Sep 06, 2019

We have had a quiet day as well as exploring just a little. We were treated to a personal tour of the Chattanooga Station by Marvin a concierge who has worked here forever and was delighted to say he visited Sydney 2 years ago. The whole station and hotel are fascinating and so much of the city here has obviously been laid out around the many rail lines and associated infrastructure that came with that. Chattanooga has a population of approximately 175,00 compared to Bendigo approximately 140,000 and Birmingham yesterday of approximately 300,000.

We discovered the free electric shuttle literally outside the door of the hotel so that meant we got to explore much of the city highlights in comfort. The temperature is hot again today (in the 90’sF) but not as humid as it was further south thank heavens.

We plan to have dinner in the Brewhouse in the Terminal building beside out hotel. A very quirky shaped building as many are having been constructed around the railway transport hub. In the civil war the North tried on several occasions to take over the city so they would control the railway but didn’t manage to do so. Was no doubt a huge strategic advantage for the South although as history shows it wasn’t enough.

 

The NEW station (1907) with12 platforms and 14 lines coming into it. The plans were on the wall of our room.

 

This photo was in the lobby and shows the massive turntable complex used.

 

Breakfast at the Frothy Monkey (& lunch) great use of some of the station space.

 

Tennessee Aquarium.

 

Statue beside the river commemorating the Cherokee Nation who lived in the area for 10,000 years before they were evicted reservations in Florida along what came to be called the ‘Trail of Tears’. Very sad.

 

There is an Incline Railway from the base of Lookout Mountain which is steep and then the last part before the summit is a 72.7% incline so seriously steep. This is halfway up where the cars pass.

 

Warehouse Row, once warehouses, now very specie department store.

 

And some great silos, wouldn’t they look great painted up like they are at home!

 

Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel. The tag line is More than a Hotel and indeed it is. You can stay in a rail carriage or opt for the hotel rooms like we did and the gardens where the platforms and rail lines used to be are called the Glen Miller Gardens and are the location for concerts during the summer, Jazz I suspect.