| Lookout Mountain-High Point | |
|---|---|
The apex of Lookout Mountain |
|
| Elevation | 2,389 ft (728 m) NAVD 88[1] |
| Listing | Highest point in Walker County[2] |
| Location | |
|
High Point
|
|
| Range | Cumberland Plateau |
| Coordinates | [1] |
| Topo map | USGS Durham |
Lookout Mountain is located at the northwest corner of the U.S. state of Georgia, the northeast corner of Alabama, and along the southern border of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Lookout Mountain, along with Sand Mountain to the northwest, makes up a large portion of the southernmost end of the Cumberland Plateau. The summit, called "High Point", is located just east of Thompsonville in Walker County, Georgia, and has an elevation of 2,392 feet (729 m) above sea level. The foothills of the mountain extend into Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park. Near Chattanooga, the caves of Ruby Falls are contained within Lookout Mountain, and the rock formations of the Rock City tourist attraction are situated on the ridge, as well as the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway. From Rock City, it is said that seven U.S. states can be seen: Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. In reality, on very clear days, some mountains in the Knoxville area of Tennessee can be seen at a distance of about 100 miles, but the curvature of the Earth's surface lowers anything in Kentucky, South Carolina or Virginia to below the horizon. Nearby are Georgia's Cloudland Canyon and Cloudland Canyon State Park. The mountain, which hosts the nation's largest hang gliding school and Covenant College, is one of the Chattanooga area's most visited tourist attractions. Civil War-related landmarks include "Point Park," operated by the National Park Service, and Cravens House
Lookout Mountain was the scene of the Battle of Lookout Mountain (November 24, 1863) during the American Civil War.
Contents |
Before the war, land taken from the Indians was purchased by highest bidder, without a lottery of land parcels, as in Georgia. Because of this method of distributing land, much of Lookout Mountain, (Tennessee) was owned by a few wealthy Chattanooga families prior to the war. The aptly named Summertown, on top of the mountain, was barely accessible from a small rutted turnpike built in 1852 by Col. James A. Whiteside. Whiteside, a native of Danville, Kentucky, owned a summer home which he converted into a hotel with several cottages. Naturalists, such as Bradford Torrey, who visited the summit thought the cottages spoiled the environment and made it look like a cheap resort. Whiteside had purchased much of the land on the mountain’s summit, and another wealthy Chattanoogan, Robert Cravens, had purchased most of the land on the side of the mountain. Cravens was also instrumental in developing Lookout and moved his family to the house he built 1855. Within a few years of the Cravens completing construction, about 25 families lived on the mountain in the summer. The name is said to come from General Andrew Jackson's forces, but more likely comes from the Cherokee term for "two mountains looking at each other".[3]
During the Revolutionary War, a battle allegedly took place on Lookout Mountain between the forces of John Sevier and those of Chief Dragging Canoe of the Chickamauga-Cherokee tribe. However, archaeolgist-ethnohistorian Raymond Evans has asserted that such a battle never took place.[4]
On November 24, 1863 the Battle of Lookout Mountain was fought on the slopes of Lookout Mountain. The majority of hand to hand combat took place near Cravens' house about halfway to the summit. Lookout Mountain’s unique shape and location can in some conditions cause a unique weather phenomenon. After dawn, fog will descend from the cooler mountain top to the valley below and stop about halfway down. This interesting natural occurrence took place the day of the battle and is the reason for its romantic name, Battle Above the Clouds. The clouds are known as fog when low.
Lookout was considered a peaceful getaway from the rigors of city life and also a health benefit. When one was feeling ill, a few days in one of the mountain resorts was thought to be a good cure. Another generation of businessmen began marketing their own attractions in the 1910s and 1920s. Lookout Mountain was an incorporated town and instead of serving as an escape for the wealthy, the rich businessmen were settled more permanently on the mountain. Garnet Carter, J. B. Pound, O. B. Andrews, and Leo Lambert were a few of the more successful entrepreneurs who created their own attractions. Instead of making their money off of tourist room, board, and transportation, the natural attractions were enhanced and fiercely marketed. Sites that had long been popular, such as the city of rocks (or Rock City), the Lookout Mountain Cave (closed to the public since 1935. Now, the popular "Ruby Falls" cavern has been a tourism mainstay for 80 years.), and the functional railroads (now the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway–America’s Most Amazing Mile) were bought, “highly developed”, and marketed . The angle of tourism had significantly shifted from the pre-war cottages of Col. Whiteside.
Nearly 75% of Lookout Mountain is situated within Alabama. The Little River, in Little River Canyon on the mountain, is the longest mountaintop river and the only river that begins and ends entirely on top of a mountain. Some of the country's best whitewater is located on the river, along with DeSoto Falls in DeSoto State Park.
Cherokee Rock Village, is a rock-climbing mecca in western Cherokee County. It boasts many challenging climbs for beginner to expert climbers, and fantastic views of the Coosa River Basin.
This is where the legend says that Noccalula jumped to her death because she could not marry the man she loved. The 90 foot falls are located at the southern terminus of Lookout Mountain. Noccalula Falls Park in Gadsden, Alabama also features a pioneer village, showcasing several nineteenth century homes.