Stringer's Ridge Preservation Easement, generally known as Stringer's Ridge, is a 92 acre wilderness park located in North
Chattanooga,
Tennessee
Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
. The ridge overlooks the North Shore, the
Tennessee River
The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other name ...
and downtown
Chattanooga. The trail terrain consists of rolling hills and some short steep sections. Though the trail is well-groomed, it does have some tree roots along this single-track trail. Mature oak and hickory trees dominate the ridge. The Tennessee River Gorge Trust, the City of Chattanooga and The Trust for Public Land are involved in preserving and maintaining the area.
History
Three hills make up Stringer's Ridge, a view so strategic that it was the site of the first Union invasion of Chattanooga. On June 7th, 1862, Brigadier General
James S. Negley
James Scott Negley (December 22, 1826 – August 7, 1901) was an American Civil War General, farmer, railroader, and U.S. Representative from the state of Pennsylvania. He played a key role in the Union victory at the Battle of Stones River. ...
's forces bombed Chattanooga from this ridge. The Confederate forces had control of the city until General
John T. Wilder
John Thomas Wilder (January 31, 1830 – October 20, 1917) was an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War, noted principally for capturing the critical mountain pass of Hoover's Gap during the Tullahoma Campaign in Central Tenne ...
's Union army took the ridge named for Captain William Stringer.
In the years 2007 and 2008, Chattanooga's North Shore was threatened by the potential development of 500 condos on Stringer's Ridge. The objection to such a proposal led to The Trust for Public Land campaign to purchase 37 acres on Stringer's Ridge. The landowner of the 37 acres also agreed to donate an additional 55 acres of adjacent property to the conservation effort. In 2009, the Tennessee River Gorge Trust became the conservation easement holder on the entire 92 acres.
The City of
Chattanooga directly received ownership of the original 37 acres on Stringer's Ridge. Since 2011, the ownership of the remaining 55 acres has been transferred to the City of
Chattanooga. However, the Tennessee River Gorge Trust continues to hold a conservation easement on all 92 acres.
[Ibid]
Design
Stringer's Ridge contains three trail loops totaling 10 miles, ranging from easy difficulty to strenuous. Most of the trails are family oriented allowing for leisurely stroll, while some of the trail is designated for more experienced hikers. A picnic area is located on the south side of the park. The park has two trail heads. One is on the south end on Old Bell Avenue, while the other is on the north end located on Spears Avenue. An outlook structure has recently been added to the park.
Notes
References
Further reading
*Crutchfield, Jennifer (2010). Chattanooga Landmarks: Exploring the History of the Scenic City. Charleston, SC: History Press.
External links
SORBA ChattanoogaStringer's Ridge ParkStringer's Ridge Overlook
{{coord, 35.069, -85.321, type:forest, display=title
Parks in Tennessee
Ridges of Tennessee