# Timeline of Chattanooga, Tennessee

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States.

## 19th century

* 1838 – Cherokee Nation removed from Chattanooga, marched out to 'Indian Territory' (now Oklahoma) on the 'Trail of Tears'
* 1840 – James Enfield Berry becomes mayor.
* 1849 – Western & Atlantic Railroad begins operating.
* 1851 – City chartered.
* 1854 – Nashville & Chattanooga Railway in operation.
* 1860 - Population: 2.545.
* 1862 – June: First Battle of Chattanooga.
* 1863
** September: Occupation by Union forces begins.
** November 24: Battle of Lookout Mountain.
** November 25: Battle of Missionary Ridge.
* 1866
** March: Occupation by Union forces ends.
** Chartered as a city.
* 1867 – March: The largest flood in the city's recorded history.
* 1869 – Chattanooga Times newspaper begins publication.
* 1870 - Population: 6,093.
* 1880 - Population: 12,892.
* 1882 – Walnut Street Temple dedicated.
* 1886 - University of Tennessee at Chattanooga established.
* 1890
** Walnut Street Bridge built.
** Population: 29,100.
* 1900 - Population: 30,154.

## 20th century

* 1905 – Chattanooga Public Library opens.
* 1906 - Lynching of Ed Johnson
* 1909 – Hixson High School founded.
* 1910 - Population: 44,604.
* 1917 – Market Street Bridge built.
* 1921 – Tivoli Theatre opens.
* 1923 – Chattanooga Theatre Centre founded.
* 1924 – Memorial Auditorium built.
* 1925 – WDOD radio begins broadcasting.
* 1930 – Population: 119,798.
* 1933 – Chattanooga Free Press newspaper begins publication.
* 1935 – Electric Power Board of Chattanooga established.
* 1937 – Chattanooga Zoo at Warner Park established.
* 1940 – Population: 128,163.
* 1950 – Population: 131,041.
* 1953 – WROM-TV - now WTVC (television) begins broadcasting.
* 1954 – WDEF-TV (television) begins broadcasting.
* 1956 – WRGP-TV - now WRCB (television) begins broadcasting.
* 1959 – Olgiati Bridge built.
* 1960 – Population: 130,009.
* 1961 – Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum founded.
* 1965 - Chattanooga State Community College established.
* 1972 – Twelve Tribes (religious group) and National Knife Museum founded.
* 1975 – Marilyn Lloyd becomes U.S. representative for Tennessee's 3rd congressional district.
* 1980 – Population: 169,565.
* 1983 – Chattanooga African-American Museum established.
* 1983-97 – Gene Roberts began city's longest term as mayor.
* 1984 – Veterans Memorial Bridge built.
* 1986 - Chattanooga School for the Arts & Sciences established.
* 1987 – Fellowship of Southern Writers headquartered in Chattanooga.
* 1989 – Federal judge ordered change in city governance to city council system to allow for more demographically-correct African-American political representation in City Council (Brown vs. Board of Commissioners of the City of Chattanooga)
* 1992 – Tennessee Aquarium opened.
* 1995 – International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum established.
* 1997
** City website online (approximate date).
** Jon Kinsey elected mayor.
* 1999 – Chattanooga Times Free Press newspaper in publication.

## 21st century

* 2001 – Bob Corker elected mayor.
* 2005
** Hunter Museum of American Art building expanded.
** Ron Littlefield elected mayor.
* 2009 - Ron Littlefield re-elected mayor.
* 2010
** Electric Power Board's one gigabit per second Internet service began.
** Population: 167,674.
* 2011
** Volkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant began operating.
** Chuck Fleischmann elected U.S. representative for Tennessee's 3rd congressional district.
* 2013 – Andy Berke elected mayor.
* 2015 – Lone-wolf terrorist shooting, killed five military members and injuring three others.
* 2017 – Andy Berke re-elected mayor.
* 2021 – Tim Kelly becomes mayor.