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Historic Railway Stations
In downtown Chattanooga, two historic railway stations played key roles in the city’s development. The most notable is the Southern Railway’s Terminal Station, located at 1400 Market Street, which was built between 1906 and 1909 and is now the Chattanooga Choo Choo. This landmark, with its grand dome and Beaux-Arts architecture, served as a major passenger hub and now includes hotel rooms, restaurants, and entertainment venues. In its heyday, The Terminal Station greeted U.S. Presidents, including Woodrow Wilson, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Theodore Roosevelt. During World War II, the Terminal Station helped with the war effort, transporting troops and supplies.
The big band/swing song, “Chattanooga Choo Choo,” became famous in the 20th Century Fox film, “Sun Valley Serenade” and was performed by Glenn Miller and his orchestra in 1941.
In 2023, Tyler Perry filmed scenes at the Chattanooga Choo Choo, for his movie “Six Triple Eight,” which put a spotlight on World War II’s only all-Black, all-woman unit.
The Southern Railway Baggage Depot, built in 1870, is the oldest building still standing in Chattanooga. You can see it today, resting in an unassuming location, near Market & 13th Street, playing host to Urban Stack, a local hamburger joint.
Union Station, or more commonly known as Union Depot, was built between 1857 and 1859, and was originally located at the intersection of Broad Street and 9th Street (now MLK Boulevard). A darker history of Union Depot reveals that the bricks that were used to build the Union Depot were made by slaves, and later on, the train car shed was used as an army hospital during the Civil War. Although demolished in 1972, its legacy is remembered as a central part of Chattanooga’s railway history.
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Today, the Union Station site is part of the Chattanooga Convention Center area, with little remaining of the original structure, but its historical significance is marked by the ongoing use of the surrounding area for transportation and commerce.
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These stations played a pivotal role in Chattanooga’s growth as a transportation hub, contributing to the city’s rich historical tapestry.
