The years-old, traditional tourist attractions of Lookout Mountain have been Rock City and Ruby Falls. Both stem from the natural geologic formations formed underground in the limestone of the Cumberland Mountains. The "Ruby" in Ruby Falls was created by colored lights shining through a high underground waterfall. For two or more generations, motorists saw barns or rooves emblazoned with the words "See Rock City" or "See Ruby Falls". Many artists used these "bill boards" in their paintings of pastoral scenes of the South. Tourist brochures hyped that you could see seven states from Lookout Mountain. Perhaps they meant you could see that many if you were in an airplane flying over the mountain. Nevertheless, I had a fantastic view of Chattanooga and the Tennessee River Valley from atop the mountain as seen in the image above. Right above the cannon's barrel, against the blue horizon, I could barely see the whitish cooling towers of Sequoyah Nuclear Power Plant. Click on image to enlarge.
If you think this is a fantastic view, just think of the view that the Confederate Artillery had of the Union Army of Tennessee when it was laying siege to Chattanooga during the Civil War in 1863. Eventually the Confederates withdrew from the ridge and traveled eastward to Missionary Ridge. It was Lookout Mountain that was referred to in the Battle above the Clouds.
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