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Placenames in Our Locality
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Introduction Mr. Watson’s fourth graders worked hard to find out how some of the streets of Chattanooga got their names. Our research led us down many unusual paths. We used several websites to help us but the most interesting source of information was from the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Bicentennial Library, Local History Section. This part of the library is fantastic. There are clipping folders with information about each street and many times there is an article explaining how the street got its name.
We want to personally thank Mr. Phillip Stevens, City of Chattanooga, from the Office of Performance Review who responded to our inquiry to Mayor Corker’s office about our project. Mr. Stevens said, “It was a similar class project 100 years ago that stimulated my curiosity and I was bitten by the Civil War bug and I carry the appreciation with me today ... it remains my hobby and my passion.” Mr. Stevens provided us with leads to the library and the Chattanooga Area Historical Society. He directed us to an excellent website about neighborhoods of Chattanooga. http://www.cornerstonesinc.org/
Other websites we used: www.chattanoogahistory.com/news.html www.chattanoogafun.com/general/history/default.asp http://www.lib.chattanooga.gov/localHist/localHist.html
How streets got their names in Chattanooga in the past.
Some of the street names could possibly be named from our history with the Civil War. (Hooker, etc). Others were named for members of founding families in Chattanooga. Most of the first streets were numbered. Many streets were named for various types of trees found in the area, for example Pine, Chestnut, Cherry, Magnolia, and Walnut Street.
How streets get their names in Chattanooga today.
According to Mr. Stevens, who spoke with Fred Brunker, Chattanooga's Subdivision Coordinator, he indicated that, “New Street names are named by the developing contractor in the particular area being developed. However, the city may change the name of any street at any time.”
Street names we wanted to learn about.
Clio- Originally Clio was listed on old plats as being named "Watkins Avenue". This was most likely done by an independent developer sometime in the 19th century. Watkins family name was very important during Chattanooga’s early days.
It was sometime during 1900 to 1930 during a great annex (at present, Missionary Ridge to Orchard Knob to North Georgia) that street names were changed on plats by the city of Chattanooga. Watkins Avenue was changed to Clio. At this particular time there was another street named Clio and it was changed to 1st Avenue. Unfortunately there were no records kept on why a street was named a particular name nor any records kept on who the contracting company was that named a street.
McCallie Avenue-Named for members of the McCallie family who were early settlers in Chattanooga. We could not determine if a particular member of the family deserved the honor of the street name. McCallie family members who also had a large farm located in the area of the current McCallie School and Dodd’s Avenue.
Holzclaw Avenue- We could not find any information about how this street got its name but it might be due to the large number of German immigrants who settled in the area in and around Germantown Road and the East Lake area. We thought the name was rather unusual. We hope someone has information about how it got its name and that they would like to share it with us. We did find out that this was one of the streets under consideration to be changed to Martin Luther King Boulevard in 1982. Holzclaw was known as the north south connector between Wilcox Boulevard and Rossville Boulevard.
Carter Street- Named for one of the Federals who settled in Chattanooga after the Civil War.
Market Street-This was most likely named for all the stores, cattle markets and slaughterhouses that were prevalent in Chattanooga during the era of river transportation. In observance of the 200th anniversary of the U.S. Constitution, Market Street was changed to Constitution Avenue for a week. (NFP 9-14-87p. A1)
Cowart Street-Named for Esquire John Cowart a Cherokee leader.
Williams Street-Maybe been named for the Federalist, Sam Williams, formerly of Paint Rock Jackson Co. Alabama who also has Williams Island named after him.
High Street- Our only thought on this street is that it may have been due to the flooding that occurred in Chattanooga and this was an area that was high enough to avoid much of the flooding. Citico- Most likely named for Citico Mound: A piece of Chattanooga’s earlier Native American history that was lost with the destruction of this site. The mound, which was about 100 feet across and 40 feet high, was the remnant of a Mississippian town located in the Citico Creek area. It dates to sometime between 1000 AD and European contact. Workman leveled the mound during the construction of Riverside Drive (sometime after 1913?). While several artifacts have been recovered, including human remains, copper tomahawks, arrowheads, and a copper crown and bowl, no scientific excavation has occurred. The mound itself is destroyed and tainted for further analysis and excavation. Bailey Avenue-We were not successful in determining who it is named for and we understand that many local historians are puzzled about it too.
M.L. King Boulevard- Formerly 9th Street was changed in 1981 to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the famed Civil Rights Leader. Interestingly, Julius’s grandfather, Reverend Virgil Caldwell, was one of the community leaders whose efforts and diligence warranted the name change. Julius had the unique privilege of interviewing his grandfather for this project.
Long Street-We believe it was named for Captain John P. Long one of the early pioneer citizens in Chattanooga.
Broad Street- It was formerly known as Whiteside after one of the Federalists who settled in Chattanooga after the Civil War. This street was part of a 40-year land dispute between Tennessee and Georgia.
Main Street- It was formerly known as Montgomery Avenue named for one of the Federalists after the Civil War, Rush Montgomery.Glass Street-Named for Cherokee Chief Glass in 1816.
Foust St.- Named after the German Immigrant family who settled around East Lake and Rossville Boulevard.
Hooker St.-Named for Federalist Civil War General Thomas Hooker.Other interesting facts:
St. Elmo town center: Abraham Malone Johnson founder of the St. Elmo Community at the foot of Lookout Mountain in 1886; Name came from the title of a Augusta Evans Wilson’s novel that had its setting at a mountain’s base.
Chattanooga was once known as “Fort Supply”
Amnicola is believed to be named after the Crutchfield family farm name that was changed to Boyce.
Bonny Oaks was given its name by Captain C.S. Peak who owned the Industrial School Farm where this street is located.
Gilmer was named for one of the Federalists after the Civil War but part of this street is known as Limerick because of the large number of Irish immigrants who lived in the area.
The area along the Tennessee River where Ross’s landing is currently located, it was once called Buffalo Ford because buffalo used to cross the river at this location. Another area nearby was called Shallow Ford, which may account for the street name Shallowford Rd.
Fortwood was named for Thomas J. Wood, 3rd division commander of the Army of the Cumberland who fought at the Battle of Chattanooga. It had been named Fort Creighton.
Blue Goose Hollow is now named Riverfront Parkway near Newton Chevrolet. It is famous because it is the home of the famous Blues singer, Bessie Smith.
Chattanooga’s first important leader was an Indian Chief Dragging Canoe of the Chickamauga Indians.
College Hills, currently named Cameron Hill was named after the College Hills Academy for females. It was also used as a Masonic Lodge in 1855 and then a hospital. It was torn down in 1890.
Cramer Drive was changed to Mueller Avenue named after the local manufacturing company Mueller Inc.
Crest Road later became Missionary Ridge from land deeded from the War Department.
Hamm Road is named to honor one of Chattanooga’s sister cities, Hamm, Germany.
De Sales Avenue is named after Sister Thomas de Salles who retired from Memorial Hospital and returned to the Sisters of Charity Headquarters in Nazareth, KY.
Slayton Street was changed to Monroe Street to honor President Monroe. Other streets in Chattanooga named for U.S. Presidents are Washington, Adams, Jefferson and Madison.
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