A quarter century ago, the magic of the Olympics lit up Chattanooga, Tennessee like a wildfire. It was common to see Olympic rowers, like Greek gods and goddesses, gliding in their shells along the Tennessee River. For three years, Chattanoogans watched these dynamic rowers transform from college graduates into Olympians.

The 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games brought these rowers to Chattanooga. Scores of them trained at the William C. Raoul Rowing Center from 1994-1996 and many local families opened their homes to support them. These families had a behind-the-scenes look at some of the challenges the athletes faced on their rise toward Olympus. One of those families were the Pattens, who opened their doors to many female rowers.

For the rest of the behind-the-scenes article, go to When the Olympics Came to Chattanooga.