Dear Hamilton,
The Bluff View Art District is my favorite place to visit in Chattanooga. I’ve fallen in love with its quaint European feel, scenic river views, and of course, all of the art! The district has been around since I moved to the city a decade ago, and I was wondering if you could tell me more about how it got its start.
Sincerely,
Art District Admirer
Rembrandt’s Coffee House (Photo Courtesy of the Bluff View Art District)
Dear Art District Admirer,
This Bluff View buff is here to help! I too have spent many a day meandering along the peaceful pathways of the art district, perusing sculptures, and partaking in a pastry (or two). The charming neighborhood has captured the heart of many a visitor such as yourself, but did you know that its history as a popular Scenic City site predates its time as an art district?
Bluff View Art District (Photo Courtesy of the Bluff View Art District)
Before it became the thriving tourist destination it is today, Bluff View was a residential neighborhood where some of Chattanooga’s most influential families built their homes during the turn of the 20th century. Residents included Coca-Cola magnate, George Thomas Hunter; Chattanooga mayor, T.C. Thompson; and other prominent family names such as Chapin, Faxon, Henson, Maclellan, and Martin. These affluent figures built stately residences atop the bluff, securing its status as a prestigious place to live.
Bluff View, 1906 (Photo Courtesy of the Chattanooga Public Library)
Its appeal was in no small part due to its location. Perched on stone cliffs high above the Tennessee River, Bluff View offers front-row seats to sweeping, scenic views. While Bluff View enjoyed decades as a notable neighborhood, the rise of suburbanization throughout the 20th century would cause it to lose this status.
In the early 1990s, however, its fate would change, thanks to the shared vision of Dr. Charles and Mary Portera. The couple reimagined and revitalized the historic neighborhood as the city’s first art district – the Bluff View Art District – by purchasing and renovating properties along High and East Second Streets. By the end of the decade, the neighborhood had transformed into a vibrant collection of local businesses dedicated to the visual and culinary arts, connected by gardens, courtyards, plazas, and pedestrian paths.
River Gallery Sculpture Garden (Photo Courtesy of the Bluff View Art District)
The district was designed to complement the art museums located on the bluff. Both historic sites in their own right, the Hunter Museum of American Art – whose Hunter Mansion was built in 1905 – and the Houston Museum of Decorative Arts – housed in a late-1800s Victorian house – offer Bluff View visitors even more local art and history to discover during their stay.
In 1992, the River Gallery became the first business to open in the newly established Bluff View Art District. Here, a diverse collection of fine arts and crafts are on display for visitors to peruse and purchase. A year later, the two-acre River Gallery Sculpture Garden was opened to the public. Certainly a must-see in the district, the garden has since been listed in the Smithsonian Institution’s Archives of American Gardens – quite the recognition, if I do say so!
To provide lodging, the Bluff View Inn – a bed and breakfast comprised of three restored turn-of-the-century homes – opened in 1993. The oldest of its residences is the Maclellan House, constructed in 1889 in the English Tudor style, and one of the last 19th-century buildings still standing on Bluff View. The inn also includes the T.C. Thompson House, circa 1908, and the Martin House, a 1927 Colonial Revival home.
Bluff View Art District’s Fountain Courtyard (Photo Courtesy of the Bluff View Art District)
These establishments were followed by two eateries, both opening in 1994. Located next door to the River Gallery, Rembrandt’s Coffee House began serving up beverages and a menu of soups, salads, and sandwiches, plus a mouthwatering lineup of desserts made in a neighboring pastry kitchen. Meanwhile, Tony’s Pasta Shop & Trattoria opened up in the former carriage house of the T.C. Thompson House and quickly became a popular local spot for classic Italian cuisine featuring fresh, handmade pasta.
Adding to its artisan offerings, the district opened Rembrandt’s Roasting Company and Bluff View Bakery in 2003 and 2004, respectively, supplying small-batch coffee beans and rustic breads to both customers and the district. Thanks to these businesses and the addition of a garden, visitors can delight in the rich scents of roasting coffee, baking bread, and fresh herbs.
Other locations in the district include the Bocce Court Terrace, C.G. Martin Sunroom & Patio, and Renaissance Commons, all of which now serve as private event venues for local gatherings and celebrations.
Today, tourists and locals alike flock to the Bluff View Art District to stroll its sidewalks, patron its businesses, and take in panoramic views. From its impressive residential beginnings to its development as a charming art district, it’s no question that the Bluff View has certainly made its mark as a beloved fixture in our beautiful – and historic! – city.
Hope this helps!
Hamilton Bush
Resident History Hound
Chattanooga, TN
