The Walnut Street Bridge in Chattanooga, Tennessee has a rich and layered history — a story of engineering ambition, social change, near-loss, and rebirth. Built in 1890 (completed for traffic around 1891), the bridge was designed by engineer Edwin Thacher and constructed by the Smith Bridge Company of Toledo, Ohio. When it first opened it was designed for foot and car traffic. It closed to car traffic in 1978 because of safety concerns. After a number of years of inspections and fundraising it opened in 1993 to only pedestrian traffic. When it opened in 1993 and to today it is one of the longest pedestrian bridges in the country. The bridge is currently closed today for more renovations. Just a few of the things that are happening is updated electrical, replacing bad boards and a fresh coat of paint. They have had to extend the length of the closure and increase the budget for the project. Hopefully she will be back open for Summer with all the events in Coolidge Park and in Downtown Chattanooga.

Before it became the public green-space known today, the site of Coolidge Park in Chattanooga had a very different identity and purpose. Up through the late 20th century, this waterfront parcel was occupied by a military facility — it was the location of a U.S. Naval‑Marine Reserve training station.

Beyond its military use, the broader North Shore riverfront area was generally under-utilized and even neglected: there were no major public amenities, few recreational facilities, and little reason for people to congregate along the water.

I get asked all the time where my favorite steak house is in Chattanooga. This is always a hard one for me because we have one that has been our favorite for a long time and a new favorite. There are a few new ones that are not on this list because we were not to impressed with either the food or the service but they may make it next year.