Chattanooga, Tennessee is one of the largest cities across the Volunteer State. It’s in the southeastern part of Tennessee and is along the Tennessee River, and is known as a transit hub that is rich in history.
Here are five fascinating Chattanooga, Tennessee facts.
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- Chattanooga is the fourth largest city in Tennessee. (source) Chattanooga is part of Hamilton County, Tennessee, and as of 2020, had a population of 181,099, per census data. Chattanooga is one of the largest cities in all of Tennessee and is considered to be a transit hub, as its surrounded by Atlanta, Knoxville, Nashville, Huntsville and Birmingham. The only cities in Tennessee that are larger than Chattanooga are Nashville, Memphis and Knoxville.
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- The first Coca-Cola bottling company was in Chattanooga, Tennessee. (source) Many consider Atlanta, Georgia to be the home of Coca-Cola, but the first ever Coca-Cola bottling company was in Chattanooga. It was in 1899 that two lawyers (Joseph Whitehead and Benjamin Thomas) purchased the bottling rights from Coca-Cola’s owner, Asa Candler, for just one dollar.
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- Miniature Golf originated in Chattanooga, Tennessee. (source) In the late 1920, Garnet Carter, who had been well-known for creating Rock City Gardens with his wife, created and patented “Tom Thumb Golf.” Mini-golf had been born, and is still popular today.
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- Chattanooga is where the famous MoonPie was originally created. (source) The MoonPie is a popular treat in the United States, and it has been around for more than one hundred years, first being released in 1917. The MoonPie was actually originally created at the Chattanooga Bakery in the early 1900s.
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- Chattanooga is the most dangerous city to drive in during the winter. (source) In a study using data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), it was determined that Chattanooga was the most dangerous city on the roads during the winter months, with a fatal collision rate of 8.35 per 100,000 residents. It was the only city in Tennessee to be in the top ten, according to the study.
Chattanooga was founded more than 200 years ago and has quite a rich history. Do you have any more fun facts to share with us about Chattanooga, Tennessee?