Chattanooga

Chattanooga, Tennessee 

The county seat and largest city in Hamilton County, Tennessee, is Chattanooga. In addition to extending into Marion County on its western end, it is situated along the Tennessee River bordering Georgia. It is one of the two major cities of East Tennessee, along with Knoxville, and will have a population of 181,099 in 2020, making it Tennessee's fourth-largest city. The fourth-largest MSA in Tennessee, Chattanooga is anchored by it, as is a broader three-state region that includes Southeast Tennessee, Northwest Georgia, and Northeast Alabama. 

Because to the numerous railways that intersect in Chattanooga during the American Civil War, the city was vital. During the war, the railroads allowed for the city to flourish into one of the Southeastern United States' greatest heavy industrial hubs. The automobile, advanced manufacturing, food and beverage production, healthcare, insurance, tourism, back offices, and corporate headquarters are currently the primary industries that propel the economy. The city of Chattanooga continues to be a major transportation center today, being connected to numerous Interstates and railroad lines. It is 102 miles (164 km) east-northeast of Huntsville, Alabama, and 147 miles (237 km) northeast of Birmingham, Alabama. It is 118 miles (190 km) northwest of Atlanta, Georgia, 112 miles (180 km) southwest of Knoxville, Tennessee, 134 miles (216 km) southeast of Nashville, Tennessee, and 102 miles (164 km) east-northeast of Nashville. 

Chattanooga, which is divided by the Tennessee River, lies at the meeting point of the Cumberland Plateau and the ridge-and-valley Appalachians, both of which are a part of the broader Appalachian Mountains. Its official moniker, "Scenic City," alludes to the mountains, hills, and valleys that surround it. Other unofficial names for the city include "River City," "Chatt," "Nooga," "Chattown," and "Gig City," the latter of which refers to its boasts of having the fastest internet in the Western Hemisphere. 

The 1941 international hit song "Chattanooga Choo Choo" by Glenn Miller and his orchestra made Chattanooga famous. Both Chattanooga State Community College and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) are located there. 

Geography 

The city has a total area of 144.6 square miles (374.4 km2), of which 137.1 square miles (355.2 km2) are land and 7.4 square miles (19.2 km2), or 5.12%, are water. This information comes from the United States Census Bureau. The Tennessee River and the adjacent mountains are the most notable natural features in and around Chattanooga. North of the downtown area, the Chickamauga Dam impounds the Tennessee River. The city is tucked between the foot of Walden's Ridge and the southwest Ridge-and-valley Appalachians; the river divides the ridge from the western side of downtown. Missionary Ridge cuts the city in half several miles to the east. The downtown area is one of the lowest points in East Tennessee, rising at around 676 feet (206 m) above sea level. 

Cityscape 

The Tennessee Aquarium, which opened its doors in 1992, the Creative Discovery Museum, which opened its doors in 1995, and the iconic Walnut Street Bridge, which was renovated in 1993, are just a few of the many entertainment, eating, cultural, and architectural attractions in downtown Chattanooga. I-24 on the south and Frazier Avenue on the Northshore, as well as US 27 on the west and Central Avenue on the east, form the boundaries of the downtown. 

The Aquarium, the Republic Centre, the James Building, Chattanooga's first skyscraper, the Westin (Gold Building), and The Block, a climbing gym with 5,000 square feet of usable climbing space, among the most prominent structures in the city's modern skyline. Historic structures can be found in Chattanooga, including the Maclellan Building, the Dome Building (which originally housed the Chattanooga Times), the Tivoli Theatre, and The Read House Hotel, which has been in operation for the longest period of time in the Southeastern United States. The second-largest LEED Gold-certified corporate campus in the US is the BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee headquarters, located atop Cameron Hill. 

The Walnut Street Bridge, Market Street Bridge, Olgiati Bridge, and Veterans Memorial Bridge are the four primary bridges that cross the Tennessee River in downtown Chattanooga. The Tennessee Riverwalk and Bluff View Art District are connected to the Riverfront and Northshore via these bridges for pedestrian use. Coolidge Park, Renaissance Park, Miller Park, Miller Plaza, and Main Terrain Art Park are among the parks in downtown Chattanooga. The largest mural in Chattanooga is located in the Martin Luther King District, which is situated next to the campus of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Meg Saligman, a muralist based in Philadelphia, collaborated with seven other regional artists to create the 40,000 square foot mural. 

Climate 

Like much of Tennessee, Chattanooga has a humid subtropical climate with four distinct seasons (Köppen Cfa). Winter days are often moderate, but on average, 3.2 days per year have a temperature that is at or below freezing. courscours chevalcourscourscourscourscourscourscourscourscourscourscourscourscourscourscourscourscourscourscourscourscourscourscourscours A measurement of 11 inches (28 cm) was made on January 9 and 10. With a daily mean temperature of 80.0 °F (26.7 °C) in July and 52 days a year with 90 °F (32 °C) or higher temperatures, summers are hot and muggy. Due to climate change, Chattanooga is the sixth-warmingest city in the US. 

Almost 52 inches of precipitation fall annually on average (1,300 mm). On average, November through March represents an extended relatively wet period, because of Chattanooga's frequent placement (in the winter season) in a zone of conflict between warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and cold, dry air from Canada, amplified by jet-Stream Energy and abundant Gulf moisture. Due to the regular thunderstorm activity in July, precipitation reaches a secondary maximum. Despite the mountains that surround the city, Chattanooga has been damaged by tornadoes. One of these tornadoes, the 2011 Super Outbreak, killed fifteen people, eight of whom were in Apison and seven of whom were in Cherokee Valley in Catoosa County, Georgia, as it struck the city and adjacent areas. On the evening of April 12, 2020, an EF3 tornado devastated Chattanooga's southeast, resulting in major property damage and three fatalities. 

Economy 

A diverse and expanding combination of manufacturing and service industries make up Chattanooga's economy. 

Several well-known companies are based in Chattanooga, including Access America Transport, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, CBL & Associates, The Chattanooga Bakery, Sanofi, the first Coca-Cola bottling plant in the world, Coker Tire, U.S. Xpress Inc., Covenant Logistics, Double Cola, CraftWorks Restaurants & Breweries, Luken Communications, Miller & Martin, the National Model Railroad Association, Pe Moreover, the city is home to sizable regional offices like Cigna, AT&T, T-Mobile USA, and UBS. The privately held, family-run McKee Foods Corporation, which produces the well-known Little Debbie brand snack cakes, has its headquarters in the nearby town of Collegedale, Tennessee. 

Amazon.com, BASF, DuPont, Invista, Komatsu, PepsiCo, Rock-Tenn, Plantronics, Domtar, Norfolk Southern, Ferrara Candy Company (maker of Brach's chocolates), Alco Chemical, Colonial Pipeline, and Buzzi Unicem are notable businesses with manufacturing or distribution operations in the city. As the only location for Altoids breath mint production since 2005, Chattanooga is home to The William Wrigley Jr. Company. 

Volkswagen announced in July 2008 that the Volkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant, the company's first American car plant in more than three decades, will be built. VW Group of America opened this facility in May 2011. The $1 billion facility functioned as the group's North American manufacturing headquarters when it opened in May 2011. The Passat and Atlas are produced at the plant, which at first employed 2,700 workers before rising to 4,700. It also boasts a complete R&D facility in the heart of Chattanooga, the first of its sort in the South, with 200 engineers working there. Since the Volkswagen Westmoreland Assembly Plant near New Stanton, Pennsylvania, was shut down in 1988, the plant was the first new Volkswagen plant to open in the United States. VW Chattanooga stated in 2019 that it would be expanding its Chattanooga-based factory to build electric vehicles. The expansion is anticipated to generate $800 million in investments and 1,000 new employment. 

In addition to major commercial interests, Chattanooga is home to a large number of retail establishments, including two malls: Northgate Mall in Hixson and Hamilton Place Mall in East Brainerd. Formerly a shopping center, Brainerd's Eastgate Mall is now a multipurpose office complex. The tourism and hospitality sectors of Chattanooga's economy have been expanding, and 2014 marked the first time Hamilton County's revenue exceeded $1 billion. 

Due in part to EPB's fiber optic system, startups have been on the rise. The Jump Fund, Lamp Post Group, SwiftWing Ventures, Blank Slate Ventures, and Chattanooga Renaissance Fund are notable venture capital firms with offices in the city. Many incubators, including Co.Lab, the Business Development Center, and Lamp Post Group, provide services to the city. Both in terms of square area and the number of entrepreneurs it sponsors, the Business Development Center is among the biggest incubators in the country. Downtown has seen an increase in co-working facilities, including Chattanooga Workspace and Society of Work. The startup accelerator Gigtank is unique to the area and makes use of the gigabit capabilities of the city. It concentrates on 3D printing, healthcare, and smart grid technology. Reliance Partners and Quickcue, which OpenTable purchased in 2013, are two notable startups. In 2009, Chattanooga had no investable money; by 2014, it had more than $50 million. 

Population 

Tennessee's Hamilton County is home to the city of Chattanooga. It serves as Hamilton County's County seat as well. It is the 147th-largest city in the United States and the fourth-largest city in Tennessee with a population of 185,125 in 2023. The population of Chattanooga has grown by 2.22% from the most recent census, which showed a population of 181,099 in 2020. The city is now expanding at a rate of 0.73% year. Chattanooga, which extends over 151 miles, has a population density of 1,295 individuals per square mile. 

Chattanooga has a poverty rate of 20.26% and a $69,197 average household income. The median monthly cost of rent in recent years has been, and the median value of a home is. In Chattanooga, the median age is 36.7 years, with 35.4 years for men and 37.9 years for women. 

On Nickajack Lake and Chickamauga Lake in East Tennessee, Chattanooga is situated in Hamilton County, Tennessee. Around 120 miles to the southwest of Knoxville and 120 miles to the northwest of Atlanta, Georgia, is where you'll find Chattanooga.