Greetings from Chattanooga, Day Two

Quickie because it's late after fireworks and we had a very full day going back and forth between Georgia and Tennessee at various Civil War and natural wonder locales. We started at Chickamauga National Military Park, the nation's first, created in 1890 and celebrated with a barbecue by soldiers who had fought for both Union and Confederate armies in the very bloody battles there. Then we drove up Lookout Mountain, picnicking and visiting Point Park, the north end summit which the Army of Tennessee used as a base to fire on Chattanooga before the Battle Above The Clouds. The weather was beautiful -- much cooler in the mountains than it has been on the Mississippi -- and it was a clear day, perfect for sightseeing from high peaks.

Later in the afternoon, we went to Rock City, one of America's first official tourist traps, created by the man who invented the first miniature golf franchise. He and his wife bought property among the fantastic rock formations of Lookout Mountain, and she created gardens with figures from fairy tales that her husband then opened to the pubic. There are also deer and rehabilitated raptors on the property. After that, we visited Ruby Falls, in America's deepest commercial cave on its second-busiest day of the year. The rock formations and waterfall were spectacular, but the caverns were so crowded that it took over two hours to do what's usually a one-hour tour. After a quick dinner at the hotel, we walked to Chattanooga's waterfront on the Tennessee River to watch the city's Fourth of July Fireworks.


The castle-like Wilder Brigade Monument, marking the hill at Chickamauga that Union Colonel John T. Wilder and his men held despite repeated Confederate attacks.


Like Gettysburg, there are acres of land covered with monuments that mark the spots where each unit fought and where soldiers fell.


Atop Lookout Mountain, there are wonderful views of the Tennessee River valley below as well as more monuments.


Rangers and reenactors were giving a demonstration of equipment, uniforms, and weapons in the national park.


Here are me and the boys in front of just one of the many wonderful formations in Rock City.


And here are Paul and the boys at the edge of one of the most dramatic.


The formations deep within Lookout Mountain are even more spectacular. This is Ruby Falls.


Chattanooga had a public Independence Day concert followed by fireworks by the waterfront, with free seating available to all at the public park.

We will spend most of Sunday at the aquarium and other museums before leaving Chattanooga!