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The Passage: Honoring Chattanooga’s Cherokee History

Before Chattanooga was a city, this land was known as Ross’s Landing.

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(Video/Ian-Alijah Bey)

The Passage is more than just a tourist attraction—it’s a public art installation that honors Cherokee history and culture through water and ancient symbols.

The Passage stretches approximately 300 feet from 1st Street to the river and is composed of four distinct areas, each featuring its own water element. It begins at Aquarium Plaza and ends at the base of the stairway marked by seven symbolic water jets.

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The installation tells the story of American colonization and its efforts leading up to the Trail of Tears.


Contact Ian-Alijah at ian-alijah@chattamatters.com

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Author

Ian-Alijah is an experienced visual design artist with a background in video production and graphic design. He was born and raised in Chattanooga, where he grew a love for storytelling and cinematography. He served as a creative producer for Chattamatters from pre-launch in 2021 until 2026.