Every city has its story and whether you are a native or just visiting, it’s always interesting to know a few facts about the area. Chattanooga, a city in the state of Tennessee with a population of over 177 thousand is the fourth-largest city in the state. Here are a few interesting facts about Chattanooga.
1. Have you ever played a game of miniature golf? Well, if you have, you would be interested to know that Chattanooga was home to the first ever patented miniature golf course, known as Tom Thumb Golf on Lookout Mountain. IT was created by Garnet Carter, the founder of Rock City Gardens to attracts more clientèle to his hotel.
2. Chattanooga has schooled the most pilots in the world through its Lookout Mountain Flight Park and Training School. This flight school is world renowned for training pilots in the hang-gliding field.
3. Coca-cola’s first franchise was located in Chattanooga. This franchise was built by two local attorneys, buying the franchise bottling rights for only a dollar each.
4. The longest pedestrian footbridge is located in Chattanooga. This connects downtown Chattanooga to the north shore of the Tennessee River in 1890. The bridge stands at 2,376 feet high and was the first non-military ridge to be built across the Tennessee River. At first, the bridge could be used by motor vehicles as well but in 1978, it was limited to foot traffic only.
5. The city was, in 1969, considered the most polluted city in America as announced by the Environmental Protection Agency. However, right after this, the city created an organization to deal with the pollution in the city and improve the quality of air. Since then, the pollution level and air quality have been drastically raised.
6. Chattanooga is home to Ruby Falls, the world’s most fascinating cave waterfalls and a popular tourist attraction. These are America’s deepest commercial caves and the largest underground waterfall in the country. The 145-foot tall underground waterfall attracts many visitors from all over the world who can get a guided tour.
7. If you are looking to bump into someone famous, the city is home to many of them. Chattanooga is home to some of the most famous people including actors Samuel L. Jackson and Leslie Jordan (American Horror Story actor), R&B singer Usher, blues singer Bessie Smith and NFL players Peyton Manning and Terrell Owens.
8. Chattanooga birthed the famous MoonPie. In the early 1900s, Chattanooga Bakery was founded and in 1917, the bakery created the first ever Moon Pie.
9. The largest National Military Park can be found in Chattanooga. Chattanooga and Chickamauga Military Park is a popular tourist destination for animal lovers and has a variety of exhibits which visitors can enjoy.
10. The world’s steepest railway lines can be found in Chattanooga. With an incline of 72.7%, the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway has its place ion the record books.
Chattanooga is an interesting place to visit, full of great museums, scenic places to go and lovely hotels and restaurants.