Snacking Good Time
By Four Walls
@FourWalls (62389)
United States
September 19, 2023 9:21pm CST
Darn all my rotten luck! The worst time for a picture glitch! I need to post a photo of this because you might not believe it! 
I’m in Chattanooga tonight on a “quickie” trip (I’ll be home, hopefully, by Friday night). My stop after I checked in was the Little Debbie Park at Collegedale.
McKee Foods is headquartered in Chattanooga, and that’s where O.D. McKee started his brand of snacks in the early 60s. “Little Debbie” was his at-the-time four-year-old granddaughter, and the little girl in the straw hat logo is modeled after her.
McKee Foods was concerned about the expansion in Chattanooga, so in 2021 they donated land to the city of Collegedale (a suburb) for a park. And oh, what a park it is!
The “Little Debbie Park” is just part of a more expansive area that is simply a delight to walk through. The Little Debbie area has oversized recreations of popular snack items like the oatmeal cream pie (they were my dad’s favorite), brownies, and Nutty Buddy wafers. There’s a bronze statue of Debbie at the entrance to that portion of the park, with a serving tray filled with snacks that are sadly also bronze.
The park was such a delight to walk through. Features included swings (including the kind adults can sit in and enjoy the evening), a kid-sized zip line (maybe 15 yards long), a hill where children were gleefully rolling down then climbing back up, and something I haven’t seen in a playground in eons: a sandbox.
Wow, that was a fun trip!
I’m in Chattanooga tonight on a “quickie” trip (I’ll be home, hopefully, by Friday night). My stop after I checked in was the Little Debbie Park at Collegedale.
McKee Foods is headquartered in Chattanooga, and that’s where O.D. McKee started his brand of snacks in the early 60s. “Little Debbie” was his at-the-time four-year-old granddaughter, and the little girl in the straw hat logo is modeled after her.
McKee Foods was concerned about the expansion in Chattanooga, so in 2021 they donated land to the city of Collegedale (a suburb) for a park. And oh, what a park it is!
The “Little Debbie Park” is just part of a more expansive area that is simply a delight to walk through. The Little Debbie area has oversized recreations of popular snack items like the oatmeal cream pie (they were my dad’s favorite), brownies, and Nutty Buddy wafers. There’s a bronze statue of Debbie at the entrance to that portion of the park, with a serving tray filled with snacks that are sadly also bronze.
The park was such a delight to walk through. Features included swings (including the kind adults can sit in and enjoy the evening), a kid-sized zip line (maybe 15 yards long), a hill where children were gleefully rolling down then climbing back up, and something I haven’t seen in a playground in eons: a sandbox.
Wow, that was a fun trip!15 people like this
15 responses
@Deepizzaguy (94815)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
20 Sep
Thank you for the explanation of where the name "Little Debbie" came from since I figure that the name of the meals came from a real life person.
4 people like this
@FourWalls (62389)
• United States
20 Sep
A lot of food companies were named after real people. Little Debbie’s namesake still lives in the Chattanooga area, from what the desk clerk at my hotel told me.
4 people like this
@Deepizzaguy (94815)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
20 Sep
@FourWalls That is true since Wendy was named after the daughter of the late founder of the company Dave Thomas. I did not know that the namesakes of Little Debbie is still around.
2 people like this
@AmbiePam (85660)
• United States
20 Sep
I do wish we could see pictures of that. I had been able to post pictures by repeatedly posting and deleting it until the phot finally “took”. Now, I can’t even do that, because as soon as you hit submit, you get a run time error. It makes me sad this site is having problem after problem.
However, you describe the park like a pro! I had no idea something like that existed, but it sounds great.
3 people like this
@FourWalls (62389)
• United States
20 Sep
I’d donate my earnings to help get the site fixed.
It’s a great idea for the park and a fitting tribute to the company and its roots.
3 people like this
@jstory07 (134529)
• Roseburg, Oregon
20 Sep
@FourWalls I would do the same thing.
2 people like this
@snowy22315 (170366)
• United States
20 Sep
That sounds really cool. The more you hear about things in this country...the more you realize just how amazing the US really is. I would love to take the summer and just travel around sometime.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (170366)
• United States
21 Sep
@FourWalls I have been to all the states with the exception of Mississippi and Idaho..and I really can' t count Utah..Although I was at the 4 Corners monument the gate was closed.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (62389)
• United States
21 Sep
I still have seven states to get to!!!
1 person likes this
@RubyHawk (99423)
• Atlanta, Georgia
20 Sep
@FourWalls Our parks close by have walking trails and children’s playgrounds and a creek going through one, and a river through another.
1 person likes this
@thislittlepennyearns (58186)
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
20 Sep
I miss reading your posts! I need to take some time and catch up! Maybe tonight when I can't sleep!
You gotta come back down and visit so I can actually see you! And I found a new resturaunt to take you to.
2 people like this
@Kouponkaren (5495)
• United States
20 Sep
That sounds like fun. I have been to Chattanooga, but never to that particular park.
2 people like this
@FourWalls (62389)
• United States
20 Sep
Nice park. There were families all over the place.
Hopefully this will link to a news story about it:
If Little Debbie snacks and having fun outdoors are 2 of your favorite things, you're now in luck.City leaders and McKee Foods celebrated the grand opening of L
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157652)
• United States
21 Sep
Save me a Nutty Buddy please. They are my favorites. That sounds like an adorable park.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (62389)
• United States
21 Sep
I’m a Swiss roll person myself. It was a terrific place to spend some time.
@BarBaraPrz (45570)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
20 Sep
Did you play in the sandbox?
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (86833)
• United States
20 Sep
Little Debbies? Oh my now that is a trip.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (62389)
• United States
20 Sep
One of the brownies is even shaped with a big bite missing. 
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (62389)
• United States
20 Sep
I don’t consider this a “problem,” but the air is fresh and clean, it doesn’t smell like brownies baking.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (62389)
• United States
20 Sep
There are a number of segments to it, so the adults can have an “exercise” area while the kinds are rolling down a hill or playing on slides. It appears to me to be very well thought-out, with a good combination of whimsical (trains, in honor of the “Chattanooga Choo Choo”, the Little Debbie area) and modern (some exercise equipment for people to do strength exercises while on their jog or walk). There was some serious pickle ball playing going on while I was there on the tennis courts, too.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (458933)
• Switzerland
20 Sep
@FourWalls - I am glad you enjoyed. Should I win a lot of money at the lottery I would buy all the free land around us to prevent new constructions.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (157013)
• United States
20 Sep
I would so love to see the pictures. Darn it! I still eat some Little Debbie treats. Sounds like a cool place to visit. Have a great day and drive safely.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (62389)
• United States
20 Sep
Thanks. I’ll stick ‘em on my Facebook wall when I get home.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (157013)
• United States
20 Sep
@FourWalls Cool. I'll try and watch for them.
1 person likes this
@janethwayne (5193)
• Philippines
27 Sep
That is the problem still even me I can't post a pic.But at least you have a good time.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (62389)
• United States
27 Sep
Wish we could, and I’d gladly give them my earnings to help fix the site.
@wolfgirl569 (95594)
• Marion, Ohio
20 Sep
I wish we could see a picture. Sounds like a great place
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (62389)
• United States
20 Sep
It was a lot of fun. A happy, innocent place.
1 person likes this
