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Chattanooga is a city in southeastern Tennessee, seat of Hamilton County, and a port on the Tennessee River, near the Georgia border. Bridges span the river to link the two sections of the city, which is a services, financial, retail, and distribution center. Manufactures include textiles, primary and fabricated metal, chemicals, and food products; tourism is of growing importance to the economy. Three interstate highways and the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport serve the city.
Chattanooga is home to a campus (established in 1886) of the University of Tennessee, Tennessee Temple University (1946), and a community college. Museums include the Chattanooga Regional History Museum; the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum, where visitors can take a trip aboard a steam-powered passenger train; the Houston Museum of Decorative Arts; the Hunter Museum of Art, with a collection spanning three centuries of American arts; and the Creative Discovery Museum for children.
Historical landmarks are also located in the immediate region. Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park commemorates several battles of the American Civil War (1861-1865); in this park are Signal Mountain, site of a Confederate observation post; Lookout Mountain, on which the "Battle Above the Clouds" was fought; and parts of Missionary Ridge. In the city are the Chattanooga National Cemetery, the Confederate Cemetery, and the Battles for Chattanooga Museum. Chattanooga is also home to the Tennessee Aquarium, the Symphony and Opera Association, the Chattanooga Nature Center and Reflection Riding, and Bessie Smith Hall, named for the Chattanooga-born blues singer. The Riverbend Festival, held in June, is a major annual event.
The city, almost surrounded by mountains, is the center of an area with many scenic attractions, including Rock City Gardens, an area of natural rock formations with views of seven states; Ruby Falls, a natural waterfall far below the surface of Lookout Mountain and accessible through cavern passages; and Raccoon Mountain Caverns.
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