John Shearer: Exploring And Searching For Greenways, Part 35 -- Finding Small Brainerd Hills Park

As I have mentioned before, I keep thinking I am about to wrap up this series begun two years ago on parks within Chattanooga or Hamilton County. 

 

But then I keep coming across additional or potential park space and realize I have one or two more left.

And now that local greenway space is expanding even more with such news that new trails and greenway strips linking White Oak Park have been or are being added, even more potential visits seem on the horizon.

 

Another recent park discovery for me came on Thanksgiving Day, when I decided to run in the roughly 5-mile (8K) Sports Barn Turkey Trot morning race that began near the Sports Barn East/Sam’s Club off Lee Highway. 

 

My below-average skill level was probably better suited for the seemingly more light-hearted Grateful Gobbler 5K run and walk at Coolidge Park, where some participants show up in turkey costumes.

 

But I was a grateful jogger, if not gobbler, because the Turkey Trot race allowed this longtime local resident to again see parts of Chattanooga I had never seen before. And I also found a small park of which I was unaware.

 

Actually, I found a park and a potential park space. 

 

As the race was getting ready to start that cold morning along Vance Road behind the Sports Barn, I happened to notice a large hilly and wooded area of probably several dozen acres on the other side of the street. It caught my eye because this part of Chattanooga was a booming suburb in the mid-to-late 20^th century, and I was surprised to find such a large undeveloped tract.

 

As I have said before, I just go on first impressions with my greenway stories and do not try to do any exhaustive research to answer my questions, but I am not sure who owned it. There were several “no trespassing” signs, which to me never look that great, although I can certainly sympathize with an owner fearful of trash throwers or unwanted visitors or squatters.

 

A follow-up visit right before Christmas to take some pictures and glance back toward the top of the hill as I drove away made me wonder if some type of utility or water tower was at the top.   

 

Regardless, I thought it would make a great site for a nice greenway trail around the hill in this part of town. Maybe a picnic table or two could be brought in as well in a small, cleared area. 

 

Once the race began and we headed down Lee Highway over the viaduct by Economy Honda toward Eastgate before turning left, I began looking forward to seeing the streets and homes I had not seen before.

 

Although I usually run in less than five road races a year, I like the ones that go through residential neighborhoods. I was familiar with the streets around Brown Acres Golf Course, which we passed, and those beautiful homes along East Brainerd Road near the neat mid-century shopping center.

 

The handsome churches of Wesley Memorial United Methodist and Brainerd Hills Presbyterian are also aesthetically pleasing. The grounds of the latter church would make a great picnic spot amongst the grass, old trees and historic church structure, despite being on busy East Brainerd Road. I certainly also hope it is still a vibrant church. 

 

I also love the nearby old Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts building (formerly Elbert Long School), and hope as a lover of historic architecture that it can be saved and reused after it ceases being a school, and that its large back field can remain as a park and green space. I played flag football there a couple of falls while attending Bright School about 1970!

 

But many more residential streets than I realized could be found in Brainerd Hills, and some of them – such as Osborne, Bass, Nicklin and Guild -- are named after prominent Chattanoogans of yesteryear. I understand from one newspaper article of several years ago that this is the part of town where longtime City Council member Carol Berz has lived.

 

Overall, it was neat jogging past the handsome mid-20^th century homes of mostly – but not completely – average size. I could tell just by some of the people who came out to either watch us or greet us in an upbeat manner that Brainerd Hills is at least somewhat racially diverse. 

 

I did see one or two homes with signs telling people to keep out, but the overall vibe was good. I even realized why the developers called this stretch of mostly flat land Brainerd Hills, because one hill we went partially up was quite steep and caused this visitor to be glad we did not go to the top.

 

But as someone searching for greenways, what most caught my eye during the nearly hourlong traverse was a small park we passed. I looked quick enough between breaths to see that it was named Benham Williams Park, and I was glad to know it was there.

 

The local history department of the Chattanooga Public Library did not have any old articles on it a few days later when I checked, but they did tell me it was acquired by the city of Chattanooga in 1958, probably about the time that area was being developed.

 

And it does not take a rocket scientist or distinguished Brainerd historian to figure out that it is called Benham Williams Park because it is at the corner of Benham and Williams drives.

 

A follow-up inspection of the park when I arrived a few days ago by automobile and was not huffing and puffing from running revealed that it was about 100 yards by 30 yards. That is big enough to allow a nice green escape from the milelong blocks of homes.

 

And if I lived in the neighborhood – particularly as someone who likes to jog strictly on grass to save my shins, knees, hips and ankles -- I would enjoy coming over here at least a couple of times of week to take laps through it. That would particularly be true on days when I don’t have as much time for exercise as I wish I had, or the weather is less than ideal.

 

The park also has a large and sturdy swing set, some benches, a nice picnic pavilion and even a basketball goal – with grass as its court. Its biggest asset by far, however, is the collection of maybe 15 or 20 hardwood trees scattered throughout the grounds.

 

Their trunks and branches are pretty to look at in the winter, and they no doubt provide some great shade during the summer season.

 

The park would also be a great place to bring children, or maybe just to sit in a shady spot during the summer and read and not realize you are so close to so much residential and commercial development.

 

While this area of town also has the Brainerd Levee/South Chickamauga Creek Greenway, the Enterprise South Industrial Park trails, and Heritage Park within a 10-minute drive through stoplights, this park is a nice hidden gem.

 

Although it could use a little sprucing up and beautification and enhancing and maybe have a restroom facility installed, it is still quite an asset to this part of town. 

 

Hats off to whomever had the original idea to set it aside as park space.

 

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To see the previous story in this series, read here.

https://www.chattanoogan.com/2021/11/24/439010/John-Shearer-Exploring-And-Searching.aspx

 

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Jcshearer2@comcast.net