I enjoy reading these stories that go back to the old days of Chattanooga. I live outside Atlanta now and work in the city. I was a student at Dupont many years ago. We lived in the neighborhood between Lupton City and Dupont. My dad worked at the Dupont plant for 37 years.
The area you talked about with the trees became part of an expanded playground while I was attending Dupont.
They built a bridge across the creek that ran through the property. The creek ran under Access Road and through our neighborhood to the river.
There were businesses where Hixson Pike and Access Road come together. A Sinclair gas station was right in the point of the triangle. It later became The Nickel Bag that catered to the 60’s crowd with black light posters and pot paraphernalia. Then it became the Chop Shop where they turned regular motorcycles into works of art. Behind that building and facing Hixson Pike was Mr. Barker's store. Just a general store with the old screen door that had a bread logo painted on it. It later became an exotic pet store. I remember riding my bike a little too fast around the corner and I almost ran over a boa constrictor they were letting sun in the parking lot.
Access the road was the place to be when Dupont was thriving. Access Drug had the old lunch counter where you could get a burger and milkshake. Dr. Aiken’s office was next door. Across our street (Azalean Drive) was Gooney Golf. Then going towards the Dupont plant there were a couple of drive ins. The main hangout was Twin Star drive in, that is where a lot of drag races down Access Road started. The sidewalk had a bridge that crossed the creek and that would take you to The Slimette (an exercise facility for women) , Plaza Lanes bowling alley and a roller skating rink. The overpass that now crosses Hixson Pike was moved from Access Road, in front of the bowling alley, to where it is today. Desegregation and busing cut our neighborhood off from Dupont.
Keep the stories coming. Thanks,