The first wrecker truck was invented in Chattanooga in 1916 by Ernest Holmes, who fitted a chain hoist to a 1913 Cadillac after spending eight hours righting a friend's car in a creek. The industry that grew from that moment has its trade association, hall of fame, and a substantial museum here.
Polished tow trucks from every era line the floor, alongside the surprisingly moving Wall of the Fallen for tow operators killed on the job and a brass diorama of a man pulled from a sinking car. Niche, but well-presented and unexpectedly absorbing.