For most of the 20th century, Chattanooga’s economic activity could be seen in the smog that often hovered between its mountains and ridges.
The coal mines, foundries and factories that powered Chattanooga’s economy belched out enough smoke and soot to make Chattanooga’s air the most polluted in the country in 1969, according to the federal Department of Health, Education and Welfare.
Chattanooga employed more than 40% of its workforce in factory jobs at the manufacturing peak a half century ago, making the self-described “Dynamo of Dixie” one of America’s 10 most industrialized cities for its size.
But for all of its manufacturing might, Chattanooga entrepreneurs have also pioneered sweeter pursuits in the soft drink, candy and fast food industries, while others have capitalized on the Scenic City’s natural attractions to help build some of the South’s best-known tourist attractions atop Lookout Mountain.
“Chattanooga’s manufacturing story has always been one of entrepreneurship, innovation and adaption,” said Kerry Beth Carico, the executive director for the 124-year-old Chattanooga Regional Manufacturers Association, the oldest such trade group in the country. “From its early industrial roots to the advanced manufacturers operating here today, manufacturing has played a major role in shaping our region’s economy and identity.”