A fortification during the Civil War, Fort Wood was constructed by the Union Army in 1863. The National Park Service has placed several war-era cannons in the neighborhood.[1] In the 1880s, the fort and surrounding land was auctioned off. In time, Fort Wood became one of Chattanooga's finest residential neighborhoods. Large, fashionable homes soon appeared in the Queen Anne, Tudor Revival, and Romanesque Revival styles.
Fort Wood's revitalization began with the Warner House at the corner of Vine and Palmetto Streets. Also, the City Council gave the Fort Wood area statutory zoning protection and many more houses were under renovation. Today, many of the homes in Fort Wood have been converted into apartments. Indeed, student apartments in this area are highly sought after by UTC students who wish to live off, but close to, the campus.
Z.C. Patten House (1892), known to most UTC students as "Patten House", home of the Alumni Affairs Department. Also notable are the two Civil War-era cannon on the front lawn.