I'm still standing by tennesseecowgirl

Photography • Historical • posted on Jul 27, 2010

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Description

Rock City is an attraction in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The barns were painted as an advertisement to attract people to come and visit. There were originally 900 of these barns painted in over 19 states with the most being in Tennessee, sadly today many of them have fallen down, or been torn down for developement. I have captured some in my area, and I love coming across them. This one I took a few weeks ago when I went to visit family. And the others below are some I have found in my area, my goal is to find as many of them that are still standing, lol I think I just got my title for this one. To read more or visit the web site see below. History: By the time the Civil War reached the slopes of Lookout Mountain, more and more people had discovered what was already being called "the Rock City." During the famous battle of Lookout Mountain, both a Union officer and a Confederate nurse speculated in separate diary entries that one could see seven states from atop the summit. Rock City remained well known to hikers and geologists throughout the latter portion of the 1800's, but it would take the dawning of a new century before the fabulous Rock City would reach its full potential. Rock City officially opened as a public attraction on May 21, 1932. It got off to a slow start, because advertising in those days was difficult; especially since Carter's mountain-top attraction was not located in a place that people would just happen to be passing by and take notice. It was at this point another brilliant idea of Carter's was born. He enlisted the help of a young sign painter named Clark Byers, who was hired to travel the nation's highways and offer to paint farmer's barns in exchange for letting them paint three simple words: See Rock City. The distinctive black-and-white signs appeared as far north as Michigan and as far west as Texas. The advertising soon began to produce the desired effect and, by the close of the 1930's, more travelers than ever had seen Rock City Gardens. In 1936, Garnet Carter began his famous barn roof advertising campaign to lure vacationers from the highways. By the 1950's Clark Byers had painted "See Rock City" on 900 barn roofs from Michigan to Texas. For more on this: click here

See seven states from Rock City

Have you seen Rock City?

To miss Rock City would be a pity.

Rock City Barn

Comments (103)

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trishabadblood

8:41PM | Tue, 27 July 2010

very well done... fantastic shot...

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mgtcs

9:26PM | Tue, 27 July 2010

Fantastic captures, great perspective, very well done!

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Blush

9:29PM | Tue, 27 July 2010

Great capture sis I can remember these signs painted on barns when I was a little girl You don't see as many now.......I wish they still done this I thought it was so neat........every now and then will run across one But not a lot....... Love this and its a fav......had chemo early today Not feeling good now.....got to get off now Love the image Hugs Your sis Susan~

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Minda

10:13PM | Tue, 27 July 2010

Beautiful Capture lynell.

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jocko500

11:01PM | Tue, 27 July 2010

this remind me of a place here in town that had a barn painted with they name on it ... for years i thought the owner painted his last name on the bard with a cajun image of a shimp boat and other stuff too. I just learn last year it was a ad for this place of eats...cool shot here. Wish i took a phot of that barn. i do not know if it still standing?

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alessimarco

11:15PM | Tue, 27 July 2010

OMG, I think I have seen every one of those! Fantastic captures of this bit of Americana! Rock City is one of the greatest places in the wold to take kids!

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ssteph

11:43PM | Tue, 27 July 2010

Interesting facts and photo

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KataPan

11:59PM | Tue, 27 July 2010

Great capture! Superb!

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brewgirlca

12:45AM | Wed, 28 July 2010

That's a project well worth doing. So much history simply gets lost because of neglect and no one thinks to document it. Your eye for landscape makes you a natural for this work. It would make a lovely gallery project; and I know that for sure because it is part of my profession.

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