W hen Glenn Miller and his orchestra introduced the famous song "Chattanooga Choo- Choo" in 1941, the Tennessee city it referred to had been a railroad center for nearly a century. Mack Gordons lyrics from the Academy Award- nominated song trace the progress of the "Choo-Choo" from New Yorks Pennsylvania Station through Baltimore, the Carolinas, and into Track 29 of Chattanoogas sprawling Terminal Station. Arriving passengers were greeted by the bustle, sounds, smells, and opulence of a grand building that was a tribute to the towns importance as a southeastern transportation hub. Around Terminal Station were miles of crisscrossing tracks, acres of rail yards, and dozens of buildings that housed the industries, restaurants, hotels, shops, offices, and people of a town that evolved as a direct result of the rail industry. Railroads both influenced and reflected American settlement and development from the 1830s to the 1950s. In the cities, they shaped and stimulated economic growth, planning, and architecture. Today, although railroads have lost much of their economic importance, evidence of their influence remains. Even in towns where trains no longer run, buildings, tracks, train beds, and place names attest to the enduring legacy of Americas rail history.
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About This Lesson Getting Started: Inquiry Question Setting the Stage: Historical Context Locating the Site: Maps Determining the Facts: Readings Visual Evidence: Images
Putting It All Together: Activities |
How the National Register This lesson is based on the Market and Main Streets Historic District and Terminal Station, several of the thousands of properties and districts listed in the National Register of Historic Places. |
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