More Than Just Ads: The Story Behind Chattanooga’s Billboard

Have you ever been driving along at Chattanooga, perhaps over the ridgecut or along the river side and actually noticed the billboards? We have been surrounded by them and they are always ready to sell us something. But pause and reflect upon these great signs, and you will find them mute narratives of our city.

Chattanooga is not a one-level, straight-road type of town. Our highway winds about with the hills and bends along the river. It implies that you find billboards everywhere around here, which attract your sight only a few seconds. Moment may be a strong thing. Chattanooga billboards have been not just selling since automobiles have been rolling in. They have been hosting visitors, cheering local children, and were a part of having this place as their home. We will turn the clock back, and what do these signs have to tell us?

The Friendly Guides of the Open Road

Picture this: it’s the 1930s or ’40s. Your family is going out in the car on a road trip. There’s no GPS, no smartphone. Where do you discover the wonderful, secret views that everybody is talking about? You sought them in the signs on the barns.

The original Chattanooga billboards were so helpful, they directed the way, before they were to big business. The artists would create beautiful and simple signs on the sides of the old barns and the wooden posts. Their messages were definite and promising:

• See Rock City: This sign was painted on what seemed to be every other barn between here and Michigan, and it was an invitation to the top of the Lookout Mountain to see something wonderful.
• “Ruby Falls”: This sign was an enticement of a fantastic, underground waterfall that was deep within the mountain.

— See Seven States:– It was the final touch, and a perspective of a mountain peak made the music of the eighth wonder of the world.

These signs weren’t annoying. They built excitement. To the families going down a dusty road, it was off to the real thing when they saw that well-known See Rock City painting. They were the first map, showing generations of tourists where our natural beauty has placed our city on the map.

Becoming the City’s Bulletin Board

As time went on and interstates like I-24 and I-75 carved their way through the mountains, Chattanooga became a major crossroads. The billboards got bigger and brighter, sure. But something neat happened—they started talking to us, the people who lived here.

Long before we could check our phones for scores, how did you know if the Red Bank Lions won their big game? Often, it was a billboard, proudly sponsored by a local car dealership, that told you the next morning. They became our community bulletin board.

Think about the signs you might see today:

• A message congratulating the Tyner Rams on a state championship.
• A cheerful “Happy Thanksgiving, Chattanooga!” from a local bank.
• That simple “Welcome to Chattanooga” sign that just feels good to see when you’re coming home from a long trip.

These symbols gave the impression of community. They demonstrated that all the businesses in town were not interested in sales; they were interested in us. They took part in our pride and our celebrations. This is the element of personal touch that began to differentiate the Chattanooga billboards. They were not another impersonal advertisement, but seemed like it was one of the neighbors.

The Digital Shift: A Two-Sided Curse.

It is impossible to discuss billboards nowadays without referring to the digital revolution. Everywhere are those large, flashy electronic screens that are able to flash their message to you. For advertisers, it’s a dream. A single location can be used to sell coffee in the morning, pizza during lunch, and mattress store at night.

However, in the case of many of us it is a mixed bag. It is reassuring to be familiar. And what about that worn out, faded out sign pointing to a burger shop that you have been passing by all this time? It’s a landmark. It is rather monotonous, and it is its beauty. That is impossible with an electronic signature. The message it conveys is never stationary, it is in constant motion.

And to be fair, the flashing lights are a bit distracting at times when you are making a devious merge. Our city is still having a conversation about it. What is the solution to the new technology and the comfort of the old? It is a tale of the times, literally. The new digital Chattanooga billboards are merely the sequel to the story.

An Indelible Scar on the Picturesque City.

And what does that have to do with the signs that are so simple? This is because they have grown with us. They have been there all along the way. They took your grandparents to Rock City, cheered your mom at a high school basketball game and now they may be telling you about a new downtown restaurant.

The narrative of Chattanooga billboards is actually the narrative of us a city of gorgeous scenery, proudly populated communities and continual transformation. They are an uncomplicated, mighty fragment of our daily existence that has very quietly informed how individuals perceive our house.

The next time you are on the road driving, look around. You’ll see more than just an ad. You will be able to see some of the history of Chattanooga, a gesture of our spirit of community, and an insight into our future, all displayed on the walls so that anyone can get a peep at it.