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Hilltop Neighborhood

Hilltop Neighborhood, Chattanooga

The Neighborhood

The Hilltop Neighborhood is one of Chattanooga’s oldest neighborhoods east of Missionary Ridge.

Originally settled in the 1800’s nestled on a hill between Dutchtown and Col. W.R. Crabtree’s “Belvoir” farm, it is a neighborhood which experienced significant growth during the early to mid 1920’s.

The Hilltop was developed in several efforts, almost all simultaneous, primarily including large developments Kelly Gardens, Lerch Place, and Belvoir Heights and smaller developments including Eastview, and Westview.

Beginning in the 1930’s these developments became known simply as “Hilltop.”

Neighborhood Association

The Hilltop Neighborhood Association (HNA) is a volunteer group of neighbors working to keep Hilltop connected, cared for, and heard at the city. Membership is open to any adult who lives within the neighborhood boundaries. General meetings are announced on the email list and in the neighborhood’s WhatsApp chat and Facebook group; ask a neighbor or email the association for an invite. The next general meeting is tentatively planned for January 2027.

Announcements

  • Bylaws open for comment. The revised bylaws were approved at the September 17, 2026 meeting, with the understanding that neighbors will have a chance to weigh in. An open comment period is coming; dates will be announced here and on the email list. In the meantime, read the bylaws (PDF) or add comments on the shared Google Drive copy.
  • Bylaws subcommittee forming. A subcommittee will be assembled at the next general meeting to keep refining the bylaws and respond to neighbors’ comments. If you’d like to join, email hilltopchattanooga@gmail.com or talk to Jenny Hogg or Tim Shipley.

Board for 2027

Elected September 17, 2026

President
Erin Mourier
Vice President
Jenny Hogg
Secretary
Peggy Russell
Treasurer
Joshua Miller
At Large
Chris Lovett, Bob Mitchell, Tim Shipley, Nathan Sharp, Shelby Wall
Historian
Jared Pickens

Meeting notes

Notes are posted after each general meeting.

Bylaws

New to Hilltop? Stay in the loop.

Join the email list to hear about meetings, events, and neighborhood news. Questions, concerns, or ideas are always welcome at the association’s inbox, and that’s also the place to ask for an invite to the neighborhood WhatsApp chat.

Around the Neighborhood

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Hilltop Neighborhood

History

  1. 1886

    Jacob Kellerhals purchases small dairy farm from Nicholas and Christina Sterchi East of Missionary Ridge near “Water Tower Ridge.”

  2. 1898

    A “thriving little hamlet” of mostly Germans is recognized as “Dutchtown” in the Chattanooga Daily Times. The Kellerhals and Lerch families were majority landowners in the area. The Kellerhals were originally from a locale near Bern, Switzerland and spoke German. The Lerch family originated from Germany.

  3. 1916

    Kellerhals Dairy Farm memorialized as key part of “Dutchtown” settlement in Judge Lewis Shepherd’s "Hamilton County Towns, Villages and Localities And Queer Facts About Origin of Their Names" in the Chattanooga Daily Times.

  4. 1919

    East View Terrace marketed as subdivision.

  5. 1921

    Belvoir Heights created and proclaimed as the first small tract sales of the Belvoir farm following Col. W.R. Crabtree’s death in 1920. The remaining portion of the farm would be subdivided in 1922 and is a part of the Belvoir Neighborhood.

  6. 1922

    West View first noted in local newspaper.

  7. 1924

    Jacob Kellerhals passed away following illness and it is determined that, due to having so many heirs, the family farm would be liquidated.

  8. 1925

    J.P. King Auction Company advertises the former Kellerhals Dairy Farm for absolute auction as “Kelly Gardens.”

  9. 1926

    Kelly Gardens and Belvoir Heights along with many other local neighborhoods including Olde Towne, Sunnyside, Dutchtown, Belvoir, and the Mission merged by popular vote. This new community of “Brainerd” was specifically created with the intent to be soon annexed by the city of Chattanooga.

  10. 1928

    The main thoroughfare along the crest of the hill separating Kelly Gardens and Belvoir Heights is shown in the Sanborn Fire Maps as titled “Hilltop Drive”. This road is first shown as “Fourth Street” in the 1914 Hopkins Map and between 1914 and 1928 as “Thompson.”

  11. 1929

    Brainerd officially annexed by the city of Chattanooga.

  12. 1930

    Due to extensive recent annexation initiatives, hundreds of street names were changed to reduce duplication and confusion. Many roads throughout the Hilltop Neighborhood are changed through this process.