Chattanooga Money

Post Card Chattanooga 1864

The Cherokee settled the Chattanooga area in the early 1700s. They named the area from a Cherokee phrase meaning "pointed rock," a term referring to Lookout Mountain. In 1816 John Ross, a Cherokee chief, established a trading post on the site, which became known as Ross's Landing. White settlement began in the late 1700s and accelerated rapidly in the 1830s. In 1838 the Cherokee were forcibly removed to the Indian Territory in present-day Oklahoma. This journey, known as the Trail of Tears, began in Chattanooga. About one quarter of the 16,000 Cherokee died from hunger, disease and exposure during the march.

Chattanooga was laid out in 1838, it grew as a river port and trading center. It incorporated as a city in 1839. As railroads were built, it became one of the South's major rail centers with connections north-south and east-west.

During 1862-63, Chattanooga became famous throughout the world. Its location in a border state with fine railroad and river facilities gave a strategic value far beyond many larger centers and the tide of war surged over the little mountain city. It was occupied successively by the opposing armies as the desperate battles fought in the near vicinity exposed the inhabitants to all the harrows of war. The postcard above, shows Chattanooga in 1864 when it had a population of about 2000.

  Authors, Preface, Credits & Contributors
  List of updates by version number
  Site Map or Table of Contents with links
  Chattanooga Banking Timeline
Seal from $20 counterfeit Union Bank Chattanooga Branch
Bk E TN G-126 $20 Bank of East Tennessee, Chattanooga branch 1854 - 1857
Train Bank of Chattanooga Obsolete Notes 1854 - 1861
Run on Bank Depression Scrip 1933 Chattanooga banks and businesses
Chattanooga Seal from $1.40 2-1-1854 scrip City Scrip
Ship vegnette from $1 Sir Walter Raleigh 11-10-1862 Merchant Scrip
RR Map Railroad Scrip
United Profit Sharing Coupon Coupons, Certificate & Advertising Notes
Image from Mountain City Mill Co check Chattanooga State Bank Checks
Seal of TN Chattanooga National Bank Notes & Checks
Chattanooga Tokens Chattanooga Tokens & Medals

We have added all of the Chattanooga tokens to the online Token Catalog. We will add any new Chattanooga tokens to the online catalog rather than add new tokens to this website.
  Prominent Buildings of Chattanooga 1886
Chattanooga Bluff Iron Furnace from Harper's New Monthly estimaged 1858 - 1860 Chattanooga Bluff Iron Furnace
  1889 Chattanooga Chamber Report (searchable)
  1892 Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce Business Advertisements

E-mail Questions or Comments