May 4th and 5th, we have been in Chattanooga, TN. We were only going to stay overnight, but the Best Holiday TRAV-L-PARK owners convinced us to stay to see the sights. We are glad we did. We went to Ruby Falls, which is 1120 feet underground. We began by descending 260 feet in an elevator into Lookout Mountain and then walking in the cave about a half mile through stalagtites and stalagmites and amazing formations. As we got close to the 145 foot underground natural waterfall in the cavern which is about 1/2 mile in, we could hear the roar of the water. It was an incredible sight upon seeing it. We looked way up. The water fell into about a five foot deep pool at the bottom of the waterfall. We actually got to walk behind the waterfall, look up at where the water comes out from between a rock formation, and feel the spray as we walked in a bent position under the rock ledge to get back to the front of the waterfall. From the outside, you would never know this existed in the tree covered mountain. American Indians and Civil War soldiers had used the cave at one time.
Before we went to the cave and Ruby Falls, we drove to Lookout Mountain Incline Railway at the base of the mountain and rode a railcar up the tracks of the world's steepest passenger railway. Giant gears and cables pull it to the top of Lookout Mountain. The station originated in 1895. From the top and the observation deck, you can see some 100 miles away. The mountains and valleys are beautiful and green. Lots of deciduous trees. We could see the way the Tennessee River winds around like big "S's". We walked about 3 blocks to Point Park where the famous "Battle Above the Clouds" was fought in 1863. We walked the historic battlefield areas and stood on the bluff where General Ulysses S. Grant stood. Over 8,000 men fought on that mountain. We also drove to Cravens’ House where he had lived peacefully for 7 years before the soldiers took over this house on the hillside overlooking Chattanooga.
CHATTANOOGA HISTORY
The name comes from a Creek Indian word meaning “rock coming to a point”.
It was founded by Chief John Ross, at what is now Ross’s Landing”, in the early 1800’s.
It is the home of the first Coca-Cola Bottling plant in the world.
It is the home of several Civil War battle sites which are located throughout the area.
It was first explored by DeSoto in 1540.
Holiday TRAV-L-PARK was a Civil War battlefield site. Over 100 years ago, men fought and died on the very soil where the park is located. The North-South streets are named for Civil War officers. The streets at the north end are named for Union commanders; the streets at the south end are named for Confederate generals. Most of these officers participated in the combat around Chattanooga. The other streets are named for Civil War battles.
May 6th, we drove to Nashville, TN and stayed in Two Rivers RV Campground on Music Valley Road. Right next door is the Nashville Nightlife Theater. We had a buffet dinner and country singing, instrument playing, ventriloquist show. The dinner was from 5-6:30 p.m. and the show was from 6:30-8:30 p.m. It was terrific. The comedian Steve Hall and his "dummy" Shotgun Red from Hee Haw had us laughing very hard.
One of the singers was named Brenda Best. We talked to her after the program. She sang “Golden Years”, a song she wrote. She gave us her email address and said that when we had our 50th wedding anniversary in two years, she would write to us.
May 7th, we saw the live radio show Grand Opry Classics which included singing and instrument playing by famous artists and verbal commercials in the Grand Ole Opry theater. It was an interesting experience. The famous people sang, including Riders in the Sky, and then everything would stop while the announcer read commercials and the products were on screens. After the commercials, the artists would be introduced again and the show would go on until the next commercial. The show was from 7-9 p.m.
Tomorrow, we will go to downtown Nashville, TN, to see the old Grand Ole Opry building called the Ryman Auditorium. We hope to visit the County Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
Saturday, we plan to leave for Branson, Missouri, before heading home.
