While attending the Tennessee Antiquarian Book Fair last week, I made a good find that I couldn’t pass up. It was a locally-produced guide to Lookout Mountain, from 1892. Research shows this particular little guide is fairly rare, with no libraries in Tennessee currently listing it in their collections.
Hardie’s Illustrated Guide of Lookout Mountain was published in Chattanooga by the Hardie Brothers, who operated a photography studio on Lookout Mountain in the last 1900s.
Inside are over two dozen drawings (apparently taken from photographs) of various points of interest on and close to Lookout Mountain, such as Lula Falls (with an older spelling), and the old Point Hotel.
We are always looking for items of local interest, as this fits into our collecting scope. We hope to digitize all of the pictures from this small booklet sometime in the future. Come on by for a closer look!