Published by the Lookout Mountain based photography studio, Hardie Bros., this charming and tidy album comprises a number of stunning views, less common among the Tennessee mountain's souvenir imagery. The...
Published by the Lookout Mountain based photography studio, Hardie Bros., this charming and tidy album comprises a number of stunning views, less common among the Tennessee mountain's souvenir imagery.
The Hardie Brothers operated the Point Lookout studio and gallery from 1889, when they leased it from previous owner George T. Linn (who subsequently opened a studio at Sunset Rock), until the late 1890s. During that time the brothers published two printed catalogs of photographs showing the Mountain's unique topography and breath-taking views.
Following the Civil War, Chattanooga's Lookout Mountain became a haven for tourism, particularly photographic. The combination of the location's then-recent military history and it's unusually dramatic (for the East Coast) scenery drew visitor's from far and wide. Many left with photographic "I was here" evidence shaping the public's view of the iconic Mountain. This of course drew photographers and entrepreneurs alike, seeking to build successful businesses and make their fortunes! By the end of the 19th century the mountain was home to numerous hotels, studios and businessmen, including Garnet Carter, the credited inventor of mini-golf, and attractions such as the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway.