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Bounded by Holtzclaw and Willow, McCallie and Main, Highland Park surrounds Tennessee Temple University. Several Temple Alumni and home restorers have been fixing up these houses over the late 1990's and early 2000's. The bulk of the homes on Chamberlain and Duncan have been renovated, nearly as many on Bailey and Union have been restored. These homes command a premium price, particularly those with original historic details. The Highland Park Neighborhood Association sponsors a tour of homes each year. The neighborhoods of Highland Park, Ridgedale, Oak Grove, Orchard Knob & Bushtown are often collectively referred to by Chattanoogans as Highland Park.
Bordered by Willow, Missionary Ridge, McCallie & Main, Ridgedale was originally conceived as an addition to Highland Park but it has now evolved into its own individual neighborhood complete with its own nighborhood association. The residential area between Dodds Avenue, Missionary Ridge, Main & 23rd Streets are also part of Ridgedale.
Tentative plans for a new park at the border between Highland Park & Ridgedale neighborhoods are currently being considered.
Although the Victorian was the most popular design for much of Highland Park's building period, the Four Square and Bungalow designs are the hallmarks of the Highland Park neighborhood. Many homes share a Craftsman or what I call a "transitional Craftsman" style, meaning that there are Craftsman elements without necessarily having all the elements of a true Craftsman home.
The heyday of this area was between its original development in the late 1800's, early 1900's and the 1950's. Urban blight and the demographic move to the suburbs claimed the Highland Park area as a victim. Crime increased and many of the once proud homes were subdivided into multi-family rentals. In the early 1990's, as many Chattanoogans started to become aware of Chattanooga's rich architectural history, several Highland Park residents - most notably Ginnie Tatum - decided to take back their neighborhood and formed a neighborhood watch from which the Highland Park Neighborhood Association was born.
Ginnie Tatum recently passed away and while she may be gone, the work she began is certainly continuing with the addition of more and more renovated historical gems and a thriving neighborhood.
You may have already read my overview post on Chattanooga's historic neighborhoods. Now I'd like to take the time to look at a few neighborhoods in depth, beginning with Ferger Place.
Ferger Place is made up of only two main streets: Morningside Drive & Eveningside Drive and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1980. Ferger Place was one of the earliest examples of urban planning, even though, at the time it was built, the neighborhood was relatively rural.
Ferger Place was originally designed by Ferger Brothers Real Estate and most of the structures are good examples of bungalow or Craftsman style architecture. The term "bungalow" can be misconstrued to mean that the homes are smaller than average. Nothing could be further from the truth with regard to Ferger Place. Most Ferger Place homes are in the 2000-3000 square foot range. Certainly not a small home even in today's term and definitely grand for the period.
The small, pleasant neighborhood was in a relatively rural area upon being developed as the city’s first “restricted private park.” Surrounded by numerous farms, the entrance columns were erected with gates in order to keep farm animals from wandering into the area, making it one of Chattanooga's first gated communities. When entering Ferger Place today, one is still required to pass through the same stone, shingled-top entrance posts, just as people did back in 1910. This community has, unfortunately, not been untouched by decay and many of the homes fell into disrepair over the course of the neighborhood's 100 years. Today, many of the structures have been lovingly restored to their former glory while understanding the needs of today's families. Click here for a list of properties currently available within Ferger Place.
Some information taken from Ferger Design.
There are numerous historic neighborhoods in Chattanooga if you like the character and soul of an older home.
The following is a brief introduction to some of the communities close to downtown and their progress in restoration:
Ft. Wood: This is the community around the UTC area in Chattanooga. Most of the houses here have already been restored, and command top dollar. Several of these are being used as fraternity houses. There are also a couple of bed and breakfasts in this area. Click here for more information about Fort Wood.
Southside: This area is the south part of downtown including Main Street and the area surrounding the Chattanooga Choo Choo and runs south down Broad St. Lots of interest and development has been initiated in the area recently and a new magnet school has spurred growth (the individual neighborhoods that make up the Southside area include Jefferson Heights, Cowart Place, & Ft. Negley)
St. Elmo: This neighborhood is located at the foot of Lookout Mtn, TN. Lots of larger 2-story homes and larger lots. Conveniently near Ruby Falls, the Incline and Rock City. There is a small group of shops and eateries including locally owned Umbra Essence Candles & Mojo Burrito at the entrance to the residential area. St. Elmo is one of several designated Historic Districts in Chattanooga with strict review guidelines for any exterior renovations.
North Shore: Just over the river from downtown, this community includes the homes north of Frazier Avenue, and between Barton Ave and North Market Street all the way up to Mississippi Ave, have a numerous bungalows and a few Victorians on rolling hills and twisty roads which lend charm and a few good views. Frazier Avenue and River Street have numerous shops and restaurants, although a few of the businesses have recently moved to larger quarters on nearby Manufacturer's Road. North Chattanooga, as this area is known, is one of the most sought after areas by urban hipsters and families alike. As such, property values are higher here than in almost any other area of the city.
Highland Park: Bounded by Holtzclaw and Willow, McCallie and Main, this neighborhood surrounds Tennessee Temple University. Several Alumni and home restorers have been fixing up these houses over the late 1990's and early 2000's. The bulk of the homes on Chamberlain and Duncan have been renovated, nearly as many on Bailey and Union have been restored. These homes command a premium price, particularly those with original historic details. The Highland Park Neighborhood Association sponsors a tour of homes each year. The neighborhoods of Highland Park, Ridgedale, Oak Grove, Orchard Knob & Bushtown are often collectively referred to by Chattanoogans as Highland Park.
Glenwood: Located north of McCallie Avenue and running North on Dodds Avenue towards Memorial Hospital, it features large stately Dutch Colonial homes, surrounded by bungalows, with smaller Craftman cottages dotted throughout the neighborhood. Many of the homes have been restored, and they have an active community association which sponsors an annual jazz festival. The local Greek Orthodox church also puts on a Greek festival every year.
Ferger Place: A very small "U" shaped neighborhood with very large well maintained homes that go for top price. It's just across Main Street from Highland Park. Ferger Place is another Chattanooga neighborhood listed on the National Register of Historic Sites.
Missionary Ridge: Numerous stately homes line Missionary Ridge. South Crest & North Crest run the length of this community and afford a very scenic drive. They have a very active neighborhood association. One thing that stands out to visitors is the presence of both cannon and plaques marking various significant Civil War sites. The Battle of Missionary Ridge was one of the most important battles of the Civil War and the history of "The Ridge" is always visible.
Ridgedale: Located 3 miles from downtown, this is a community of homes filled with late Victorian, early Craftsman cottages and bungalows. It is located between Highland Park and Missionary Ridge and to the south of Glenwood. Homes are just beginning to be restored over the past few years. Bargain hunters seeking a deal have been snapping up homes along Bailey Avenue and the first few blocks bordering the Highland Park community. Back in the 20's and 30's the portion of Dodds avenue running through Ridgedale was lined with stores and it was the shopping district before the advent of malls and urban sprawl. Some prominent Dodds Avenue businesses now include: The Barking Legs Theater, the longtime business of the Associated Fabric Shops, & Cafe Lamont. The McCallie School for Boys is also a prominent landmark within Ridgedale.
Oak Grove: This community lies between 23rd St and Main Street, and between Dodds and Ferger Place. The northwest corner of the neighborhood that borders Main Street has a small Mexican restaurant & grocery, Tienda Jalisco that is frequented by local residents. This area hopes to benefit from the revitalization of Main Street and perhaps get overflow growth from Highland Park.
The City of Chattanooga has a complete listing of all neighborhood associations throughout the city.
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