About Chattanooga, TN & The North Georgia Area
Chattanooga has a wonderful history, lore and natural beauty. Located on the Tennessee River, the area had many Indian villages that were discovered by Hernando Desoto in his early explorations. In the early 1800s with the Trail of Tears that originated from Chattanooga, much of the Cherokee nation’s property was opened to development for the city.
Being a railroad and river crossroad, the Civil War put Chattanooga on the map with the Union forces’ occupying it after their retreat from the Battle of Chickamauga. It was surrounded by Rebel forces, 5 future presidents visited and the Battles of Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge open General Sherman up to the Battle of Atlanta and then his march to the sea which split the South in two and thus the demise of the Confederacy. There are well over 17 Civil War sites one can visit today in the Chattanooga immediate area.
Post Civil War brought many “carpet beggars” to the tiny southern town that brought industrialization and growth. Coca Cola was first bottled here and Moon Pies invited/manufactured in Chattanooga. The area grew to being the 9th largest industrial area in World War II. The 50’s and 60’s saw industrial decline and businesses moving offshore.
In the late 60’s, Chattanooga’s many charitable foundations funded a long range plan with Boston city planner, Jim Rouse, to implement a quality of life dream that was implemented first with the acclaimed Tennessee Aquarium, then with the Tennessee River Gorge and river activities advent of walking/biking trails along river to the TVA’s recreational Chickamauga Lake, and miles of hiking trails to connect with the Cumberland Trails in the east.
The air quality was cleaned from one of the worst in the country due to more stringent laws than state and national air pollution control so that the many natural views of the area can be readily enjoyed in a “green” healthy Sunbelt climate and atmosphere.
Chattanooga has been dubbed the “Cinderella City” by the New York Times for its complete turn around. It is studied by cities all over the world.
