As I’ve learned more about the former caretaker’s that have lived here since the 1950s, I’d like to share a bit of what I’ve heard. The cabin was built in the 1950s with logs harvested from the property here at the base of Lookout Mountain. The cabin first served as the caretaker house when Harold and Marie Humphreys made Reflection Riding their home in 1958. They were very close friends of the Chambliss family who founded Reflection Riding in 1956. Here is a link to the history of the Humphreys House. Click on http://chattanooganaturecenter.org/www/docs/138.464/
I’ve posted a couple of historic photos, one showing John Chambliss standing out front and a black and white photo of ducks on the Upper Pond just across from the cabin.
Caroline Hudson, granddaughter of Harold and Marie, tells me that throughout the years beautiful flower beds have often dominated the front yard. There was even a small water feature where water pumped from the existing well house cascaded down a rock ledge which created a shallow pool before trickling into the creek below.
If you walk past the caretaker’s cabin now the remains of the spring house are still evident, now capped with a rounded shingled roof. I’ve seen photos made from the Humphreys House that include the caretaker’s cabin but have not see any that show the gardens or flowing spring. It must have been quite beautiful during the summer months.
Although the former manicured gardens are only a fond memory, the front yard still becomes quite popular among visitors and photographers come August when the Goldenrod and Ironweed are in full bloom. Hummingbirds can be seen daily darting back and forth like teeny tiny stunt pilots savoring the sweet nectar.
With this summer’s addition of my modest flowering garden I can only imagine what it must have been like in it’s full glory.
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