Sifting Through the Rubble: Thoughts On Preserving Urban History
Nikki's Drive Inn, after closing its doors for the last time. (March 2020)
Transformation has always been an integral part of Chattanooga’s rich history.
Perhaps the most storied example of Chattanooga’s resilience is when it emerged as a clean and livable city, teaming with natural beauty, after being dubbed “The Dirtiest City in America” by Walter Cronkite in 1969.
With the city’s massive growth in recent years, another wave of transformation is flowing through Chattanooga. There are countless construction projects reshaping its public spaces and altering entire neighborhoods.
Chic new hotels and coworking spaces, revamped parks, towering rows of freshly constructed townhouses — revitalization.
These are great things. They give new life to the city and provide roofs that shelter families seeking a fresh start in Chattanooga.
But if you’re like me, all the changes make you a little sad, too.
My great-grandparents grew old in a house that stood here, on Holtzclaw Avenue, before it was purchased and demolished to make room for new townhouses. (January 2025)
As historic buildings are demolished and replaced with modern structures, we lose pieces of physical connection to our past. All the memories and stories embedded within those spaces become just that — memories.
Since progress is inevitable, it’s essential that we cherish historic spaces while they remain standing, and record our experiences within them.
That’s how we preserve the history of our city, and our place within it.
More than that though, we should find ways to embrace the change.
We should celebrate new spaces, create new memories within them, and record those experiences, too.
That’s how we preserve history in the making.
Preservation through Experience
Diners, taverns, and bakeries. Little shops and grand stadiums. Serene parks and bustling pedestrian bridges.
The charm of these aging spaces lies in their ability to nurture connections between people throughout the decades, across many generations.
They have stood silent witness to decades of change, growth, and gatherings.
They have been more than functional. They have provided nourishment and entertainment. Places for celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, friendships, career milestones, overcoming illnesses.
They have facilitated chance encounters, connecting strangers who would go on to be pillars in the lives of one another.
Me and Will digging into a banana split at the Ooltewah Whistle Stop. (March 2023)
As the pressure for redevelopment increases, it becomes even more vital to enjoy these fixtures while they’re still standing.
Take your family to breakfast at Wally’s Restaurant. Take a train ride on the Tennessee Valley Railroad, then grab lunch at Zarzour’s Café. Finish the night enjoying a Lookouts game at AT&T Field before it’s replaced.
Go for a walk through the Bluff View Art District, Fort Wood, or your own neighborhood’s oldest streets.
Experience the city and observe something beautiful. Have a good conversation. Ask a stranger how their day’s going.
This is the purest act of preservation — by fostering connections within these spaces, we honor their purpose and their history.
Documenting Your Experiences
What we consider modern will, one day, be nostalgic for someone else.
As Chattanooga’s urban landscape evolves, future generations will form their own memories and experience “historic” spaces in their own way.
But they will never taste the onion rings at Nikki’s Drive Inn. They will never witness hordes of Lookouts fans diving for a foul ball at AT&T Field.
With a little help from us, though, they can at least understand these experiences and appreciate how much they meant to us, their ancestors.
Documenting our experience in historic places is how we keep their memory alive, even after they are demolished and replaced.
This act of preservation is a genuine service to future generations, and it couldn’t be more simple.
Next time you’re gathered somewhere special with friends or family, take a picture.
Even if the moment or setting doesn’t feel particularly historic, it might one day.
Me and some friends celebrating the Fourth of July at AT&T Field. (2015)
Me and some friends celebrating the Fourth of July at AT&T Field. (2023)
Record videos. Keep a souvenir.
Reflect on your experience once it’s over and write down how it made you feel.
Journaling, blogging, and even sharing your memories on social media all contribute to an archive of moments tied to our shared spaces.
Digital media will always outlive physical structures. That’s what makes it one of the strongest tools for preserving history.
Rebuilding What’s Been Lost
Mourning the loss of a place we cherish is understandable.
But we should remember that new buildings and businesses have the potential to become cherished gathering places in their own right.
As mentioned before — what’s new today will age and, someday, become historic.
They will carry the torch, providing the same nourishment, memories, and meaningful connections as the historic spaces we once communed within.
Me and Griffin, feeling bittersweet about our last meal at The Terminal before its closing. We had to order our favorite appetizer, Mr. Frog's Super Happy Fun Journey, one last time. (April 2022)
We should approach new spaces with the same reverence and care we reserve for historic ones.
Gather there with loved ones, enjoy what they offer, celebrate life’s milestones and document your experiences within their walls.
In doing so, we can preserve Chattanooga’s legacy of public connection and strong relationships between neighbors, even as the physical landscape changes.
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