What Was Coolidge Park Before It Was A Park?

Believe it or not Coolidge Park was not even a park until 1999.

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.

In the late 1980s into the 1990s, as part of a concerted effort to reconnect the city with its riverfront under the umbrella of the Tennessee Riverpark, city and community leaders began envisioning a transformation. That ambition resulted in repurposing the former naval-reserve site — demolishing or relocating the old military structures and cleaning up the land — to create a public park.

Ultimately, Coolidge Park was officially opened in 1999. It was named after General Charles Coolidge, a WWII veteran and a Medal Of Honor recipient What had once been a restricted-access, little-visited stretch of land became a carefully designed waterfront park with green space, walkways, a historic carousel, a water fountain, docking access, and connections via the riverwalk — turning it into a lively public gathering place and a cornerstone of the area’s revitalization.

Today the park is used for everything from outdoor church services to Pops On The River and the annual Thanksgiving Day Grateful Gobbler. It is also a great place to throw a ball or frisbee on nice day and the is water access off of the park.