A Brief History of Chattanooga Tennessee

Chattanooga's name is based from the Muskogean term for rock, 'chatta'. This may have referred to Lookout Mountain. The earliest signs of the Chattanooga area being inhabited come from the Upper Paleolithic period: Native Indians continually occupied the area from that time period through the Archaic, Woodland, Mississipian, Muskogean and Cherokee periods. The first Cherokee Nation members occupied the area as early as 1816, establishing Ross's Landing and naming it after later tribal chief John Ross. Ross's Landing became one of three large "emigration depots", or interment camps, during the Trail Of Tears: A forced relocation of Cherokee Native Americans to 'Indian Territory' (Which would later become the state of Oklahoma) in 1838, where approximately 4,000 of 15,000 affected Cherokees died.

If you are a fan of big-band swing, you probably know the 1941 hit that Chattanooga is known for: Glenn Miller wrote and sang the song "Chattanooga Choo-Choo". However, since its days as a railroad hub and industrial area, Chattanooga has grown to hold much more than 'Choo-Choo's. Bessie Smith was another famous blues singer born in the area.

The American Civil War brought the First, Second and Third Battles of Chattanooga. The third battle is often referred to without a number, as it was the larger and most famous of the three, eliminating the last Confederate control of Tennessee and allowing an invasion of the Deep South. Led by Ulysses S. Grant, the United States of America faced the Confederate States of America and pushed upwards towards their lines on top of Missionary Ridge. Though the orders Grant had given were not followed exactly, the battle was a success,