Chattanoogans know the charm of the Scenic City and so do several U.S. presidents who have visited — and revisited — the area on official business + for leisure in the past 200 years. 🚂
Do you know which president dined at Porker’s Bar-B-Que? Who was introduced by country music singer Naomi Judd? Who had Krystal’s burgers delivered to Air Force One after a day on the town?
In honor of Presidents Day, we present you with this timeline of 23 presidential visits to CHA.👇
1819: President James Monroe visited Brainerd Mission as the first of many presidential visits to the area. (Chattanooga Radio and TV)
Pre-Civil War: Andrew Jackson was the second president to visit the Scenic City, followed by James Polk + Andrew Johnson. (Chattanooga Radio and TV)
Sept. 20, 1877: President Rutherford Hayes visited as a part of his Southern Tour or “goodwill tour” after the presidential election. Here is a link from Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums’ site of his address at Stanton House on that day. (Chattanooga Radio and TV)
April 15, 1891: Benjamin Harrison came to Chattanooga + on Lookout Mountain he spotted his regiment’s encampment during the Civil War. ⛰️(Chattanoogan.com)
June 13, 1897: William McKinley opened Chickamauga park. (Northwest Georgia News)
1902: The most frequent presidential visitor, Theodore Roosevelt made his first visit to Chattanooga. He spoke with Brotherhood of Engineers and Firemen, rode the Incline Railway, walked to Point Park + visited First Baptist Church. Roosevelt also visited in 1903, 1907, and 1910. 🚞 (Chattanooga Radio and TV)
Aug. 31, 1910: When he was still president of Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson spoke at the Albert Theater, which was later a billiards hall. (Chattanoogan.com)
Nov. 11, 1911: William Howard Taft came to UTC + also made a campaign stop three years earlier. (Chattanooga Radio and TV)
Oct. 13, 1920: Warren G. Harding campaigned for president in Chattanooga, holding a reception open to the public at the Hotel Patten. (Chattanoogan.com)
Jan. 22, 1921: As president-elect, Mr. Harding visited + stayed in the former Signal Mountain Inn before his inauguration. (Chattanooga Radio and TV)
Nov. 21, 1938: Franklin D. Roosevelt and his wife Eleanor visited the Chickamauga Dam while in construction. (Chattanooga Radio and TV)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtuOg_GBF7M
Sept. 2, 1940: President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated Chickamauga Dam + stated that the TVA’s dam would bring many benefits and “serve in full the purposes of men.” (WRCB)
1964: President Lyndon B. Johnson made a campaign stop at the airport. (WRCB)
Sept. 27, 1968: President Nixon spoke at Memorial Auditorium + about 5,000 people had to stand outside because the auditorium was full. Nixon had visited previously in 1948 + he campaigned for Barry Goldwater at Memorial Auditorium in 1964. (Chattanoogan.com)
Feb. 1974: As vice president, Gerald Ford spoke at the Chattanooga Choo-Choo + then attended a Republican fundraising reception. (Chattanoogan.com)
May 1985: Jimmy Carter visited after his presidential term to raise money for his presidential library. Carter visited in the 1970s before presidency + also in 1991 on an unannounced trip with his family to the Chattanooga Choo-Choo. (Chattanoogan.com)
May 1987: President Ronald Reagan ate lunch with local public school students before addressing the graduating class at McKenzie Arena. Reagan finished off the visit with burgers from Krystal. 🍔(Chattanoogan.com)
Sept. 29, 1992: George H.W. Bush campaigned for re-election at the Chattanooga airport + country singer Naomi Judd introduced him. 🎤(Chattanoogan.com)
Nov. 6, 2000: George W. Bush stopped at the Chattanooga airport the day before he was elected president over Al Gore. (Chattanoogan.com)
April 1, 2001: George H.W. Bush threw the first pitch of the Baltimore Orioles + Cincinnati Reds season opener in Chattanooga. ⚾(NewsChannel 9)
Feb. 21, 2007: George W. Bush visited Erlanger Medical Center, spoke about health care reform at trade center + dined at Porker’s Bar-B-Que. 😋(WRCB)
July 30, 2013: President Barack Obama spoke to more than 2,000 people about a tax deal in the works that would “simplify the tax code for business and create good paying jobs” while at Amazon in Enterprise South.
November 4, 2018: President Trump came to McKenzie Arena before the midterm elections in favor of Republican Senate candidate Marsha Blackburn, making him “the 7th president in seven decades to visit the Scenic City while in office.” (WRCB)
