Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park present artillery firing demonstrations

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, Tenn. (WDEF) — Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park presented artillery firing demonstrations this Saturday inside Point Park, up on Lookout Mountain.

“The National Park service itself has been doing a lot of these demonstrations since the 1960s and I’ve been involved in here 25 years, and we’ve been doing them since then here at Point Park… So, it’s been a while,” said National Park Service Ranger, Lee White.

While the cannon was the main attraction at point park, National Park officials had a little history lesson for those who attended to learn more about how important Chattanooga was during the Civil War.

“President Abraham Lincoln even said that the Battle of Chattanooga was just as important as the Battle of Richmond because of the railroads, and that is why the history of Chattanooga is so important,” said White.

People come from all over to visit the naturally beauty of Chattanooga, but many don’t realize the vast history behind Chattanooga and its importance during the Civil War.

“We tend to forget what’s in our backyards, but we’re so fortunate here in this area to have places like this, you know the hiking trails, the nature of the history, a whole lot that appeals to just almost anybody and it’s in our own backyards,” said White.

If you missed out on today’s experience, don’t worry, because the national park services hold these types of events a few times a year and you can find out when the next one is at the Chattanooga National Military Park website.