Everythingisuponagreatscaleuponthiscontinent.Theriversareimmense,theclimateviolentinheatandcold,theprospectsmagnificent,thethunderandlightningtremendous.Thedisordersincidenttothecountrymakeeveryconstitutiontremble.Ourownblundershere,ourmisconduct,ourlosses,ourdisgraces,ourruin,areonagreatscale.

           —LORDCARLISLE,TOGEORGESELWYN,1778

           ThemostimportantplaceinthesoutheasternUnitedStatesisadvertisedonhundredsofagingbarn-roofsacrossGeorgiaandTennesseeandupintoKentucky.Onawindingroadthroughaforestadriverwillpassarottingredbarn,andsee,paintedonitsroof

           SEEROCKCITY

           THEEIGHTHWONDEROFTHEWORLD

           andontheroofofatumbledownmilkingshednearby,paintedinwhiteblockletters,

           SEESEVENSTATESFROMROCKCITY

           THEWORLD’SWONDER

           ThedriverisledbythistobelievethatRockCityissurelyjustaroundthenearestcornerinsteadofbeingaday’sdriveaway,onLookoutMountain,ahairoverthestateline,inGeorgia,justsouthwestofChattanooga,Tennessee.

           LookoutMountainisnotmuchofamountain.Itresemblesanimpossiblyhighandcommandinghill,brownfromadistance,greenwithtreesandhousesfromupclose.TheChickamauga,abranchoftheCherokee,livedtherewhenthewhitemencame;theycalledthemountainChattotonoogee,whichhasbeentranslatedasthemountainthatrisestoapoint.