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Rock City will amaze you…it’s in our nature! Located atop Lookout Mountain, just 6 miles from downtown Chattanooga, Rock City is a true marvel of nature featuring massive ancient rock formations, gardens with over 400 native plant species, and breathtaking “See 7 States” panoramic views. Take an unforgettable journey along the Enchanted Trail where each step reveals natural beauty and wonders along the woodland path. Experience the magic of Fairyland Caverns and Mother Goose Village, visit one of our regional gift shops and dine at the Big Rock Grill. Rock City is splendid year-round –
“Each season there’s a new reason to visit!”
Community
Special Event Partnerships Other Community Involvement
As part of See Rock City (SRC) Inc.’s sustainability and community efforts, Rock City supports local businesses, organizations, and individuals using their talents and time in unique ways. As our event calendar has grown throughout the years, we have identified community partners for each event, focusing not only on financial support, but also on co-advocacy and public relations partnerships to enhance their visibility in our community.
In 2019 on our 87th anniversary, SRC announced the first hospitality and tourism institute in the district at The Howard School. This partnership with Hamilton County Schools/Future Ready Institutes includes a financial contribution totaling $250,000, as well as field trips, job shadowing, faculty touring, advisory roles and preferential part-time job availability for the students through 2022.
Rock City’s community partnerships include the following:
Special Events Partnerships
Shamrock City – Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA): During the month of March, guests at Rock City have the option of purchasing shamrocks to aid local families battling muscular dystrophy. SRC annually partners with MDA for its St. Patrick’s Day event Shamrock City and this year raised $3,000
EarthDayz – Orange Grove: Orange Grove is our business partner for recycling pickup throughout the year and we have also been a sponsor of their primary fundraiser which is a golf tournament that Rock City’s management team participates in. Additionally, we donate the change from all of our water features to the Center so their clients are able to sort and count the money; they then keep all of the donated change.
Southern Blooms Festival – Partnership with Children, Families & Adults: Family Connections Supervised Visitation Center: In addition to a donation, Rock City does two volunteer days at the center with our partners.
Summer Music Weekends – Lula Lake Land Trust (LLLT): We collect change donations for preservation of the LLLT and Rock City matches the donation amount from the duration of the event. We also work to support their outreach and community relations activities by promoting their events to visitors on the mountain.
Rocktoberfest – CHI Memorial Foundation: We donate a portion of each pink birdhouse sold to their scholarship fund, to aid students whose parents have battled breast cancer, as well as MEL’s Club – a program to go into area middle and high schools promoting breast cancer awareness to students. We also donate Rock City pink merchandise to many events including Volley for a Cure at Lee University, auctions, etc and participate in some of their pink events.
Enchanted Garden of Lights – Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of Greater Chattanooga: A portion of each ticket sold goes to RMHC, our longest standing community partner. We have consistently donated to them for over 20 years totaling almost $200,000.
Other Community Involvement
- Wings to Soar Falcon Release Program – A goal of repopulating this bird species to the Lookout Mountain area by annually releasing peregrine falcons from a hack box on our property where they’ve been prepared for life in the wild.
- Blood Drives with Blood Assurance
- Salvation Army – Our partners volunteer to take shifts to ring bells during the holiday season.
- The Salvation Army’s Citadel School of Music and Arts also held a performance at Rock City Gardens where the participating students were able to show off what they had learned from the program.
- Chattanooga Theater Centre sponsorship and partnership with various local theaters for actor auditions with each of our special events where performers are needed.
- Paid volunteer hours for partners
- Martha Bell Miller Scholarship – This annual award honors Martha Bell Miller and her legacy of portraying the beloved “Mother Goose” at the attraction, as well as recognizing a current partner of SRC for his or her educational efforts. In 2009, the scholarship committee at SRC made the decision to name the award after Martha Bell Miller, a lifelong educator and promoter of character and integrity, who dedicated her professional life to education. She worked as Mother Goose from 1983 – 2005, but her love of Rock City began on opening day in 1932 when she was one of its first visitors.
- Rock City Gardens partners with local artisans to bring art to the Enchanted Trail. Each piece is inspired by Rock City – the natural beauty and the “quieting of the spirit” effect – and each uses recycled and reclaimed materials.
- Isaac Duncan‘s Perched Raptor, the first permanent sculpture at the attraction and made of reclaimed steel.
- Roger Halligan‘s Iron Age, made of concrete and steel, is an installation influenced by the megalithic stone constructions found in the British Isles, France and Ireland.
- John Henry‘s Prometheus is an aluminum sculpture that weights 1,000 pounds and greets visitors at the entrance to the gardens.
- John McLeod‘s Elder Flame is a Native-American inspired piece made out of materials from the property.
- Michael Brandt‘s Invitation, a trellis at the end of the trail, made from reclaimed steel and a red oak that fell on the Rock City property.
- Jack Denton’s Villa Aviana means “house of birds” – the concept was based on the iconic See Rock City Birdhouse.
- Matthew Dutton‘s Maloria, Mother of the Wild installed in August 2016 adds a woodland, fairytale presence to the Gardens.
- Children’s Hospital at Erlanger – In 2017, SRC gifted $300,000 to the new Children’s Hospital at Erlanger Medical Center to design a secret garden tree house located on the second floor of the new building. It’s an area where patients and families can connect, engage and enjoy an inspiring outdoor experience.
