The newspaper announcements regarding the July 4, 1896, celebration for Chattanooga’s FIRST city park, East Lake Park, caused ripples of excitement across the region. A spectacular parade had been planning featuring dress parade inspection of military units, Spence’s military band in “white duck suits” and a procession of artillery pieces. Upon arrival at the park at 3 p.m., a ribbon-cutting program proclaimed “Splendid Speaking by Prominent Men” and an evening of culture and excitement culminating in a fireworks display from the lake and island within the park.
The following day, George M. Brandt, Superintendent of Chattanooga City Parks, declared the event had been a success and recalled the events in the Chattanooga Daily Times feature. Brandt explained that the city council had only a few weeks earlier voted to create a board of city park commissioners and taken a formal stance for “the encouragement of the planting of shade and ornamental tree along the thoroughfares of the city.” He applauded his fellow commissioners, Aldermen Thomas and Adams, as “public-spirited citizens,” who had demonstrated “commendable” enthusiasm for their new assignment - - beautifying the city and creating public park spaces for families.
By the time the parade had arrived at East Lake Park, it was 3:30 pm and the pavilion area was filled to capacity. The official ceremony began with a prayer offered by “Chattanooga’s minister, Dr. J. W. Bachman,” described as an “eloquent, fervent appeal to the Almighty to bless those who had donated and those who were to receive the park, and to sanctify it to pure purposes.” The prayer was followed by Dr. S. T. Westhefer who accepted the park on behalf of the city council and offering an explanation for why the city had decided to move toward public parks. Mentioning that such “resorts” would provide “the common people with healthful rest and recreation,” Dr. Westhefer also suggested that parks would also raise the “moral level of the city” and encourage visitors to spend time and money in Chattanooga.
Once the applause ended. Mayor George W. Ochs walked to the podium, greeted the crowd and accepted the park for Chattanooga. Ochs shared that the creation of the park commission would be remembered as one of the most significant acts of the current council and would set a precedent for future city councils. He complimented Superintendent Brandt’d vision and suggested that in twenty years East Lake Park would be known as the “Central Park” of the South.
William L. Frierson’s keynote address focused on the benefits of public parks for all “well-disposed people, rich and poor, high and low.” He commented on the Chattanooga’s beautiful setting - - the Tennessee River, the wooded mountains, the craggy outcroppings of rock formations and the rolling hills outside the city – but acknowledged that those settings were not always within walking distances for families. Creating a system of community parks would benefit all.
The ceremony ended with a presentation of flowers to Superintendent Brandt on behalf of all citizens. a benediction and blessing offered by Dr. Thomas Hooke McCallie and a series of artillery firings. The subsequent races were described by Brandt as “a splendid success,” but he declared the most attractive feature of the evening was the military drill coordinated by Major Fyffe and the “military school boys who had acquitted themselves beautifully.”
In late July, Brandt announced that several hundred shade trees would be planted in the fall at East Lake Park, along with “many beds of hardy shrubs and flowers.” With the addition of an electric launch for the lake, the park would be well on its way to becoming the city’s most exciting, new attraction.
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Linda Moss Mines, Chattanooga and Hamilton County Historian, chairs the Chattanooga Parks and Outdoor Commission.