A few months ago I wrote this article about Terminal Brewhouse closing with the promise that I would talk more about the building it was in. This week were talking all about the Stong Building, if you’re planning on checking out Tailgate Brewing anytime soon you can wow your drinking buddies with these five facts about the building it’s in.



The Stong Building was once The Terminal Hotel



Built in 1910 the flatiron Stong Building originally housed the Terminal Hotel. The hotel was pretty spectacular at the time with steam heated rooms and an all hours cafe.



The Stong Building was once a “disorderly house”



Most people claim to have heard a rumor or legend that the Terminal Hotel was a house of ill repute but aren’t able to substantiate that. As always, when ya girl has questions I don’t stop until I find answers. H. C. Curtis was arrested a few times for keeping a disorderly house. Judge Fleming really didn’t appreciate his smart mouth jailing him more than once on contempt charges. Several women were arrested and charged with being inmates of a disorderly house and were examined and held for treatment at the social disease clinic in February of 1920. One of the porters was charged with procuring women for immoral purposes the same day. I don’t know about you, but to me that seems substantial enough to change it from rumor to a fun fact for Friday.



While still the Terminal Hotel the Stong Building was known as a “Bootleggers Lair”



The Terminal Hotel was raided in May of 1922. One of the porters was arrested while making a sale and told the officers he was furnished with the liquor and told to sell it by none other than our boy H. C. Curtis. 16 offenders were fined in the raid on different charges related to drunkenness.



The building was home to one of the first black owned businesses in Chattanooga



Chester Davis, a porter, used his tips to save up and buy the hotel. Along with his wife Mary they bought the property in 3 parcels. In 1944 they purchased the first section from Nathan & Abbie Green. In 1945 they bought the second from Samuel & Lula Price. They bought the final section from Elsie Price in 1959. They ran the hotel together until 1963 when they gave the hotel property to their children and grandchildren.



The building is on the National Register of Historic Places



The Stong Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. It was saved from demolition by local investors that were inspired by Glen Millers Chattanooga Choo Choo.