606 and 608 Cedar had space for plenty of Cameron Hill residents. The Zura Douglas family was living there at the time of this beautiful snowfall.
The Civil War veteran William H. "Buck" Ford occupied one of the first homes built on Cameron Hill's Cedar Street. Ford, who was in the harness, saddle and buggy business for many years, was living there in the early 1880s when Cameron Hill was not very thickly populated.
The three-story substantial brick house was on the downhill side of Cedar at 608. Around 1906, the house was enlarged with a matching portion at 606 Cedar.
Ford, who lived in Chattanooga for 55 years and was a familiar face around town, was first the foreman for Shelton & Howard harness and saddles. He was also involved with Tittle-Dickey produce. W. Howard Tittle, who had married Ford's niece, lived in the 606 Cedar portion.
Afterward, Ford went into partnership with L.G. Gillespie. Gillespie-Ford Company handled buggies as well as harnesses and saddles at 173 Market St. The location was just down Cameron Hill from the Ford home.
Ford later worked with Fred Wallace's buggy company as well as the Globe Saddlery Works. He was active at Centenary Methodist Church.
Buck Ford lived for many years on Cedar Street, but by 1930 he had moved in with his niece, Mrs. W.H. Tittle, at 2200 Union Ave. in Highland Park. In November of that year, he took a fall down her cellar steps and died a few hours later.
M.L. Brown took over at 608 Cedar, renting to Curtis Smith and Leon Cooper. By 1941, W.H. Kistler held sway. His renters were Mrs. G.H. Douglas, Harry Frazier Jr. and J.A. Dearing.
By 1955, with Urban Renewal looming, the 608 side was divided into four apartments and a basement. Occupants were J.E. Williams, J.B. Johnson, Miss Corrine Nixon, Mrs. E.B. Bailey and with Miss Helen Watts and Mrs. R.S. Bunch in the basement.
M. Lee Brown, a carpenter, and his wife Maude took over the 608 side. Their renters included Curtis Smith and Leon Cooper.
John Bogenshott, who ran the Stag Hotel on E. Eighth Street with A.W. Stanley, lived at 606 Cedar soon after it was completed. The Stag Hotel was "for men only."
Jacob Steiner had moved into 606 Cedar by 1910. He was originally from Hungary and had come to the U.S. at an early age. He lived at Jackson, Ms. before coming to Chattanooga during the Boom times of 1887. He was a merchant and an active worker for Jewish welfare. Steiner was still on Cameron Hill - but at 416 W. Sixth St. - when he died in 1924.
William G. Broome, the store manager for A&P Tea Co., lived at 606 Cedar during the 1930s and rented a section to Andrew Foster.
By the start of World War I, Mrs. R.S. Allred was there along with Mrs. W.A. Wallace. A.E. Harris was on the second floor and W.D. Allred in the basement of the spacious house.
This was about the time that Missouri "Zura" Douglas moved into 606 Cedar. A native of Bledsoe County, his wife also had an unusual name - Grady Wilson Humble. Zura was the son of John and Angeline Goins Douglas.
Zura, who worked for the O.B. Andrews Co., earlier had lived at 514 Pine St.
The Douglas couple lived there for many years and had many renters. In 1948, they were housing C.L. Chadwick, Mrs. R.H. Pelham, Miss Ollie Gray and Mrs. J.R. Long. In 1955, as the end for Cameron Hill approached, the renters were Mrs. K.L. Runyon, T.H. Payne, Raymond Payne, F.S. Sims and Clyde Tucker.
Zura Douglas lived until 1977 when he was 78.
Family members still have a photo of 606-608 Cedar St. in the snow.