The Manbottle Library
The Manbottle Library  :  Trivia  :  See Rock City  :  ANSWER

ANSWER


Miniature Golf

In the 1920's husband and wife team Garnet and Frieda Carter began developing the land on top of Lookout Mountain as a residential neighborhood to be known as "Fairyland". Like all good residential developments, it was to include a golf course. Unfortunately for the new residents, the golf course was well behind schedule. In an attempt to appease their restless new golfing residents, Garnet Carter decided he should set up a putting green. As he was designing it, he found he could make some interesting obstacles out of some of the leftover tile and sewer pipe laying around the construction sites. Add to that a collection of elves, gnomes, and fairies designed be Frieda Carter, who had a fascination with European folklore, and what began as a putting green soon became a full blown miniature golf course. Their "Tom Thumb Golf" became so popular they began franchising the courses across the country. By 1930 there were over 25,000 of them, but the fad quickly faded as the Great Depression set in. By 1932 Frieda had already moved on to their next project - Rock City Gardens, the attraction we know today from the once ubiquitous signs urging us to "See Rock City".

In case you were wondering... Clark Byers was hired by the Carters in 1935 to travel the countryside and paint "See Rock City" on the sides of barns, for any farmers who wanted their barns painted for free. He spent the next 35 years of his life traveling around the country, painting barns - over 900 of them, in 19 states and Canada. Clark Byers passed away Feb 19th, 2004. He was 89.

This week's question is dedicated to the memory of Clark Byers...



WHO GOT IT RIGHT:  JP Weigt, Ryan Scannell, Bob Milligan, Marc Quinlivan, Marika Thiessen, Iron Saul, Andie J, Peter Phelan, and Gary Clark.



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