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About Lookout Mountain Lookout Mountain Interesting Housing Statistics from 2005
Average Sales Price: $387,226
Average Price/Sq. Ft: $121.41
Median Home Price: $318,750
Low: $75,000
High: $1,350,000
Average Days on Market: 118
About Lookout:
Lookout Mountain rises over the Tennessee Valley like a monolith, peaking into a dizzying summit of 2,126 feet from which it is said seven states can be seen. With roots in Alabama, some 50 miles to the south-west of Chattanooga, the high, wide plateau that forms the top of the mountain is surrounded on three sides by a near vertical rock wall that gives way to a gentle slope near the bottom. For hundreds of years, this unique geography has afforded protection to the occupants of the top.
Indeed, historical evidence shows that Early Woodland Indians called this plateau home while Alexander the Great was conquering the "known" world. Over the centuries, a progression of Native Americans continued to live on the mountaintop including Creek and Cherokee Indians. The name Chattanooga, in fact, is derived from the Creek Indian word for the mountain itself. In 1823 two missionaries, Daniel S. Butrick and William Chamberlain, arrived in the area to minister to these Indians. On August 28, Reverend Butrick made an entry in his diary describing "a citadel of rocks" atop the mountain, noting the immense size of the boulders and stating that they were arranged in such a way "as to afford streets and lanes." It would take exactly 99 years and several important developments for this vision to be fully realized. 100 years of developmentFirst came the discovery of wealth in the form of vast resources of iron, the mineral that was changing the face of America. Entrepreneurs like Robert Cravens eventually built pig iron furnaces to tap into these resources and built large fortunes, all the while heightening the profile of Lookout Mountain. Next, came the settlers claiming the land they had won in the Georgia Land Lottery of 1832. Shortly after, Colonel James Whiteside purchased the Tennessee point of the mountain and completed Whiteside Pike, a desperately needed route to the top of the mountain. Portions of the road are still visible and much of it has been developed into hiking trails. Nevertheless, the 4-hour journey was arduous and expensive, traveled primarily by tourists drawn to the wonders of Lookout Mountain. Because of this, Lookout Mountain remained only sparsely populated through the majority of the 19th century. It took the yellow fever epidemic of 1878 to prompt 12,000 Chattanooga citizens to flee the mosquitoes for the cool heights of Lookout Mountain. And finally, the 1895 completion of the Incline Railway made the area a viable residential neighborhood The man who would eventually make Lookout Mountain a household name was, appropriately enough, himself a product of the Tennessee hills. A born promoter, Garnet Carter had tried and succeeded at a number of business ventures before hitting on the idea of developing a residential neighborhood on top of Lookout Mountain. Launched in 1924, the new community was to be known as Fairyland, named so because of his wife Freida's longtime interest in European folklore. One of the enticing features of Fairyland was to be a golf course, but construction took considerably longer than planned. In order to appease those who were clamoring to play golf, Carter responded by fashioning what is now recognized as the nation's first miniature golf course. Because of its popularity, Carter decided to franchise his miniature golf concept all over the United States; hence, the origins of Tom Thumb Golf. The 700 acres of Fairyland and their serene beauty resonated with genteel southern families, northern expatriates, and the tourists, hikers, geologists, and naturalists who visited the mountain in vast numbers each year, causing Carter?s development to blossom into success. And the rest, as they say, is history. Lookout Mountain is known for a unique weather phenomenon. Sometimes, after a clear dawn, a layer of fog descends toward the valley below, stopping about halfway down the peak to blanket the valley in a duvet of clouds. This inverted fog has been written about since the first settlers visited the area sometime before 1735. It was on a fateful day, November 24, 1863, that this weather anomaly set in, engendering the most poetic name for any battle in the American Civil War, The Battle Above the Clouds. Moving 12,000 Union men west of Chattanooga, "Fighting Joe" Hooker comes up with a brilliant plan to mitigate the advantage the Rebels have by controlling Lookout Mountain. Rather than trying to take the near-impregnable top of the mountain, his men will cross Lookout Creek, move up the slope of the mountain, and then sweep the Confederates towards the north end of the mountain. It works like a charm. After crossing Lookout Mountain Creek, the Union troops encounter some 1,200 Rebels entrenched in the side of Lookout Mountain, under the command of Carter Stevenson. Expecting attack from below rather than Hooker's lateral thrust, the Rebels withdraw towards the northern face of Lookout Mountain, under the cover of heavy artillery positioned at the peak of the mountain. The majority of the fighting takes place at Cravens' House, a rocky respite from the sheer northern slope of the mountain. There, three brigades of Rebels successfully form a line against three Federal divisions and bravely launch a counterattack. Nevertheless, in the face of overwhelming numbers, General Braxton Bragg orders Stevenson to withdraw and join him on Missionary Ridge for the battle to come in the morning. Hooker takes the reputedly impregnable mountain with only 710 casualties. Ulysses S. Grant would later write "The Battle of Lookout Mountain is one of the romances of the war. There was no such battle and no action even worthy to be called a battle on Lookout Mountain. It is all poetry." Today, Lookout Mountain offers a panorama of neighborhoods and lifestyles. At the northern point, the towns of Lookout Mountain, TN and Fairyland, GA coalesce to create an idyllic and picture-perfect neighborhood. Tranquil mountain roads wind pleasantly around and about the immense boulders scattered across the sloping landscapes. Forests of intertwining trees weave lacy curtains of privacy that herald stupendous Fall hues. Bubbling streams sweep into roaring waterfalls as they cascade down the mountain's precipitous walls. Hundreds of miles of rock bluffs rear out over the valley below providing stunning views across 7 States. Expansive - 1 acre lots create the ideal compromise between community and spacious privacy. From historic Tudors to cutting-edge modernism, the neighborhood features a delicious concoction of architectural styles, each home a unique masterpiece in itself. In fact, some of the most stupendous mansions in the southeast are located atop Lookout Mountain. A neighborhood that caters primarily to families, Lookout exhibits its love for children with plentiful parks, playgrounds, outstanding safety, practically zero crime, and one of the best public elementary school systems in the region. The most long-standing prestigious neighborhood in the area, Lookout Mountain is also one of the most exclusive in terms of cost. But, with a hefty price tag come unrivaled benefits, not the least of which is a secure investment in the most stable real estate market in the city. Cost notwithstanding, Lookout Mountain is a highly desirable area where demand tends to outweigh supply creating a faster-paced environment than usual for the southeast. Progressing deeper into Georgia, south along Scenic Highway and Lula Lake road, Lookout Mountain evolves into a rural landscape that provides even more privacy and greater immersion into the beauteous natural surroundings. The heterogeneous housing market is a random, but charming assortment of log cabins, classy vacation homes, farms, and every other option in between. In addition, a variety of tasteful developments offer more homogeneous gated communities that nevertheless preserve the mountain atmosphere with large 5-acre parcels and greater. Far more affordable than either of the Lookout Mountain towns, this area appeals to a diverse demographic with one commonality: the desire to reconnect with the peace, quiet, and beauty of nature without compromising on prestige, investment stability, convenience or excellent schools. Ever the attraction, Lookout Mountain continues to draw more tourists than almost any other single destination in the southeastern region. Rock City, Point Park, Ruby Falls and the Incline are the long-standing favorites for families across America. Cloudland Canyon, Lula Lake and the Lookout Mountain Parkway--a 93-mile scenic tour of the mountain and surrounding area that spans Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee--are attracting a new generation of eco-tourists. Hang-gliding and a class-A golf course provide a different outlet while various boutique shops, a day-spa, the Lookout Mountain Caf, and the Canyon Grill are enjoyed by residents and visitors alike. Indeed, while it may be difficult to distinguish the happy, care-free residents of this idyllic community from the vacationers, one simple observation of their performance behind the wheel is all it takes. Residents tend to hurtle down the winding mountain roads at rocket-speeds, seemingly ignorant of the concept of brakes, while tourists will crawl along at half the required speed limit, carbonizing their brakes into voluminous smoke fumes--a source of never-ending, but good-natured frustration to the residents! Just remember, if you are visiting, be sure to keep an eye out for the "slow traffic" pull-offs: Even though you might be averaging the speed limit, on Lookout Mountain that's simply a suggested baseline!
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