12/01/2024
Terrance Jones's daughter, Grace, is applying for college and one of her essay prompts was "what would you show us, if we visited your home town?" Here's her response:
The first thing I'd show you is the Tennessee River. All bets are off when it comes to the river, even though its been dammed and regulated until the city feels comfortable living right on its banks. The choice was made to ignore the history of flooding and the stories of whirlpools and all the other majestic details a long time ago. But the river is still always different. We could go for a run at one of the public parks that border it or on the walking bridge that connects Downtown with Northshore. The best views, though, are from the boathouse. The local crew team, including me, rows out of there. Out of everybody in town, we know best how capricious the river can still be. Most days, the sun setting after practice or the sun rising through the bridges look like a painting (I've actually seen people sitting out painting with easels). When the water rises every spring, the boathouse is the first to flood. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of other boats on the river, but not every day and not craft that are so affected by the smallest wakes and currents. There's a certain irony in a bunch of teens having one of the city's largest and prettiest icons practically to ourselves. So come by, any time, and I'll take you for a walk. I can tell you about the lynching that happened on one of the seven bridges years ago (the subject of the book Contempt of Court), and the conservation programs the aquarium runs. We can talk history, about the Trail of Tears or how TVA created jobs, or we can just admire the sunset. Welcome to my home. (Chattanooga, TN)
What would you show someone who is new to Chattanooga?
