Rock City Celebrates 80

Rock City, a cultural and scenic capstone with endurance like few other tourist attractions, is celebrating its 80th anniversary. About 400,000 visitors annually come to see the 200-million-year-old rock formations, enjoy scenic vistas and walk among 400 native plant species on 90-minute self-guided tours along a stone path. On the site are a 100-foot high waterfall, a 1,000-ton balancing rock, a swinging bridge and the "fat man's squeeze" challenging visitors to maneuver between imposing boulders. For the youngsters, there are concrete gnomes, a rock climbing wall and statues of storybook characters. The 14-acre family-owned attraction atop Lookout Mountain, has survived the Great Depression, World War II, area pollution and the recent Great Recession.