Chattanooga, Tennessee

Imagine living in a brand new, exclusive neighborhood. That's what Ferger Place was in 1910. Two brothers, J. Fred and J. Herman Ferger, wealthy investors, developed this 240-acre area on the outskirts of Chattanooga.…

A 145-foot underground waterfall inside Lookout Mountain, discovered in 1928 and now the tallest publicly accessible underground waterfall in the United States.

You're driving along a road with a name echoing through time: Wauhatchie Pike. This wasn't always just a road; it was a strategic artery during the Civil War. The Wauhatchie Pike was named for the Cherokee chieftain,…

Prepare to descend into a hidden world! Ruby Falls isn't just a pretty waterfall; it's a testament to perseverance and discovery deep within Lookout Mountain. In 1928, Leo Lambert and a team were drilling an elevator…

A 145-foot underground waterfall inside Lookout Mountain. Discovered in 1928.

Get ready for a ride! You're near the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway, one of the steepest passenger railways in the world. Construction began in 1886, and the railway officially opened on November 16, 1895. It was…

On November 24, 1863, Union forces under General Joseph Hooker fought Confederate troops on the slopes of Lookout Mountain in fog so thick it became known as the Battle Above the Clouds.

Ever wonder what it's like to live in a work of art? This house gives you a glimpse. It's the Seamour and Gerte Shavin House, one of only a handful of homes in Tennessee designed by the iconic architect Frank Lloyd…

This isn't just any old train; it's one of the last steam locomotives built for the U.S. Army. It marks the tail end of an era. Built in 1952 by Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton, this S160 class 2-8-0 "Consolidation" type steam…

This isn't just some old train; it's a survivor from a time when steam ruled the rails. Southern Railway 630 was built way back in 1904. It's a Ks-1 class 2-8-0 “Consolidation” type steam locomotive, built by the…

This iron horse tells a story of Southern industry and the transition from steam to diesel. Southern Railway 4501 was built in 1911 to haul freight across the South. For decades, this Mikado-type steam locomotive pulled…

Georgia and Tennessee have been fighting over one mile of dirt for more than two hundred years, and the reason is water. When Tennessee was admitted in 1796, Congress set its southern border at the 35th parallel. In…

Step back in time in this charming neighborhood at the base of Lookout Mountain. St. Elmo wasn't always called that; for a brief period it was known as Lookout Town. Originally at the crossroads of two ancient Indian…

Stand here and you're near the home of a man who fought tirelessly to save his people's land. This is the John Ross House. John Ross, also known as Kooweskoowe, served as Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation for…

From a sandstone outcrop on the Georgia side of Lookout Mountain, a painted compass rose points out seven states: Tennessee a quarter mile north, Alabama twenty-five miles to the west, then arrows reaching into Georgia,…

Take a moment to consider the stories held in this quiet cemetery; it marks the location of the former Brainerd Mission. Established in 1817 by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, the Brainerd…

Look out over the Tennessee River and imagine a time of widespread poverty and hardship; this dam is a monument to overcoming those dark days. In the 1930s, as part of President Roosevelt's New Deal, the Tennessee…

Chickamauga Dam, completed in 1940, was one of the major Tennessee Valley Authority projects that electrified the rural South and transformed the Tennessee River system.

They call it the 'Castle in the Clouds', and for a while, it was *the* place to be. The Lookout Mountain Hotel opened here on June 23, 1928, amidst a wave of tourism to this very mountain. Designed by architect R.H.…

Feel the echoes of cannons and the weight of history in this quiet landscape, where the fate of the Union once hung in the balance. In September 1863, the Battle of Chickamauga raged here, a brutal clash between…

Site of the bloodiest two-day battle of the Civil War, fought September 19-20, 1863, with over 34,000 total casualties.

Imagine a place that not only fed a community, but also rebuilt itself from the ashes of war. That's the story of Lee and Gordon Mill. Built in 1867 by James Gordon and John Lee, the mill replaced one destroyed during…

This elegant mansion stands as a testament to Southern ambition, though its construction was plagued by delays. Imagine the frustration! Construction on what was then called the Gordon residence started around 1840. But…

Before you is a place that once connected communities across the Tennessee River. The Marion Memorial Bridge, built in 1929, served as a vital link for travelers along U.S. Route 41. This wasn't just any bridge. It was…