CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. _ Growing up in St. Louis, we often drove the family truckster to Florida to visit relatives. And whenever we passed through Chattanooga, my dad belted out a few lines: "Pardon me boy ... is this the Chattanooga Choo Choo?"
By the time he forgot the rest of the lyrics, Chattanooga was a glimpse in the rearview mirror. And, perhaps a few decades ago, nobody could fault us for it.
In 1969, Walter Cronkite called it "the dirtiest city in America." A year after that, the last train left the once-bustling Terminal Station. The Choo Choo was the nickname for the Cincinnati Southern Railroad's wood-burning steam locomotive that traveled from Ohio to Chattanooga.
Since then, Chattanooga has transformed into a forward-looking, green-conscious place that embraces its history while chugging forward.
Its Tennessee Aquarium celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, and has helped revitalize a once-neglected riverfront. In 2010, the city was the first to offer gigabit-per-second internet services to all homes and businesses. And Terminal Station became a hotel complex, with recent updates to hotel rooms, new restaurants and a new Songbirds Guitar Museum.
I recently drove the 450 miles from St. Louis to Chattanooga with our son, 9, and daughter, 7, during a spring break trip. (My husband stayed home to work and enjoy a quiet house.) I had properly educated the kids by showing them Glenn Miller performances on YouTube. With the lyrics buzzing through our brains ("Woo, woo, Chattanooga, there you are!") we enjoyed more than enough eating, sightseeing and entertainment options to keep everyone happy.
