The Ferger name has a heritage in Chattanooga that dates back to the 19th century. Ferger Bros. was Chattanooga’s second oldest real estate firm, established by J. Fred Ferger and J. Herman Ferger in 1887. Ferger was later joined by his brother Herman, Sr. in 1894 at which time business was located at 102 E. 8th street. The Ferger building was located at the southeast corner of Eighth and Cherry Streets; one of the most recognizable structures in Chattanooga. The Ferger building was constructed by J.W. Adams in 1885 and was one of the first buildings built after he had purchased the entire block from Cherry to Georgia Avenue.

The Ferger Bros. are on record as the developers of Chattanooga’s first planned community called “Ferger Place”, located just off Main Street. The small, pleasant neighborhood was in a relatively rural area upon being developed as the city’s first “restricted private park”. Surrounded by numerous farms, the entrance columns were erected with gates in order to keep farm animals from wandering into the area.When entering Ferger Place today, one is still required to pass through the same stone, shingled-top entrance posts, just as people did back in 1910. Now, 100 after years this small, quiet residential community was constructed, “Ferger Place” is currently listed on the National Register of Historic Sites. While the Ferger Bros. and the historic real estate company has long since gone away, it has left behind its indelible mark on the city of Chattanooga. Fortunately, that long-honored, Ferger family legacy and Chattanooga entrepreneurial heritage continues today through Herman Ferger III and Joan Hedman Ferger’s son, Bo Ferger and his family.