Chapter 7, The Clifty Formation

The Clifty Sandstone forms the structural base of much of the downtown district. It is a Devonian shelf of white, crystalline beach sand that is only a few feet thick at most, but like the Chattanooga Shale, the town wouldn’t be anything like it is if this rock unit wasn’t here. Because it is tough and resists weathering and erosion, the shelf provides the flat surface below the bluffs that most of the downtown neighborhoods, including most of the business along Spring Street are built on.