Secrets, signals, spies and ciphers by Jennifer Crutchfield Secrets and spies are a staple of war, ferreting out facts and cloaking figures in disinformation. As America entered the war between brothers an official spy network was not in place. During the first few years of conflict espionage efforts were characterized by dramatic figures with [...]
The Fracas over Franklin by Jennifer Crutchfield Land grabs, duels, treason and secession marked the birth and death of the “State of Franklin”. A handful of fortified outposts between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River seceded to form their own state in 1794 but the drama began decades earlier. The fertile Watauga region had [...]
The mystery, myth and marvel of the Melungeons of East Tennessee by Jennifer Crutchfield Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492. Even the youngest of us knows that rhyme but there is more to the story of the conquest of the New World and it was a man’s search for clues to his mysterious illness [...]
The Secrets of the Lost Sea by Jennifer Crutchfield Ben Sands grew up hearing stories about a magnificent underground lake. Pioneers in the area around Sweetwater, Tenn. had been weaving stories around Craighead Caverns since they came to settle there in 1820. Named for its earliest owner, the Cherokee Chief Craighead, the caverns were central [...]
by Jennifer Crutchfield. An infant girl was named Thankful because she was born while her family crossed an ocean toward a new life in the colonies. Her daughter and her grandson’s daughter would be Thankful also as Colonel James A. Whiteside settled in the Chattanooga Valley and became a pioneer developer, changing the landscape of [...]
Sequoyah and the secrets of the syllabary by Jennifer Crutchfield A disabled man named George did something in 1825 that had never been done before in the history of the entire world. For the first time ever and only time since a man who could not read or write created an effective writing system for [...]
The Tale of Tom Thumb in Fairyland Chattanooga has a magical mix of firsts, fantastic formations, innovations and excitement that have made it a hub for longer than we can record. Movie stars were forbidden from doing it on camera and the entertainment world was turned upside down because of it and it’s no surprise [...]
The Mystery of progress, people and plaques By Jennifer Crutchfield One of the world’s longest pedestrian bridges, the Walnut Street Bridge has been an icon of innovation and controversy for 120 years. In 1891 the bridge’s opening was marked by a military parade, a procession of proud Chattanoogans and the promise for the bright future [...]
The Mystery of the Belching Blasts and the Lost Furnace By Jennifer Crutchfield Ironmaster Robert Cravens was born in Virginia but had Chattanooga and its spirit in his blood. When his parents died of fever Robert began his career, starting by learning the iron business from his uncle to support his seven siblings. Iron stayed [...]
Steamboat One and Sunken Secrets by Jennifer Crutchfield From the “Cracker Line” to the Delta Queen the Tennessee River has drama under the water, too. Glittering light dances on an ornate grand staircase as the sun filters through stained glass windows once painted Navy gray. A queen of yesterday, Chattanooga’s Delta Queen has had many [...]
