On Wednesday and Thursday, November 8 & 9, 2006, Southern Living paid a visit to Chattanooga to see “Tennessee’s Grand Canyon” first hand. The two days were packed with action, interviews and the non-stop clicking of the camera. Various locations were visited and many stories recorded. John, the photographer, felt that the overcast afternoon on Wednesday set the perfect mood for taking photos of a junk yard that is to be cleared and restored in the upcoming year.

Next, we visited Baylor School. Dr. Dawn Richards taught class from the riverbank while many of her students did not hesitate to wade out into the river to get water samples and show how outdoor learning on campus is done. Baylor students were also on hand at the Harriet Tubman Homes where Dr. Henry Spratt, Education Chair for the Trust is leading a pilot project where high school students tutor elementary students about the importance of our local environment, the land and all of its inhabitants.

Our new friends from Southern Living stayed overnight at the beautiful and historic Pot Point Cabin. The fog that had settled on the river that morning made for some beautiful and unique shots as the sun broke through and exposed the Gorge inch by inch. After a cup or two of coffee and the staff photo shoot, we were ready to get started.

The bright and early troopers first to arrive were Katie Kilgore, age 10, Chandler Dillon, age 7 and Gabriel Collins, age 6, all students of the Department of Visual Disabilities. Ruth Holmberg and the students walked together along the “Bill Holmberg Trail,” this area’s first Braille trail. The students had the opportunity to show off their knowledge and enthusiasm of learning about the flora & fauna located along the trail.

As Nancy Dorman-Hickson, SL editor, explained how magazines tend to be very visual, recreational photograph opportunities were popping up everywhere! There were people hiking the Pot Point Loop Trail, cyclists zipping down River Canyon Road and boats galore out on the river.

The last shoot of the day was in front of the remains of the old school/church located at Shakerag. The Shakerag community was a former company town located in Marion County which was built in the 1880s for the families & workers of the McNabb Coal Mines. Lanny McNabb has collected many Shakerag artifacts over the years. Lanny posed with an old clock, and a table he brought from the original hotel located on site. 

Both days were packed full of excitement. We were sad to see our new friends leave, but looked so forward to seeing the Tennessee River Gorge Trust featured in the Tennessee Living Section of Southern Living in 2007!

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