Rock City

Despite its proximity to Nashville, this has nothing to do with music. It’s just rocks… but beautiful rocks placed there by a marvelous Creator!

Garnet and Frieda Carter owned the 700 acres on top of Lookout Mountain and planned for it to be a residential neighborhood called Fairyland. Garnet wanted to build a golf course but decided to build a mini-golf course instead to save time. He franchised the idea as Tom Thumb golf and it is known as America’s first mini-golf course. His wife Frieda wanted the property to be one giant rock garden and set up ropes along trails leading to Lovers’ Leap, planted wildflowers along the trails, set out some of her native German gnomes and other fairytale characters. Garnet realized that people would pay to see this “garden” and made it a public attraction in 1932.

And I have to say that I am glad he did! The rocks and waterfalls and scenery at Rock City are gorgeous and breathtaking!

          The birdhouse in this picture is just an example of the over 900 barn roofs in 19 states that were painted with “See Rock City” from 1935 to 1969.

       

When we got close to the falls there were two choice on how to get there. One is the rope bridge. We did them both…

       First the boring way…

Then the fun way…

It was quite the view from up there!

They claim you can see 7 states from the top.

 

  

Then it was time to go down and really see the falls…

   the rope bridge from below

       

This was the cavern that gave the place it’s original name. It was filled with fairytale characters from stories and nursery rhymes…

     I suppose if you don’t like gnomes, this place might give you the creeps. It’s a good thing I love them!

  

It was getting late but we still had one more place to visit on Lookout Mountain…