National Register of Historic Places

Lookout Mountain Incline Railway

Chattanooga, Hamilton County, Tennessee
Listed
April 25, 1973
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
73001774

About this property

The Lookout Mountain Incline Railway is a 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge inclined plane funicular railway leading to the top of Lookout Mountain from the historic St. Elmo neighborhood of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Passengers are transported from St. Elmo's Station at the base, to Point Park at the mountain summit, which overlooks the city and the Tennessee River. It is just a short drive to three of Chattanooga's main tourist attractions, Ruby Falls, Cavern Castle, and Rock City. It obtained Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark status in 1991. The railway is approximately one mile (1.6 km) in length (single-track except for a short two-track passing loop at the midway point, allowing operation of two cars at one time). It has a maximum grade of 72.7%, making it one of the world's steepest passenger railways. The Incline Railway is a well-known Chattanooga landmark; the railway has been depicted in numerous regional and national publications, including being on TV, most prominently on Larry the Cable Guy's Only in America with Larry the Cable Guy in February 2011. The railway is one of the main tourist attractions in the Chattanooga area, totaling over 100,000 visits annually. The top station features an observation deck and a gift shop.

Location

Chattanooga, Hamilton County, Tennessee
35.00848, -85.33394

Categories

ENGINEERINGTRANSPORTATIONENTERTAINMENT/RECREATION
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Lookout Mountain Incline Railway

This page lists Lookout Mountain Incline Railway. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Lookout Mountain Incline Railway report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Cravens-Coleman House
Industrial
0.5 mi
St. Elmo Historic District
Listed
0.7 mi
Lookout Mountain Caverns and Cavern Castle
Listed
0.8 mi
Wauhatchie Pike
Civil War
1.2 mi
Chattanooga Plow Power House
Industrial
2.3 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Lookout Mountain (Battle Above the Clouds)
1863Civil War
0.6 mi
Lookout Mountain Battle
1863Civil War
0.6 mi
Battle of Lookout Mountain — Lower Slopes Fighting
1863Civil War
0.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was Lookout Mountain Incline Railway listed on the National Register?

Lookout Mountain Incline Railway was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 25, 1973.

What type of historic resource is Lookout Mountain Incline Railway?

Lookout Mountain Incline Railway is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Lookout Mountain Incline Railway?

The period of significance for Lookout Mountain Incline Railway is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Lookout Mountain Incline Railway?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Lookout Mountain Incline Railway will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Hamilton County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Hamilton County.

Explore HamiltonCounty ›

More historic places in Tennessee

Browse all historic places in Tennessee.

View Tennesseehistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Tennessee history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Tennesseehistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Lookout Mountain Incline Railway will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report