Chattanooga's Railroad - Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA.
N 35° 02.258 W 085° 18.392
16S E 654468 N 3878527
Chattanooga's Railroad - An information sign explaining the strategic importance & history of the Chattanooga terminal & rail network in Tennessee.
Waymark Code: WMNY5W
Location: Tennessee, United States
Date Posted: 05/22/2015
Views: 5
It was on March 5, 1880, that the first passenger train left Cincinnati for Chattanooga.
This historical occasion opened the first major link in public transportation from the North to the South. The line was operated by the Cincinnati Southern Railroad, America's first municipal railway system. In the event of the Civil War it became an important strategic target.
The Sign Reads:
"Battles were fought in & around Chattanooga primarily for control of the rail network. By 1861 the city had become one of South's most important rail hubs. The Lines that crossed here connected the Atlantic Ocean to the Tennessee River & Middle Tennessee & the Mississippi River to East Tennessee & Virginia. To support these railroads, entrepreneur Robert Craven built the East Tennessee Iron Manufacturing Company 2 blocks South of here to make" chilled railroad car wheels of the very best quality & freight cars of any description.
Confederate forces controlled the city's vital railroads until Nov 1863, when the Union army occupied Chattanooga. The Federals renovated & expanded the network of tracks & sidings south of town in this area. From here Gen. William T. Sherman gathered the supplies for his Summer 1864 drive to capture Atlanta."
Group that erected the marker: Civil War Trails.org
URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link]
Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary:
1400 Market Street, Chattanooga, TN. USA. 37402
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Visit Instructions:
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