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Chattanooga, Tennessee, Is Now the First National Park City in North America

Chattanooga joins London and Adelaide to become one of a handful of national park cities on Earth. Read on to learn what that means.
ByCaLea Johnson|
There’s a new reason to visit Chattanooga.
There’s a new reason to visit Chattanooga. | larrybraunphotography.com/GettyImages

Whether you’re facing too much stress or just need some exercise, getting fresh air goes a long way. Some U.S. cities have more green spaces than others, but none has been declared a national park city until recently. According to Smithsonian, Chattanooga has officially become the first North American city with the title. 

The southeast Tennessee city received recognition from the National Park City Foundation, a London-based organization dedicated to reimagining cities as national parks. Although the definition of national park cities differs worldwide, the foundation describes them as places where people have a “better relationship with nature, culture, and heritage.” Chattanooga earned the title thanks to its environmental initiatives, including its water conservation and wastewater infrastructure improvements, as well as its plentiful green spaces. 

The city shared in a statement that the journey toward becoming a national park city began in 2023. Businesses, residents, leaders, and nonprofits banded together, helping the city of Chattanooga earn over 5600 signatures of support toward the initiative. Officials then created a national park city charter and submitted a journey book detailing the work that had gone into improving and beautifying the city. Such efforts included introducing more outdoor recreational activities to its neighborhoods and supporting sustainable agricultural practices.

National Park City Foundation members then visited Chattanooga to assess it in person and were charmed by the community’s dedication. The Tennessee city has come a long way; the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (the precursor to the Department of Health and Human Services) declared it the most polluted city in the country in 1969.  

Chattanooga is the only national park city in the U.S., but it’s not the first in the world. London first claimed the title in 2019, and Adelaide, Australia, became the second in 2021. Other nominated places include Breda in the Netherlands and Glasgow in Scotland. 

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