The historic Hixson family homeplace is coming alive at Morning Pointe of Hixson located on Old Hixson Pike.
Scheduled to open in mid-November, the 52,000-square-feet assisted living and Alzheimer’s memory care community honors the early Hixson family settlers with a mural depicting the life of their ancestors. Additionally, a memory wall of family photographs exploring the Hixson family timeline and their 150-year-old Bible, will be featured.
Having settled in Hamilton County in the 1820s, the Hixson family made a living off their land. To commemorate that heritage, a large 444-square-feet mural depicting an agricultural scene, with a Rock City barn and stream, is a focal point in The Lantern Alzheimer’s memory care wing of Morning Pointe.
Local artist Brent Hooper spent more than 100 hours designing and completing the mural, his largest painting ever, using an old Masters technique (Sepia under painting). Mr. Hooper has placed many works in private and corporate collections throughout the United States and currently has a small exhibits company where he designs and fabricates for several Chattanooga and regional institutions. He previously served as exhibit director at the Chattanooga Regional History Museum where he designed, fabricated and installed changing and permanent exhibits and numerous regional exhibits.
To further represent the Hixson community, a hallway named “School View Drive” will bear sports memorabilia, including football helmets and trophies from Hixson Middle School and Hixson High School.
“Morning Pointe of Hixson and its campus is unfolding beautifully as we envisioned and is a look back in time dedicated to the legacy of the Hixson family,” said developer Greg A. Vital, president and CEO of Independent Healthcare Properties, LLC. “Residents of this assisted living and Alzheimer’s memory care community can be proud to live in such a nostalgic environment that tells the story of early life in Hamilton County.”
In keeping with their historic preservation commitment, Mr. Vital and business partner Franklin Farrow initiated a $45,000 relocation and restoration of the large chestnut-log barn that was built by the Hixson family’s early pioneers between 1840 and 1860. The barn was moved from its previous location on the property on a ridge above North Chickamauga Creek to the front entrance of Morning Pointe of Hixson. Independent Healthcare Properties partnered with The Trust for Public Land to coordinate the relocation efforts and donated a 1,300-foot-long easement to be a part of the North Chickamauga Creek greenway extension with the city of Chattanooga.
Located at 5501 Old Hixson Pike, adjacent to Hixson Middle School, the Hixson family home place will soon become the home for over 70 seniors when Morning Pointe of Hixson opens its doors this fall. Mr. Vital and Mr. Farrow purchased the 20-acre parcel of land in 2007 in order to create a multi-million-dollar senior services campus, Greenbriar Cove of Hixson. The development is modeled after its sister campus, Greenbriar Cove Retirement Community in Collegedale. In addition to Morning Pointe, the campus will later include Life Care Center of Hixson–a skilled nursing center, and an independent living complex with rental apartments.
Morning Pointe of Hixson offers 70 apartments and provides assistance with daily living, care and medication management by experienced healthcare professionals, restaurant-style dining, life enrichment activities, beauty/barber services and transportation. The Lantern memory care program offers specially designed programming and activities for residents in a secure, home-like environment.
For additional information about Morning Pointe of Hixson, please contact Teresa Bryant, executive director, at 423 847-1370.
Independent Healthcare Properties, LLC, a Chattanooga-based senior healthcare services company, develops and manages Morning Pointe® assisted living and The Lantern Alzheimer’s memory care communities and has 16 communities in five southern states. Founded in 1996 by regional healthcare entrepreneurs, Greg A. Vital and Franklin Farrow, the company’s portfolio also includes Greenbriar Cove master planned retirement community and commercial real estate. Visit www.morningpointe.com or www.seegreenbriarcove.com.