Chatanooga, TN

 

 We head towards Chatanooga and make it to Tennessee

 

 

But, our Boondockers Welcome spot is in Ringgold, GA

Looks like a nice neighborhood

 

Nice spot for a couple of nights.  About 20 mins outside of Chattanooga.

 

The 1st morning we head into Downtown Chattanooga to walk Walnut Street Bridge.  We park in a pay lot and walk up to the Bridge. 

Built in 1890, the 2,376 foot wooden bridge was closed to traffic in 1978.

It starts in the Northshore Neighborhood and spans the Tennessee River, the largest tributary of the Ohio River

Tucson checks for squirrels below

 

 

At the other end is the River District.  Home to the Art Museum

 and Aquarium and Riverboat

 

 We head back to the Northshore and into Coolidge Park

It has a1894 Dentzel Carousel but closed due to Covid

Did get a picture through the window.

An interactive splash water fountain

A life size version of one of Tucson's favorite toys - Mr. Rhinoceroserus!

We return to the parking lot with 45 minutes to spare, but find a parking violation ticket on the windshield.  The ticket was purchased at 11:13 and the violation given at 11:19.  Unmanned park and no one to call because office closed.  Appealed online with picture of both tickets and got reply that they needed more information.  Meanwhile I need to pay the fine - like that's going to happen.

So we continue on to see the Chattanooga Choo Choo.  After the Chattanooga Union Station was demolished in 1973, the Terminal Station was also facing demolition but wasaved by a group of businessmen inspired by the song Chattanooga Choo Choo.  It was built in 1909.  It reopened in in 1973 as a Hotel and entertainment complex.

On March 5, 1880, the first passenger train leaving Cincinnati, OH for Chattanooga, KY was nicknamed the Chattanooga Choo Choo.  It was the first major link of  public transportation between the North and the South.

We head over to the The Terminal Brew House for lunch

The roof top patio gives a great view of the Terminal

The road back to the Truck was part of the original trail of tears.

Since we don't have time for a Museum we at least do a quick stop at the Bluff View Art District Sculpture Garden

It looks like a really funky neighborhood.  Wish we had more time, but Zeta will be passing through this area later tomorrow.

Out last stop is the Chickamauga Battlefield.  But we got there 20 minutes too late for the Visitor's Center and Museum.

So we take the driving tour

What's with the giant Acorn?

Most of the Statues and Monuments have an acorn.  The acorns are the symbol of George Henry Thomas’s 14th Army Corps that stood “like an oak tree” on Snodgrass Hill at the conclusion of the battle of Chickamauga.

The battlefield is 9,000 acres

 

Tucson was enjoying it

His favorite part

We only drove a portion of it.  Have to get back to Chattanooga and spend some time.

Next stop Florida