A recently released report has determined the city of Chattanooga’s proposed Central Avenue extension project will have adverse effects on Lincoln Park.
The report, prepared by New South Associates, a nationally recognized cultural resource firm, is in its first draft and details the effects the project would have on Lincoln Park and puts them in perspective with federal regulations for the protection of historic properties.
New South Associates is acting as a subcontractor to the city’s engineering consultants on the extension project. The firm was paid by a mix of federal and city dollars.
Lincoln Park was determined eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places in 2017 “for its importance in the social and recreational history of the city’s African-American population,” the determination of eligibility reads.
During segregation, the park was the main center for recreation for the city’s black residents, who were barred from nearby Engel Stadium and Warner Park. The park included amusement rides, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, and a baseball field that was host to Negro League stars such as Satchel Paige, Jackie Robinson and Willie Mays.