This November 1953 photo taken on a well-known street in Chattanooga recalls a time when it was a bustling business and restaurant corridor with a cluster of service stations.
The image is from the files of the former Chattanooga News-Free Press and was taken by photographer Bob Sherrill.
Judging from the stopped traffic and presence of a Chattanooga police patrol car, it appears there had been a fender-bender, although no matching newspaper article on the matter was found for that month.
Have you taken a good look at the photo yet?
The location is the 1600 block of McCallie Avenue, at the intersection of McCallie with Holly Street. The photo was taken facing east, heading away from downtown.
A city directory from the 1950s lists the following businesses in the 1600 block of McCallie Avenue: Bowen's Texaco service station, Tennessee Awning and Tent Co., Orkin Exterminating, Wally's Grill, Chattanooga Boating Co., Moon's Esso Service station and Gordon's Cleaners.
Interestingly, Tennessee Awning Co., on the left, is still in business today. The company's website says it was established in 1905, making it 117 years old.
The awning company is located directly across the street from the present-day Wally's Restaurant, a Chattanooga landmark, which began as Wally's Drive-In in 1937 and became a sit-down restaurant in 1972.
Also, visible in this photo (to the right) is the former Gulas' Drive-in Restaurant at 1516 McCallie Ave.
To see other photos in this series visit ChatttanoogaHistory.com. Follow the "Remember When, Chattanooga?" public group on Facebook.
ChattanoogaHistory.com
Launched by history enthusiast Sam Hall in 2014, ChattanoogaHistory.com is maintained to present historical images in the highest resolution available. If you have photo negatives, glass plate negatives or original nondigital prints taken in the Chattanooga area, contact Sam Hall for information on how they may qualify to be digitized and preserved at no charge.
Contact Mark Kennedy at mkennedy@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6645.
Staff photo by Mark Kennedy / The 1600 block of McCallie Avenue is shown on Dec. 21. The Tennessee Awning Co., on the left, has been in business for more than 100 years.