For most of us, the first thing that pops into our head when we hear Cameron Hill is, naturally, “Oh, that’s where the BlueCross BlueShield headquarters is.” And it’s true. BCBST announced plans to locate a massive campus there in 2003, and by 2009 they were moving in.
But BCBST is only a part of the story.
DYK that Cameron Hill — which was once called a “mini-version of Lookout Mountain” — played a major role in the Civil War, and once housed a casino, beer garden, and its own incline railway? It’s hard to imagine today just how massive Cameron Hill used to be.
The early days
Chattanooga’s rich Native American legacy included the Cameron Hill site. According to author Zella Armstrong in “The History of Hamilton County and Chattanooga, Tennessee,” a grove of old-growth trees once covered Cameron Hill (later used for firewood and camps during the Civil War). Following the Cherokee Removal Act of 1830, James Whiteside, a prominent businessman, purchased a tract of land that included the hill in 1838. Whiteside enticed a portrait and landscape painter, James Cameron, to visit Chattanooga. He and his wife would eventually purchase a portion of the hill + lending his name.
The Civil War
Cameron Hill was the Union’s “most important communications post,” according to a 2013 article by historian Chuck Hamilton. The outpost allowed Union soldiers to observe surrounding Confederates from an almost birds-eye view. Following the Battles for Chattanooga, the Union used Cameron Hill for camps, waterworks + a sawmill. A historical marker near AT&T Field tells the story of the battle that changed everything.
1862-63
- Confederate troops built artillery batteries on Cameron Hill.
- Union General William S. Rosecran’s army pushed Confederate General Braxton Bragg’s forces out of Middle Tennessee and then Union troops attacked Chattanooga.
- In August, Colonel John T. Wilder reached the Tennessee River + ordered an attack on the city.
- From atop Cameron Hill, the Confederate troops responded but it had little effect + Bragg left the perch and allowed the Union to take Chattanooga
The boom years
About 20 years after the war, Cameron Hill became a hot piece of real estate following an auction. Prominent families constructed elegant homes, upping the posh factor (it also didn’t hurt that downtown was just a few steps away). Nearing the turn-of-the-century, Cameron Hill was not only a booming community, but it also had its own incline and street railway, a scenic park, a “refreshments pavilion,” and a stage for visiting performances. Unfortunately, it was a relatively short-lived operation as by 1894 the tracks were removed, and by 1897, the pagoda and other features were dismantled. In 1905, a 10-acre park atop Cameron Hill was dedicated as Boynton Park for Union Gen. Henry Boynton. The biggest changes for the site would come in the 1950s.
Golden Gateway Project
As the city changed, the Westside Redevelopment/Golden Gateway Project became a focal point of progress. But progress came at a cost. Mayor P.R. Olgiati led the project that would create an interstate system through Chattanooga, now known as the I-24/Highway 27 interchange.
The project:
- included 407 acres
- relocated more than 1,400 families + about 100 businesses
- meant demolition for more than 1,100 buildings, including antebellum homes on Cameron Hill
- lowered the hill by 150 feet (almost by half)
