"W" Road

Historic road in Hamilton County, Tennessee, US W road (disambiguation)W road "W" Road W Road.JPG One of the hairpins of the "W" W Rd. from Spring St. east 0.4 miles, Walden, Tennessee Location in Tennessee##Location in United States < 1 acre 1892–93 March 19, 1999 990002772025a The "W" Road is a road in Hamilton County, Tennessee, that connects the city of Chattanooga with the town of Walden, located on top of Signal Mountain. The roughly 3 mi km on road receives its name from three hairpin turns near the road's crest on Walden Ridge that resemble a W from above.Idzior Bryanna Residents voice concerns over W Road on Signal Mountain Wednesday Fox Chattanooga October 28, 2021 https://foxchattanooga.com/newsletter-daily/residents-voice-concerns-over-w-road-on-signal-mountain-wednesday October 9, 2026 Originally a trail used by American Indians to hunt on Walden Ridge, it was converted to a turnpike to connect farmers with Chattanooga markets. General Ulysses S. Grant traveled on the road on his way to take command of Union forces in Chattanooga during the Civil War. After the war, the turnpike became the main artery connecting Chattanooga with seasonal residences on Walden Ridge, and it was regraded and expanded into its current path in 1892–93 and paved in 1927. The "W" Road was the primary route connecting Signal Mountain with Chattanooga until the completion of Taft Highway in 1935. The "W" segment of the road is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. History thumb|A 20th-century postcard shows the paved "W" Road. The "W" Road began as one of a series of trails used by American Indians to hunt deer, turkey, grouse and bear on Walden Ridge. The trail passed through Roger's Gap at the crest of the ridge. Following the Cherokee removal, white settlers began moving into the Chattanooga area. After farmers in the Sequatchie Valley sought a new route to transport goods to Chattanooga, the Tennessee General Assembly in 1840 authorized a turnpike, called Anderson Pike, to use the Roger's Gap route.Robbins Mickey Robbins: Signal Mountain's 'W' Road has gone from Indian route to war cog to beautified road today Chattanooga Times Free Press January 2, 2021 https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2021/jan/02/robbins-signal-mountains-w-road-hgone-indirou/ https://web.archive.org/web/20240919203030/https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2021/jan/02/robbins-signal-mountains-w-road-hgone-indirou/ 19 September 2024 October 9, 2026 The Connor Toll House was built at the crest of the road in 1858 to collect tolls.https://npgallery.nps.gov/pdfhost/docs/NRHP/Text/77001273.pdf National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form npgallery.nps.gov August 12, 1977 After the Union defeat at the Battle of Chickamauga in 1863 and the Union forces' subsequent retreat to Chattanooga, Ulysses Grant—ordered by Abraham Lincoln to take command of troops in Chattanooga—traveled from the Sequatchie Valley to Chattanooga over the Anderson Pike, the only route into Chattanooga not controlled by Confederate forces. In his memoirs, Grant described the road as almost impassable due to mud and washouts; Grant's horse slipped and fell while descending the road. At that time, the road had only a single hairpin curve near the top. The turnpike near the summit was a corduroy road composed of logs. In the 1870s, a series of yellow fever epidemics in Chattanooga drove seasonal home and hotel development on Walden Ridge as city denizens sought relief from summer humidity and disease. The Anderson Pike was the route used by these seasonal visitors. With more traffic, authorities built a new road in 1892–93 at the expense of $11,000 11000 1893. The road was surfaced with dirt until gravel was laid down in 1911.The History of Walden’s Ridge and the W Road CityScope Magazine https://cityscopemag.com/city-scope/the-history-of-the-w-road/ October 9, 2026 This road included the "W" at the top for the first time. The "W" segment was rebuilt and widened in 1927. This project widened the road to 20 ft m and the switchbacks to 15 ft m, paved it for the first time, installed new drains, and built new stone retaining walls on the downhill side of the road.https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/5984d58d-4a3c-4f87-97e4-2828009bc95f National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form npgallery.nps.gov March 19, 1999 The William Howard Taft Highway (U.S. Route 127) was completed in 1935; the new highway provided a straighter route from Chattanooga to Walden via Signal Mountain.Robbins Mickey History of Anderson Pike and the W Road McCoy Farm & Gardens May 15, 2023 https://mccoyfarmandgardens.com/2023/05/history-of-anderson-pike-and-the-w-road/ October 9, 2026 Travel The road remains one of three routes connecting Walden Ridge with Chattanooga. The Taft Highway (Route 127) and Roberts Mill Road provide alternative routes when the "W" Road is closed due to winter weather, rockslides or other obstacles. Vehicles on the road are limited to 22 ft m in length. Preservation The "W" segment of the road has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1999. References Category:National Register of Historic Places in Hamilton County, Tennessee Category:Roads on the National Register of Historic Places in Tennessee Category:Transportation in Chattanooga, Tennessee