East Ridge

Location: Bordered by Chattanooga to the west, north and east and Georgia to the south, East Ridge is the first Hamilton County municipality motorists encounter as they travel Interstate 75 from Georgia to Tennessee.

Size: 8.3 square miles.

Founded: 1921.

Population: 20,979.

Government: Mayor Brent Lambert, five-member City Council

Attraction: With its 275 acres of recreation fields, walking trails and performance centers, Camp Jordan has been dubbed "the pride of East Ridge." The sprawling park attracts tournaments for a range of sports including soccer and softball.

Schools: East Ridge and Spring Creek elementaries, East Ridge Middle School, East Ridge High School.

Famous native: Former U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp.

Fun fact: Anyone interested in the city's history can visit the East Ridge History and Archive at 1510 Tombras Ave.

"When I go into another store, people tend to welcome your business. It's not like you're another faceless person. There's a family kind of spirit."

- Dan Frix, bookseller at The Book Company

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