The Strattons lived near Fourth and Poplar on the far right side of this plat. They were in "the original town."
Chattanooga's best known art teacher lived near the foot of Cameron Hill for many years. Miss Cora Stratton and her close-knit family lived many years at 321 Poplar St.
She was "the last of a prominent Chattanooga family, which consisted of brothers Frank, Henry and Charles L. and sisters Hattie and Nettie, all widely known in the business and church circles of the city."
Many Chattanoogans learned to draw, paint and decorate china in Miss Cora's studio, which for many years was the center of the city's art interests.
Miss Stratton was born in Little Valley, N.Y., in June 1867, the daughter of Lorenzo and Sophia Hill Stratton. Her parents moved to Grassy Cove, Tn. and then to Chattanooga in 1886. She was a direct descendant of Rev Jobadiah Russell, one of the 10 founders of Yale College.
Ms. Stratton wrote "And This is Grassy Cove" with her sister Nettie.
The family was living on Poplar Street by 1887. The father had died, but the mother Sophia and other members of the family were in the same house. By 1908, Charles L. was living at 164 N. Crest Road on Missionary Ridge, but Cora, Hattie, Nettie and Henry H. were still with their mother. Charles and Henry were traveling salesmen.
Cora had her art studio at the Loveman building for many years. She and Nettie stayed in the big house at 321 Poplar until about 1930 when they moved to 1712 Auburndale Ave. in Riverview. Miss Cora was still there when she died Aug. 31, 1951, at the age of 84.
Alberta McK. Fike, widow of Absalom Fike, lived many years in the former Stratton home. Later, it was divided into a downstairs apartment and two upstairs.