Chattanooga, Tennessee


Chattanooga is located in the south-estern part and is the fourth largest city in the U.S. State of Tennessee. The city is also known as The Scenic City for its mountain setting within the Appalachian Mountains. It is also known as the Gig City for its fiber internet when it in 2015 reached 10-gigabit speed.

The Glenn Miller Orchestra made the city world-famous when they recorded the song Chattanooga Choo Choo. The city is ranked high as a desirable place to live in, and ranked as one of the most friendliest city in the U.S.



To See And To Do In Chattanooga


  • Hunter Museum of American Art
  • Lookout Mountain
  • The Lookout Mountain Incline Railway
  • Ruby Falls: Underground waterfall
  • Tennessee Aquarium
  • Mountain Memories Gift Shop
  • Bessie Smith Cultural Center
  • Chattanooga Zoo
  • Coker Museum: Vintage vehicles
  • Downtown
  • Walnut Street Bridge
  • 4 hour Historic Trolley Tour and Train Ride
  • The Chattanooga Market
  • Creative Discovery Museum
  • In-Town Gallery
  • Raccoon Mountain Caverns
  • Hamilton Place Mall
  • 1885 Grill
  • St. John's Restaurant
  • Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum
  • Chattanooga Whiskey Experimental Distillery


History Of Chattanooga - Timeline


For over 12,000 years, Native American people lived in the area. In 1540, the Spanish conquistador, Hernando de Soto, explored the area. In 1559, A Spanish expedition led by Tristán de Luna entered the area to find food for his starving colony and to aid his Coosa allies in a raid against a rebellious tribe. In 1567, Juan Pardo and the Spanish group that were with him established a fortification near modern Chattanooga.

In 1776, the Cherokee leader Dragging Canoe and his followers moved to the Chattanooga area to resist the Europeans. In 1816, Cherokee Chief John Ross (Cooweescoowe) and his brother established a permanent settlement, established a swing ferry across the river, and a trading post known as Ross's Landing. Ross's Landing later became the city of Chattanooga.

In 1817, the Brainerd Mission (a Christian mission), built a gristmill and a few other buildings. They intended to educate Cherokee children. In 1819, President James Monroe came to visit the area. In 1826, John Ross sold his land to Nicholas Dalton Scales. In 1833, Samuel Williams arrived and established a merchant business. In 1836, a military post was established.

In 1837, the Congress voted to forcibly remove the Cherokee people from their land. In 1838, soldiers began forcing the Cherokee people from their homes in present-day Chattanooga as part of the larger Trail of Tears. The Trail of Tears was the forced displacement and ethnic cleansing of Native Americans. The settlers voted to change the name from Ross's Landing to Chattanooga. The newspaper the Hamilton County Gazette was published.

In 1839, the Tennessee General Assembly officially incorporated the town. The first church was organized in a log cabin. In 1842, Ker Boyce began his investments in Chattanooga. Mainly in the development of railroads. In 1847, the Crutchfield House hotel opened. In 1849, the Western and Atlantic Railroad began operating and the first train arrived.

In 1851, Chattanooga was incorporated as a city. In 1852, the Police Department was established. In 1855, James Whiteside built a turnpike up the mountain and a three-story hotel for tourists. He was a lawyer and politician and helped to make Chattanooga a major railroad hub. In 1858, the first Union Station was built. In 1862, a minor artillery battle in the American Civil War, was fought in the city.

In 1863, the Chattanooga National Cemetery was built, and the Fort Wood was constructed by the Union Army. The city was occupied by Union forces. In 1865, a fire department started. In 1869, the Chattanooga Times newspaper was in print. In 1875, the Cahill Iron Works was established It was a manufacturer of brass and iron architectural castings.

In 1881, the St. Paul's Episcopal Church was built. In 1885, the First Baptist Church was built. In 1886, the Wiley United Methodist Church was built, and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga was established. In 1888, the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul was built, and the William Gibbs McAdoo house was completed. He was a lawyer and statesman who played a major role in the administration of President Woodrow Wilson.

In 1890, the Second Presbyterian Church was built, and the Walnut Street Bridge was completed. In 1991, the Joseph H. Warner Home was completed. He was the city's first Commissioner of Public Utilities, Grounds, and Buildings. In 1894, the legendary blues singer Bessie Smith was born in the city. In 1895, the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway opened. In 1899, the Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church was built.

In 1900, there were 30,154 people living in the city. In 1905, Chattanooga Public Library opened.In 1906, the Christ Episcopal Church was built. Ed Johnson was hanged and shot with over fifty bullets by a lynch mob of white residents. they who participated the most was sentenced to only 90 days in prison. In 1909, the Asbury United Methodist Church was built, and the Terminal Station opened.

In 1910, the First Presbyterian Church building was completed. In 1916, the Northside Presbyterian Church was built. In 1918, the jazz bassist Jimmy Blanton was born in the city. Jimmy Blanton played with the Duke Ellington band. In 1921, the Tivoli Theatre opened. In 1923, the Theatre Centre was founded.

In 1924, the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium building was completed. A performance hall that has hosted musicals, concerts political rallies, festivals, opera, and more. In 1925, the WDOD radio began broadcasting. In 1926, The Read House Hotel was built. In 1932, the Joel W. Solomon Federal Building and United States Courthouse was built.

In 1933, the Chattanooga Free Press newspaper was in print. In 1937, the Zoo at Warner Park was established. In 1941, Mack Gordon and Harry Warren wrote the song "Chattanooga Choo Choo" recorded by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra. In 1951, the former professional tennis player Roscoe Tanner was born in the city. In 1953, WROM-TV began broadcasting.

In 1965, the Chattanooga State Community College was established. In 1980, three Ku Klux Klan members opened fire on five black women. All of the women survived. In 1984, the Veterans Memorial Bridge was built. In 1992, the Tennessee Aquarium opened.

In 2015, five people were murdered in a shooting at two U.S. military facilities. The perpetrator was Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez, an Islamic terrorist. In 2022, three people died in a mass shooting outside a night club. 14 others were injured. In 2025, there were 193,802 people living in the city.