What was happening in Chattanooga in 1961?
Saturday, December 16
The Chattanooga Civitan Club on Friday officially opened its Fruit Cake Store at 728 Market Street. Cakes will be sold from noon unto 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, December 23. The club hopes to sell 15 tons of fruitcake this year. Proceeds from the sales will help support a dozen charities. The club has already sold some 18,000 pounds.
Sunday, December 17
A total of 48 garden clubs here have entered the annual Christmas Lighting contest sponsored jointly by the Chattanooga Times, the Electric Power Board and the Electric League, it was announced Saturday.
Monday, December 18
Civil Defense and Red Cross rescue workers were sent into action early Monday morning to evacuate families from their homes as a record breaking December rainfall continued. The U.S. Weather Bureau reported 12 inches of precipitation here during the first 17 days of December. U.S. Highways 11 and 27 were reported covered with two feet of water in places.
Tuesday, December 19
A 425,000-pound nuclear reaction vessel, described as the largest of its type ever built, on Tuesday was loaded at the Tennessee River terminal of Combustion Engineering, Inc., for the long trip to Italy to the Selvi (Societa Electronucleare Italiani Companies).
Wednesday, December 20
The Chattanooga Kiwanis Club recommended Tuesday the immediate creation of a charter commission to study metropolitan government for Hamilton County, which would result in better, more efficient and more economical government.
Thursday, December 21
Incoming and outgoing mail through the Chattanooga postal system for the first 19 days of December showed an increase of 7.3 percent over 1960, official figures released through Postmaster O.M. Spence’s office revealed.
Friday, December 22
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began a survey Wednesday to determine ways of easing future flood threats along Spring Creek in East Ridge.