Long before European settlement, the area now known as Kennesaw was inhabited by indigenous peoples, most notably the Cherokee and Creek nations. The forced removal of these tribes during the 1830s opened the region to white settlers.
In the late 1830s, the area originated as a workers' camp for the Western and Atlantic Railroad and was initially known as "Big Shanty." The town entered the national spotlight during the American Civil War on April 12, 1862, when Union spies stole the locomotive *The General* while its crew and passengers were eating breakfast at the Lacy Hotel in Big Shanty, sparking the famous Great Locomotive Chase. Two years later, the area was the site of the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, a major engagement in the Atlanta Campaign.
Following the war, the town slowly rebuilt and was officially incorporated as Kennesaw in 1887, taking its name from the nearby mountain. For decades, it remained a small agricultural and railroad town. However, as the Atlanta metropolitan area expanded rapidly in the late 20th century, Kennesaw transformed into a major suburb. The establishment and explosive growth of Kennesaw State University further revolutionized the city's demographic and economic landscape, turning it into the dynamic, multifaceted community it is today.