In 1950, many of the individuals involved in establishing the university in 1886 were memorialized on campus in a building name change. The structure known today as Founders Hall was completed 1916 and was called the Administration Building until 1950, when the Board of Trustees voted on a new name, recommended by then president David A. Lockmiller. Shortly afterwards, a plaque listing 36 of these early leaders, including university presidents, trustees, faculty, and benefactors was installed in the eastern entrance.

Since the 1950s, the observation of Founder’s Day has varied in name and consistency but has always been recognized as an opportunity to celebrate the university and those who are a part of it. A speech from the early 1960s explains, “Founder’s Day could be thought of as the University’s birthday party, a ceremony celebrating the official opening of the institution. It could also be thought of as a day set aside to recognize the founding fathers of the University.” Elsewhere, the purpose of Founder’s Day is given as a time “to recognize those who have labored to make the university what it is today.” In 1999, University Relations news coordinator Barbara Kennedy told the University Echo that the objective of Founder’s Day was “to bring everyone together – faculty, students, the administration, staff, alumni, and friends of the university…to celebrate our common purposes and renew our sense of community.” 

Beginning in the mid-2010s, Founder’s Day evolved into Founder’s Week, a multi-day affair with programming celebrating the university and its engagement with the larger Chattanooga community. Recurring events from past years include university participation in the United Way of Greater Chattanooga’s Day of Caring, a campus-wide food drive for Scrappy’s Cupboard, the Annual Service Awards Luncheon, and the Chancellor’s State of the University address. With such activities, Founder’s Week connects the university to its longstanding mission of achieving excellence and engaging with the surrounding metropolitan community. 

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As mass-produced, commercial objects, postcards’ value as historical objects has often been overlooked. “Greetings from Chattanooga! Postcards from the Scenic City,” Special Collections’ new exhibition, curated by student assistant Wyn Seay ’26, explores the use and history of postcards.

On display in the Library’s Roth Grand Reading Room (LIB 402) through August 2026, the exhibition features views of Chattanooga sites and attractions from the early 1900s through present day. Stop by to spy Rock City gnomes and learn about the many functions and meanings of postcards, as correspondence, collectibles, advertisements, mementos, and historical records.

The postcards, viewbooks, and stereographs selected for the exhibition were drawn from a wide range of holdings in the Chattanooga History Collections and Manuscripts Collections. Visit the Special Collections website to learn more about how you can access these and other cultural heritage materials.

Secondary sources consulted and recommendations for further reading:

Arreola, Daniel D. Postcards from the Baja California Border. University of Arizona Press, 2021.

Baker, T. Lindsay. Portrait of Route 66: Images from the Curt Teich Postcard Archives. University of Oklahoma Press, 2016.

Ferguson, Sandra. “‘A Murmur of Small Voices:’ On the Picture Postcard in Academic Research”. Archivaria no. 60 (Fall 2005):167-84. https://archivaria.ca/index.php/archivaria/article/view/12520.

Hausheer, Justine E. “How the Fallow Deer Took over the World.” Cool Green Science, August 2, 2021. https://blog.nature.org/2021/08/02/how-the-fallow-deer-took-the-world/.

Jozefacka, Anna, Lynda Klich, Juliana Kreinik, and Benjamin Weiss. The Propaganda Front: Postcards from the Era of World Wars. MFA Publications, 2017.

Marks, Ben. “How Linen Postcards Transformed the Depression Era Into a Hyperreal Dreamland.” Collectors Weekly, January 19, 2016. https://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/how-linen-postcards-transformed-the-depression-era/.

National Postal Museum.“The Growth of the Mail” in America’s Mailing Industry [Virtual Exhibition], 2016. Accessed August 11, 2025. https://postalmuseum.si.edu/exhibition/america%E2%80%99s-mailing-industry-the-united-states-postal-service/the-growth-of-the-mail.

Rock City. “Barn History.” Accessed August 11, 2025. https://www.seerockcity.com/barn-history/?_gl=1.

Smithsonian Institution Archives. “Greetings from the Smithsonian: A Postcard History.” Accessed August 11, 2025. https://siarchives.si.edu/history/featured-topics/postcard/postcard-history.

United States Postal Service. “Rural Free Delivery.” Postal History. Accessed August 11, 2025. https://about.usps.com/who/profile/history/rural-free-delivery.htm.

Vanderwood, Paul J. and Frank N. Samponaro. Border fury: a picture postcard records of Mexico’s Revolution and U.S. war preparedness, 1910-1917. University of New Mexico Press, 1988.

Watts Gallery Artists’ Village. “A short history of Stereoscopy.” Accessed August 11, 2025. https://www.wattsgallery.org.uk/explore-victorian-virtual-reality/a-short-history-of-stereoscopy.

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I am a history and classics double major. Along with being interested in classical literature and history, I have a strong interest in intellectual, political, and cultural history. I am a student working here at UTC and started working on the Tommie F. Brown papers at Special Collections in August, 2024. This collection contains vast documentation of Dr. Tommie F. Brown’s time as both a Professor here at UTC as well as her time spent as a legislator in the Tennessee State government.

One of the very interesting aspects of this collection is the campaign records and ephemera compiled during Dr. Tommie F. Brown’s long political career. The contents of this series range from district maps to more personal work done by Dr. Tommie F. Brown in her campaign like canvassing and community outreach. These zoning maps offer a breakdown of Chattanooga in terms of its voting districts. Volunteer records show the sheer amount of work required for community outreach in a political campaign. Canvassing from neighborhood to neighborhood as well as running phonebanks were the most common and all-encompassing forms of outreach. Furthermore, the immense financial and administrative work involved in running a political campaign can also be seen in these records.

Beyond the interesting nature that these documents hold, they highlight the important role of community engagement and support within American politics. A vast number of volunteers worked tirelessly, knocking on doors or calling phones in order to bring attention to the campaign and sway voters. Moreover, many trusted groups and organizations in the Chattanooga region stood behind and endorsed Dr. Tommie Brown in her many election bids.

Postcard created by the Tennessee Professional Fire Fighters Association endorsing Representative Tommie F. Brown

Just as important as the time and effort that Chattanoogans volunteered, donations were crucial in providing the financial capability to successfully run for office. Dr. Tommie Brown did much herself to earn the trust and support of her constituency. She often sent congratulation letters to those who registered to vote as well as letters encouraging constituents to exercise that right. In addition, Dr. Tommie Brown went from door to door herself canvassing with her many volunteers and held many community events where those in her district could make their voices heard.

In all, the compiled campaign records and ephemera part of the Tommie F. Brown collection offers a fun and introspective look into local American politics, in both the administrative requirements of a political campaign and the community driven work needed for such an endeavor.

Support for “‘One of the Black Legislators’: Providing Access to the Tommie F. Brown Papers” is provided by an Archival Projects grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

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Before I started as a student assistant at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s Special Collections, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. I had known of archival work and knew that the work is integral to preserving history and that I was very interested in the work archivists do, but as a junior majoring in Political Science: Public Policy, I wasn’t certain how closely this experience would align with my studies. That thought quickly came and went as I realized how much value it brought, both academically and personally. Working on the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) of Chattanooga records and researching the history of the WCTU showed me the powerful role women’s organizations have played in shaping policy and community support which is something that relates deeply with my field of study.

One of the most rewarding parts of the internship was learning how to transcribe historical documents. It quickly became my favorite task. It felt amazing to be able to read someone’s handwritten words that were written before I was alive! It gave me a deeper appreciation for the detail and care that goes into preserving history. At first I struggled with it as I had to relearn how to read cursive, after I relearned that skill I then had to try and understand other people’s cursive. While a bit difficult it was very fun; it felt like I was reading code. Alongside Woman’s Christian Temperance Union Working Girls Home charter of incorporation, 1889 December 5transcription, I also learned how to scan and edit documents and input detailed information into metadata records, something I had no experience with before this semester.

Detail from the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union Working Girls Home charter of incorporation, 1889 December 5

My favorite document that I scanned was an article discussing the Women’s Crusade, a protest that sparked the formation of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union. The article shows women wearing white bows and wielding axes, with these acts they are shown axing barrels full of alcohol.  The purpose of this action was to shut down saloons. This is my favorite as it shows women getting the job done. They believed in their cause and they acted on it after trying it the nice way at first, I loved to see an image of women taking actions into their own hands.

What stood out the most to me about this internship was the environment and the vast amount of knowledge. It was a place where people genuinely seemed happy in their work and invested in keeping history alive. This experience has confirmed for me that internships aren’t just about narrowing down your career, they’re also about discovering what kind of environments you thrive in and what kind of work truly excites you. This was an eye opening experience and I loved every moment of it. I look forward to using the skills I learned from this internship!

Description and digitization support for the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union of Chattanooga records collection was provided by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission distributed by the Tennessee Historical Records Advisory Board.

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At one time in the distant past, the Fireman’s Memorial Fountain on Georgia Avenue held alligators. It’s a strange piece of trivia that has been passed around Chattanooga for decades, right alongside the supposed hauntings of Read House Hotel and the bricked-up businesses below the city’s streets that comprise the Chattanooga Underground. Though only a few pictures of the alligators exist, they do exist, made all the more tantalizing by the mystery surrounding their origin. Last semester, the photograph shown above was discovered in the depths of the Paul A. Hiener photographs collection housed in UTC Library’s Special Collections. The photograph itself contained no explanation for the alligator’s presence. Why were there alligators in the Fireman’s Fountain? When? And how? Using a series of archived newspaper articles, these questions are answered in full for perhaps the first time in over a century.

Before we can talk about the alligators themselves, though, we must examine the circumstances of their origin. In 1898, the Oxley Zoo in East Lake Park opened to great fanfare from the public. The zoo boasted a myriad of animals throughout its existence–from deer, goats, and camels to lions, monkeys, and, yes, alligators. Yet all was not well; according to an interview with Commissioner J. H. Warner (of Warner Park fame!) in 1914, the zoo was operating at a loss of over $2,000 per year. The city had been downsizing the zoo since at least 1913 and elected to demolish it entirely in mid-1915. Yet what was to be done with the remaining animals?

Oxley Zoo, East Lake Park. Courtesy of the Chattanooga Public Library.

Enter the Fireman’s Fountain. It was constructed in 1888 as a memorial to two firefighters, William M. Peak and J. Henry Iler, who died in the line of duty. Somehow, it was determined that the small surrounding park (once it had been outfitted with fences and signs that read “DANGEROUS – KEEP OUT”) would be the perfect place for two alligators to make their home. City officials chose to place the alligators–nicknamed “Tom” and “Jerry”–in Fireman’s Fountain for their supposed ability to eat only once a year, making them very cheap to maintain. (This is untrue.) Around May 1915, custodians transferred the animals to the park alongside a snapping turtle, with whom they got into a fight en route. This was just the beginning of the alligators’ eventful half-year stay in the fountain.

Though I found no articles indicating the alligators ever escaped their enclosure or seriously injured anyone, the animals certainly had more up-close encounters with humanity than is wise. Children, whether they were fascinated by the fountain’s newest occupants or simply wanted to play in the water, purportedly climbed over the short fence often. Whenever the groundskeepers mowed the park, they had to work in pairs–one to trim the grass and one to keep the alligators away with a big metal stick. The city officials breathed a sigh of relief when the weather grew too cold for the alligators to stay outside and summarily moved them to brumate (a state similar to hibernation) in the furnace room of the Market House overwinter, much to the disappointment of Chattanoogan children. The alligators would return to delight the citizenry, the newspapers claimed, once a more palatable climate arrived in 1916.

Unfortunately, though, this was not to be. Tom and Jerry died on an unknown date and under mysterious circumstances. “Friends of the corrugated duo will be shocked to learn…[t]he bare, cold, stirring truth,” the Chattanooga News reported, “…that they either froze to death or were eaten by rats”. The brumating alligators, tucked away in a tray of warm water in the corner of the furnace room, had disappeared from the public eye and been forgotten until it was too late. “…[T]he poor alligators were soon the object of neglect, adding another possibility to the causi mortis, being that grief and loneliness gnawed away at their alligators hearts even more savagely than did the huge rats that infest the markethouse during the dark which gnawed away at their unprotected extremities”. Thus came about the end of the municipal alligators. No records resurfaced concerning the snapping turtle, either–but perhaps this was for the best. The city determined that a school of goldfish was more appropriate to populate the fountain basin…and the full story of the Fireman’s Fountain’s alligators faded out of memory.

“City Alligators Eaten Up by Rats.” Chattanooga News (Chattanooga, TN), Feb. 26, 1916.

Yet for those enterprising Chattanoogans who still wish to see alligators (especially those in far more appropriate habitats with adequate diets!), all is not lost! There are only two extant species of alligator and Chattanooga contains both of them. The Chattanooga Zoo has housed two Chinese alligators–nicknamed Finn and Rey–since 2010. Though Rey unfortunately died from cancer in 2023, the zoo has plans to acquire another alligator to try and create a breeding program for these critically endangered animals. Meanwhile, the Tennessee Aquarium’s Delta Country Alligator Bayou exhibit houses several American alligators alongside birds, turtles, and fish. The eldest alligator, José, lived a solitary life until 2015 when a dozen younglings were added, bringing the total to thirteen. Though Tom and Jerry are long gone, their legacy lives on, both in the lives of their distant relatives and in the hearts and minds of the city of Chattanooga.

References:

“City Alligators Eaten Up by Rats.” Chattanooga News (Chattanooga, TN), Feb. 26, 1916.

Cogswell, R. A. “Public Parks for the People of Chattanooga.” Chattanooga News (Chattanooga, TN), Mar. 26, 1910.

“Five-Foot Alligators Approve of New Home.” Chattanooga Daily Times (Chattanooga, TN), May 2, 1915.

“Glad Rats Ate Up Municipal Alligators.” Chattanooga News (Chattanooga, TN), Feb. 29, 1916.

Gore, Kate (Animal Care Supervisor at Chattanooga Zoo). Email message to the author, Nov. 20, 2024.

“In Winter Quarters.” Chattanooga Daily Times (Chattanooga, TN), Dec. 4, 1915.

“Lid is on Tight at Oxley Zoo.” Chattanooga News (Chattanooga, TN), Jan. 9, 1906.

“Oblivious to Hard Times.” Chattanooga Daily Times (Chattanooga, TN), May 7, 1915.

“Oxley Zoo Now Being Reduced.” Chattanooga News (Chattanooga, TN), Oct. 18, 1913.

Rainwater, Kendi A. “Tennessee Aquarium opens alligator exhibit in Chattanooga.” Chattanooga Times Free Press (Chattanooga, TN), Mar. 8, 2015. https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2015/mar/08/down-bayou-without-leaving-chattanooga-tennessee-a/.

“To Tear Down Zoo in East Lake Park.” Chattanooga News (Chattanooga, TN), Jun. 10, 1915.

“Untrue, Says Maj. Warner.” Chattanooga Daily Times (Chattanooga, TN), Sep. 24, 1914.

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