, United States
