The Walnut Street Bridge is one of Chattanooga’s most beloved public places. Built in 1890, the bridge has stood the test of time, a symbol and connection to some of Chattanooga’s most proud and more troublesome times. Once the bridge was closed to cars in the late 1970s, it remained closed and forgotten for nearly a decade until a group of private citizens raised over $10 million for its renovation and reopening as a lateral park that connected Chattanooga’s south and northside.