Institution

Starting in 1862, the lot where the Martin Hotel would be built changed owners several times before it reached the hands of attorney Richard Kimball in 1906.&nbsp;Kimball, for reasons unknown,&nbsp;allowed Robert Martin, an African American former porter of the local railroads, to construct a hotel. Martin&nbsp;built and opened his hotel in 1924. His niece Mayme Martin, a former school teacher from South Carolina, came to Chattanooga to help her uncle and his hotel in 1930. The Martin Hotel boasted fifty steam-heated rooms and a restaurant that served guests and off-the-street customers three full-course meals a day.Following the end of Prohibition in 1933, the Martin Hotel became Chattanooga's first hotel to receive a liquor license. A year later, Kimball sold the land to the Huskey family. In 1936, following Richard Martin's death, his niece, Mayme, assumed management. The hotel had its greatest success during World War II, when African American soldiers passed through Chattanooga on their way to Europe.&nbsp;In 1985 the hotel&nbsp;was forced to close&nbsp;after its business license expired and Ms. Martin was not able to renew the license. The hotel had operated for sixty-one years. The Chattanooga Times, a local newspaper, tried to save the hotel and preserve it as a historical site and museum. Unsuccessful, the building was demolished in 1986.&nbsp;The lot now belongs to the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Development Corporation. In 1993, the Tennessee&nbsp;state government designated the site&nbsp;of the hotel&nbsp;as a State Historical site and had a marker placed on the spot. &nbsp;&nbsp;Many famous African-Americans stayed at the hotel including&nbsp;Willie Mays, Satchel Paige, the original Harlem Globetrotters, Lena Horne, Cab Calloway, J. Ernest Wilkins (U. S. Assistant Secretary of Labor), and&nbsp;many more.

Martin Hotel marker on land where hotel once stood

undated photo of Ms. Mayme Martin inside hotel's resturant

Tennessee State Digital Library: Martin Hotel

More Info

Chattanooga Historic Places Examiner article on the Martin Hotel

The Martin Hotel was the largest African American-operated hotel in the South. This hotel hosted many celebrities such as Ella Fitzgerald, the Harlem Globetrotters, Willie Mays and Nat King Cole. 

Martin Hotel

This walking tour takes visitors to several monuments, landmarks, and historic buildings throughout the downtown Chattanooga area. We hope to add new stops as residents create additional entries in Clio. 

Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal was launched in 1932, creating enormous growth in Federal infrastructure. This growth allowed the government to hire American architects and builders to complete necessary buildings throughout the United States. The Solomon Federal Building was created under the New Deal with construction costing just under half of a million dollars.&nbsp; Reuben Harrison Hunt completed construction on the Solomon Federal Building and Courthouse in 1933. Hunt had produced the designs for every government building in the area from 1895 to 1935, with the Solomon Federal Building being his last contribution to Chattanooga. Hunt created the building in an Arte Moderne style; he references classical architecture in the size of the building, the marbled facade,&nbsp;and the form of the windows, which create the same feel as a columnned structure. Hunt also drew inspiration from contemporary design, which gave him a very sleek feel to the building overall.&nbsp; The courthouse has seen several notable cases since opening. In 1960 Mapp et al vs. the City of Chattanooga brought desegregation of schools to the forefront. The ruling called for court mandated desegregation throughout the area. In 1964, Jimmy Hoffa was charged with attempting to bribe a grand jury and fraud. He received a sentence of 13 years in prison. The building is still currently used as the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee.

Completed in 1933 as one of the New Deal's public works projects, this federal building and courthouse was the final building designed by local architect Reuben Harrison Hunt. At the time, the construction cost just over $490,000. The building is constructed in an Arte Moderne style with references to the sleek architecture of the period as well as more classical influences. The Solomon Courthouse is also well known for the cases that have been tried here such as Mapp et. al vs. the City of Chattanooga, which is credited for the beginnings of desegregation in the area. 

Solomon Federal Building and Courthouse

The Chattanooga African American Museum was opened in 1983. During that period, the museum sought to memorialize the African Americans who had made a significant contribution to the growth of Chattanooga. As the study of African American History gained more strength, the Museum recognized that they would be able to choose a specific moment in history to memorialize and allow other museums and historical societies focus on the general African American history of Tennessee. The Museum added a Bessie Smith music hall in order to continue the growth of African American contributions to both Chattanooga and to Blues History.&nbsp; In 1996, the Museum reopened and rededicated itself to Bessie Smith. Bessie was born in Chattanooga, though different dates have been attributed to the year of her birth ranging from 1892 to 1895. It is certain that in 1912, Bessie left Chattanooga to pursue a career in vaudeville. She traveled extensively with Ma and Pa Rainey, both of whom influenced her vocal style. Before the Depression, Bessie was the highest paid African American performer in the world, earning well over $2,000 per week. The shift in musical styles after the Depression pressed Bessie to change her sound to be more radio friendly. Before she was able to successfully make the transition, she was killed in an automobile accident in 1937.&nbsp; The Hall was dedicated in her honor and the Museum began to shift focus to memorializing the history of African American Blues musicians in the south. Currently there are three major exhibitions at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center. "A Cast of the Blues" features life casts of thirteen influential African American blues artists. These casts give a true feeling for the musician as it is a 3D representation of their figure.&nbsp;"Mississippi: A State of Blues" follows the history of Blues through color photographs. A&nbsp;90 minute documentary called&nbsp;M for Mississippi: A Roadtrip through the Birthplace of the Blues&nbsp;follows the same path as the photographs, allowing audiences to better understand the times when these artists became prolific.&nbsp;

The Chattanooga African American Museum was founded in 1983. In 1996, a newly renovated facility became the new home of the Chattanooga African American Museum and the Bessie Smith Hall in honor of the late "Empress of the Blues", Bessie Smith. The Museum currently exhibits "A Cast of the Blues" featuring life casts of prolific artists, "Mississippi: A State of Blues" which includes color photographs, and a 90 minute documentary that follows the history of blues artists from the area. 

Bessie Smith Cultural Center and Chattanooga African American Museum

Upon graduating from Meharry Medical College, located in Nashville, in 195, Emma Rochelle Wheeler, a Florida native, moved to Chattanooga with her second husband. Dr. John Wheeler,&nbsp;and young son Joseph. Her arrival to Chattanooga marked her as being the first female, African-American physician in the city. She had been in Chattanooga before during her studies to garner real-world experience in medicine. Shortly after their arrival, the Wheelers purchased two lots for the purpose of establishing a hospital that would also serve as a educational and training center for nurses and doctors. Previous to the Walden Hospital, African-Americans of Chattanooga had their medical needs taken care of at either of the two&nbsp;facilities in town: Erlanger Hospital and Newell Clinic. The catch to these facilities was that African-Americans were admitted into the basements of these buildings; segregation laws delegated them to the basements of existing facilities. In 1915, the Wheeler's Walden Hospital, named in honor of the Walden College of Medicine at Meharry, was completed in 1915. From 1905 to 1915, the Wheelers had established an ad-hoc medical office to work while making plans for a hospital and waiting for the building to be completed. The hospital became the first in Chattanooga to be owned, operated, and staffed by African Americans and dedicated to their treatment. Furthermore, the hospital had a thirty-bed capacity with nine private rooms containing two beds each and a twelve-bed ward. The hospital consisted of three departments: surgical, maternity, and nursery. Seventeen physicians and surgeons used the hospital along with a house staff of two and three nurses. The hospital proved so successful that the construction debt was paid in less than three years.Wheeler not only practiced medicine but also trained nurses at Walden. She founded the Nurses Services Club, a unique prepaid hospitalization plan for Club members. At the same time, she raised her family that grew over the years. The hospital served the African-American community for over forty years. The hospital closed its doors on June 30, 1952. Now a widow, aged and her health weakening, Emma Wheeler continued to practice medicine. She died five years later, 1957. The hospital building then converted into apartments, which still operates today. In 1962 the Chattanooga City Commission voted to name the Housing Authority's newest residential project the Emma Wheeler Homes. In 1990 the Chattanooga African American Museum in conjunction with the Tennessee Historical Commission placed a state historical marker at the site of Walden Hospital to honor Dr. Wheeler and the hospital.

In need of a hospital to serve the African-American community in Chattanooga in the early 20th century, the Walden Hospital was established under the tutelage of Emma Rochelle Wheeler, a prominent African-American physician in Chattanooga. 

Walden Hospital

The congregation was organized in 1866 as Shiloh Baptist Church by a group of men who had served as soldiers in the Union Army during the Civil War, where it also served as a military hospital during the war. Initially they worshiped in a Blacksmith shop; subsequently they met for worship in members' homes. The church building was built in 1885 with the labor of former slaves. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.&nbsp;The church is the oldest Black church in Chattanooga. For 19 years Chaplain Van Horne served as the first pastor for First Baptist until he resigned. He was followed by A.B. Cross. During Cross's tenure, there was a division within the congregation and out of it came the St. James Baptist Church. G. D. Olden, who&nbsp;followed Cross, oversaw the purchase of land where the church sits today. The cornerstone was laid and construction began. However, further divisions halted construction for a time while a new church, New Monumental Baptist was formed. Work done on the church was done by the hands of former slaves, many if not all, were members of Shiloh Baptist. The fourth pastor, Michael Vann, had the name changed from Shiloh Baptist, to First Baptist. Two more pastors followed Vann, but both men served a few months. One of them had been called to head a congregation in Philadelphia. The church was completed around 1905. From 1905 to 1954, three more pastors came through, one of them, C. A. Bell, served the longest: 39 years. He is still honored today for his long and exceptional service. From 1954 to 1995, the longest person to serve as pastor to date was Herman H. Battle. In his honor, a church run academy was named in his honor, 'Battle Academy" and the current look of the church, which saw much renovating, was done under his care. Today the church is still very active for both the local African-American community and the local Chattanooga community and is now lead by its 13th pastor, William Terry Ladd III.

First Baptist Church, previously known as Shiloh Baptist Church, is a historic church that dates back to 1866. Construction of the present church building was done by former slaves.

First Baptist Church, Chattanooga 

<div>Most of what is known about the history of the church pre-1990 comes from the book "Catalyst of Christ" written by a contemporary congregation member.His book states that&nbsp;in June of 1840, two missionaries began the First Presbyterian Church. The two men had been sent to the area years before to preach to the Cherokee Indians; this was no longer necessary after the Indian Removal of 1838. Worship took place in a small log cabin.&nbsp; The first dedicated church was built in 1845. This church was used by several denominations in the area for worship during the period. This building was overtaken by the Union Army in 1863, where it became a makeshift military hospital. Much of the wood and decoration was stripped from the building to be used as firewood. The congregation continued to meet at private residences during this period.&nbsp; A small facility serviced the church from 1888 to 1910; at this point the church that currently stands on site was completed. The building was designed by Stanford White, an architect who followed American Renaissance aesthetics. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.&nbsp;</div><div> </div>

The First Presbyterian Church was founded in 1840, making it the first Christian Organization in Chattanooga. The congregation first met in a log cabin, though quickly outgrew the accommodations and built a dedicated church in 1845. During the Civil War, the church was used as military hospital. This usage ruined the vast majority of the building and a new building was constructed soon after. The building was opened in 1910 and services are still held at this historic location. 


First Presbyterian Church

The First Baptist Church was initially started in 1837. There are only two remaining artifacts from the initial construction of the building: a large church bell and a three piece communion service. During the Civil War the congregation opted to move the bell to another location and paint it Black to avoid it being melted down for scrap metal. The First Baptist Church was used by the Confederate and Union soldiers at different times during the Civil War. This greatly damaged the structure of the building. The church was completely rebuilt by 1895. However, with a growing congregation the church found they could no longer use the space from the original building. The congregation raised enough money to grow their space and construction on the First Baptist Church Educational Building was finished in 1929. The building, along with several others in the area, was designed by&nbsp;Reuben Harrison Hunt. His modeled the building off of the Romanesque style of the original. The original church was destroyed sometime before the 1980s.&nbsp; The building is still used today by the First Baptist Church. While the exterior remains the same, much of the interior has been updated and renovated to create more space for the growing congregation. The exterior continues to represent the work of a prominent architect from the Chattanooga area.&nbsp;

This educational building was built in 1929 following a large growth in the congregation of the First Baptist Church. The building was designed by Rueben Harrison Hunt, a prominent Chattanooga architect. The interior of the building continued to be remodeled as donations came in. The bell within the church was from the 1837 church. During the Civil War the bell was painted Black to hide it from soldiers. The building was renovated in 1999 and continues to be used by the church today. 

 The First Baptist Church Education Building

<div>When the first settler's arrived to the Chattanooga area, they called it Ross's Landing. Ross's Landing had one community building, a log cabin. This cabin was used as both a schoolhouse and a church from 1835 until 1847. In 1847, the city began to sell off all of the land, with the last parcel becoming available being called "Lot 10", the site of the log cabin. This lot was purchased by the&nbsp;Presbyterian Church.&nbsp; The congregation took down much of the original log cabin and built a church on the site. Construction cost over $3,000. The church became known as the "pepperbox" church because of the square shape of the belfry. The church was used up until 1863, when the Union Army began their occupation of Chattanooga. The Army used the site as a makeshift hospital and part time prison.&nbsp;&nbsp; After the war, the building was in terrible condition. It is thought that the army tore up much of the building to provide themselves firewood. After the Union occupation, the building was put up for sale. It was purchased by the the First Centenary United Methodist Church, the first independent, African American congregation in Tennessee after the Civil War. Soon after First Centenary began repairs on the building, it was destroyed by arson. In 1887 they rebuilt the church that now stands on the site.&nbsp;</div><div> </div><div>In 1978, the building was declared unsafe. The congregation raised money to restore the roof and reveal much of the interior woodwork.&nbsp;</div>

The lot that the Wiley Memorial United Methodist Church sits on was used by settlers as early as 1835. A log cabin was built on, what what known as Lot 10, which served as a schoolhouse and church. The First Centenary United Methodist Church began using the log cabin in 1842 and bought the land in 1847. They quickly built their own church on the site. In 1863, the Union Army occupied Chattanooga and used the building as a hospital. The building was destroyed by a fire in 1887. The First Centenary United Methodist Church, now called the Wiley Memorial United Methodist Church, has occupied the building since 1889. 

Wiley Memorial United Methodist Church

Reuben H. Hunt designed the&nbsp;Tivoli Theatre in the Beaux Arts architectural style. Hunt also designed many of the leading public and commercial buildings throughout Chattanooga. Much of the original tile work was done in terra cotta with beige and blue colors prevailing. When it was opened, the Tivoli Theatre was one of the first public air conditioned building in the United States. Many theaters during this period found that the air conditioning brought in larger crowds during the hot summer months. The theater features a Mighty Wurlitzer Pipe Organ which is still functioning today.&nbsp; The Theater was opened in March of 1921. The Theatre was first owned by ABC and was used to screen pictures and hold vaudeville acts. Various artists from Mae Murray to Louis Armstrong performed on the stage. The Theatre continued to do well until the 1950s when modern theaters began opening in the area. The last film that was shown was in 1961. The theater was then closed and reopened in 1963 as a cultural center with a focus on live performance.&nbsp; After the conversion in 1963, the building began to decline. The leaseholders allowed the building to be used by various acts as they came through the city. Realizing its history, Chattanooga purchased the building in 1976. After raising nearly seven million dollars over a decade, the Theatre closed for renovations in 1989. The Theatre is still open to traveling performers and is now the home of the Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra.&nbsp;

Known as the "Jewel of the South," the Tivoli Theatre opened its doors in 1921. The theater was designed by Reuben H Hunt and constructed by Rapp and Rapp. Hunt took deep inspiration from Tivoli, Italy using terra cotta brick and cream tiles throughout the space. The theater still includes the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ that was first used in 1924. The Tivoli was privately owned and leased until 1976 when the city of Chattanooga purchased the building. The Theatre closed for renovations in 1987 and reopened 1989. The Tivoli is now the home to the Chattanooga Symphony and frequently holds performances from touring acts. 

Tivoli Theatre

The Second Presbyterian Church was initially founded by a group of twenty-one&nbsp;people. The Second Presbyterian movement had been sparked after the civil war when many families found themselves displaced. This offshoot of the Presbyterian Church can be found throughout the south of the United States. As the congregation grew, they looked to create a new building for worship. They hired Reuben Harrison Hunt, a local architect, to create a new church. Hunt designed a Gothic Revival building with a full brick facade. Turrets and towers are major features of the building along with large windows. Hunt went on to create the vast majority of government and public buildings throughout the area. Second Presbyterian is the oldest example of his work and his most pure example of the Gothic Revival style.&nbsp; The Church has focused on empowering the urban community since the late 1930s. The congregation focuses its energy on creating health, family, and spiritual resources for the underprivileged. The undercroft of the church was originally used through the 1960s as a secondary shelter in emergency situations. However, as the need grew, Second Presbyterian allowed this portion of the building to become a homeless shelter.&nbsp;

The Second Presbyterian Church was founded in 1871 with a congregation of 21 people. As the following grew, a new building was designed by Reuben Harrison Hunt, a prolific Chattanooga architect. Hunt designed the building in a Gothic Revival style. Second Presbyterian continues to hold services work throughout the Chattanooga community. Since 1984, the basement of the church has functioned as a shelter for homeless men. 

Second Presbyterian Church

<div>Carver Memorial, a hospital for Negroes, opened on June 18, 1947, in the Old West Ellis Hospital Building. Named for George Washington Carver, this health-care facility is said to have been the first municipally-owned, tax-supported hospital in America which was staffed by Negro doctors, nurses and other personnel for the care of Negro patients.&nbsp; Use of the building was donated by M.B Finkelstein, a local attorney. When it became clear that he intended the building to be used as a "colored only" hospital, The Chattanooga Times wrote articles imploring their readers to donate whatever they could to the fund. During the 1945 renovation of the building, hospital officials held open houses to allow the public to see where their donations went.&nbsp;</div>The Carver Memorial Hospital was closed in 1962. The building no longer exists. The marker is located between the two-way traffic lanes, but easily accessible.

Opening in 1947, the Carver Memorial Hospital was the first municipally-owned, tax-supported hospital for African-Americans in America. The hospital took it's name from George Washington Carver in recognition of his contribution to science. The hospital initially opened its doors because of the contributions from local attorney M.B. Finkelstein and a call from The Chattanooga Times asking readers to make donations. Carver closed its doors in 1962. The original building was taken down to make room for new construction in the 1980s. A roadside marker about the hospital stands on the grounds of the now demolished hospital building.

Chattanooga Tennessee Walking Tour

Martin Hotel

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Additional Information