Savannah--Day 2

Before leaving Chattanooga we were able to learn much about the area from an excellent guide who gave us a step-on tour. With Lookout Mountain as the backdrop, he told us some of the history and special importance of the city.

Chattanooga is a transit hub because of its location between the Appalachian Mountains and the Cumberland Plateau. Everything pretty much has to go through there to move north or south in that part of the US.

During the Civil War, Chattanooga was the sight
of several battles. These included Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, and Missionary Ridge.  Ulysses S. Grant's army eventually defeated the Confederates there and moved on south to Atlanta.

There is a huge national cemetery where over 50,000 who lost their lives in battle are buried. It is over 120 acres, and funerals are still held there often. One sad note about the cemetery is that many of the interments there are unknown soldiers.

The Chattanooga Choo Choo on top of the monument in this photo is representative of the 1941 song that was featured in a movie and was nominated for an Academy Award. The inspiration for it was the large number of steam locomotives that passed through Chattanooga on their way south.

In 1969 Chattanooga had the distinction of having the dirtiest air in the nation. It's economy was also suffering because of the decline in industry and several other reasons. However, major efforts have been made to transform the city, and it is flourishing today.

It was then time to leave Tennessee and stop for lunch at Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen in Marietta, GA. The food was great--and very plentiful! There were lots of naps on the bus as we continued on to Savannah.

And then it was time to eat again--this time at the Pirates House Restaurant that was very near the river in Savannah. After a bountiful buffet, our own personal pirate shared stories about pirates and seamen who came in to the lower levels of the building through a secret tunnel to the river. Part of the building has been there since 1734, which makes it the oldest building in Georgia!

With our city permit safely secured (so that our bus could park in the area) we arrived at our hotel.