Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth largest city in Tennesee. It is one of the very few places where you can have a lot of fun while experiencing the beauty of nature and your surroundings. Visiting the city is actually like visiting a community where every attraction is within walking distance with each other. And the best thing about it is that there is simply more than what one can expect from the city. There are magnificent mountains, which offer wide range of activities. The amusement parks are also world class. Then there are the cruises which everyone can enjoy. There are museums, parks, zoos, science centers, wilderness observation and others. Of course the city also offers the best dining and shopping experience. At Chattanooga, TN there is something for everybody. Getting around is also very easy and affordable. There are different modes of transportation available throughout the city.
According to Forbes magazine, out of 100 biggest metro areas in the country, Chattanooga, TN ranked 8th for Bang for Your Buck. This means that the city will give you more for your dollar. From housing rates, to accommodations to the price of food, everything is more affordable in the City of Chattanooga.
Chattanooga is a great place to live in. The city also has a bustling nightlife, various places to eat, places to see and can also offer you a great shopping experience. People of any age or any profession will surely find the city exciting and vivacious to their own liking.
Chattanooga History
The earliest history of the City of Chattanooga dates back to the American Indians during the Upper Paleolithic period. Evidence of a thriving population exists today.
In recent history, Ross Landing was established by John Ross in 1816 in the area of what is now Broad Street. This became the Cherokee Nation settlement, which eventually extended to Georgia and Alabama. Then in 1838, the government forced them to relocate to Oklahoma and used Ross' Landing as internment camps for the Indians before their exile. That same year, it was incorporated into a city. The city grew and with arrival of the railroad in 1850 and with the boom in cotton and corn industy, the city prospered and became known as the city "where cotton meets corn".
Then during the Civil War, the city became he center of many battles. After the war, it grew again because of the many industries and factories that operated in the city. By 1930 it became known as "Dynamo of Dixie". Bit because of the boom in industry, the city of Chattanooga became polluted that the government declared its air the dirtiest in the country. By 1980s the city also faced economic problems as many lost their jobs because of de industrialization. There were also many racial tensions that divided the city. Many residents moved to other cities because of these problems the city was facing.
However, the next decades saw the reversal of the decline. The city started to grow again and people came back to Chattanooga. Because of the efforts of the government, as well as private entities, the city was transformed, revitalized and regained its old image of beauty and prosperity. The downtown area was revitalized, as well as its famous riverfronts. Once again, the natural resources of the rivers were again used by the city. Primary to the restoration was the restoration of Walnut Street Bridge, which was the oldest bridge of its kind in this part of the United States.
The city had a total restoration with the "21st century Waterfront Plan". This included the redevelopment of the waterfront of Chattanooga and downtown Chattanooga. In line with the redevelopment of the city is the Tennessee Aquarium which opened in 2005 and since then became a major tourist and local attraction of the city.
Since its redevelopment, so much of the city has improved, including its housing and communities. And since then, it has received several national awards for being one of the best cities in terms of livability. It has also won several awards and commendations in housing including the Gunther Blue Ribbon Awards for excellence.
About Chattanooga, Tennessee
The City of Chattanooga is also known as The Scenic City because of the beauty that surrounds it as it lies between the Appalachian Mountains and the ridge and valley area and the Cumberland Plateau. For many visitors of the city, it offers wide range of experience and activities in all parts of the city.
For wide range of attractions, there city has the Tennessee Aquarium which is the country's highest rated aquarium. It has more than 10,000 animals, IMAX 3D movie that are six stories tall. It also offers visitors to ride the River Gorge Explorer. For exploration, it has the cave forest, delta swam, butterfly garden, tropical cove, secret reef, penguin's rock, Nickajack Lake and rivers of the world. Visitor can also ride the River Gorge Explorer and enjoy a cruise along Tennessee's Grand Canyon.
Of course a visit to Chattanooga, or even Tennessee for that matter, is not complete without visiting the Lookout Mountain. Chattanooga's Lookout Mountain is one of the places in the world where one can see and experience the true beauty of nature. The world famous mountain allows visitors to see the Chatannoga Valley, have a trek through the Rock city and explore one of the deepest caves in the country where one can also find the biggest underground waterfall in the country, Ruby Falls. And to make the visit complete, one can try the aerial adventure.
For fun for the whole family, there is Lake Winnepesaukah Amusement Park just outside the city. The amusement park is home to the world famous Cannon Ball Roller Coaster. This is where OH Zone, a 14 storey free fall and other world class rides are found. Concerts and events are regularly held at the amusement park. Aside from the Lake Winnepesaukah Amusement Park, the whole family will also enjoy Sir Goony's Fun Zone. Already on its 5th decade of providing wholesome family fun to residents and tourists alike, Sir Goony's remains one of the safest and most affordable places to visit in the City of Chattanooga. There one can find the world famous Sir Goony's Golf courses, go karts, bumper boats, batting cages, arcades, haunted carnival, coca cola track and other treats for the whole family.
For museums, there are the Hunter Museum of American Art, the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame Museum, the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum, the Creative Discovery Museum, the National Medal of Honor Museum, the Houston Museum and the Chattanooga African American Museum. For festivals and events, the city hosts the Riverband Festival and the Bessie Smith Strut, the Southern Brewer Festival, River Roast Festival and other events.
About Hamilton County, Tennessee
The city of Chattanooga, TN belongs to Hamilton County, which also includes the towns and cities of Apison, Bakewell, Birchwood, Collegedale, East Brainerd, East Ridge, Fairmont, Falling Water, Georgetown, Harrison, Hixon, Lakesite, Lookout Mountain, Lupton City, Middle Valley, Ooltewah, Red Bank, Ridgeside, Sale Creek, Signal Mountain, Soddy Daisy and Walden. Hamilton County, TN is named after Alexander Hamilton, the American Revolutionary War officer who became and the first US Secretary of Treasury and one of the founding fathers of the country. The county seat of Hamilton County is Chattanooga and is part of Chatanooga, TN-GA Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The county has an area of 576 sq. m., 542 sq. m. of it is land while the remaining 33 sq. m. is water. On the north of Hamilton County is Bledsoe County, TN, on the northeast are Rhea County, TN and Meigs County, TN, on the east is Bradley County, on the southeast is Whitfield County, GA, on the south are Catoosa County, GA and Walker County, GA, on the southwest, Marion County, GA on the west and Sequatchie County, TN on the northwest. With ten counties on its boarder, Hamilton County is among the very few counties in the country with ten other counties on their borders.
The county was founded in 1819 and part of it originally belonged to Rhea County and parts of the land of the Native Americans. It used to be a saltpeter mine town until it was occupied by the government. Today, Hamilton County is diverse; with the majority of the population are White, followed by African Americans, Native Americans, Asian, Pacific Islander and other races. With diverse population, visitors will have wide range of cultural experiences from the many attractions and events in the county.
Hamilton County is home to two national protected areas, the Chickamauga and the Chattanooga National Military Park. It is also where the Raccoon Mountain Caverns is located on the northwest part of downtown Chattanooga. Explored in 1929, it is now developed into trail which is open to visitors. Explorers of the cavern said that the cave is over 5.5 miles. The County of Hamilton is also where the famous Ruby Falls Cave is located.