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The birth of the historic preservation movement in the United States is attributed to the formation of the Mt. Vernon Ladies Association in 1859, which was created to save the home of George Washington. It wasn't until the 1960s that the concept of historic preservation expanded to include groups of people working toward the preservation of groups of buildings representing a sense of time and place in American history.
Though the Chattanooga area played a significant role in Native American history, the existing built environment in Chattanooga dates from after the Civil War. According to the Tennessee Historical Commission, Chattanooga has 88 properties on the National Register of Historic Places, the federal government's list recognizing historic and architectural significance. Of the 88 listings, 15 are historic districts (representing approximately 2,500 total structures (2,100 being residential properties).
The popularity of historic preservation has directly influenced the economic revitalization of downtown. Within the last 15 years, Chattanooga has reinterpreted itself by consciously planning and encouraging new construction, embracing new urbanism, incorporating adaptive reuse of historic structures and scheduling fun events for people to enjoy the heart of the city. |
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