8/26: A Glimpse at Knoxville, Tennessee

Earlier that late August day, Steven and I had spent an enchanting time wandering around the University of Tennessee Gardens in Knoxville. Then it was time to explore more of the city that was honored by being chosen to host the World's Fair in 1982, a tribute to the city's emergence as a major metropolis. According to city fathers, it was the last successful World's Fair held in the United States and the first-ever in the South. The fair was built on an abandoned railroad yard next to downtown Knoxville and the University of Tennessee. All that remained was this Sunsphere, a 216-cubic-foot-high Rubik's Cube from the Hungarian Pavilion.

World's Fair Park's Festival Lawn:

When the Blount Mansion was built in 1792, it was one of the first frame houses west of the Allegheny Mountains. It was the residence of William Blount, Governor of the Territory South of the River Ohio, now the state of Tennessee. Blount was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and also a signer of the US Constitution.

The marker established Knoxville as the first capital of Tennessee and was authorized by the state's 76th General Assembly in 1949. 

The statue honored those who served in the Spanish-American War and the Philippine-American War from 1898-1902 that supported Cuba's independence from Spain.

We read that Knoxville was a divided city shortly after the American Civil War began in April of 1861 with simultaneous Confederate and Union rallies a block away from the Courthouse. Knoxville artist Samuel Bell Palmer captured the scene in a sketch made from memory while he was a prisoner of war in Illinois. 

The Unionists gathered near the US flag near Main St., flying above the 'Liberty Pole.' A Confederate flag marked the rendezvous point for secessionist sympathizers. I can just imagine the tensions arising on both sides of the conflict when a Tennessee senator delivered a pro-Union, anti-secession speech to supporters as a Confederate regiment and band marched a mere block away. 

Though six weeks later the state joined the Confederacy, much of eastern Tennessee remained loyal to the Union. That exacerbated tensions, further splitting neighbors and families. As the national war ensued, East Tennesseans fought each other. The war's end did not bring an end to the violence. Divisions persisted not just for decades, but for some for a lifetime. 

I read that during the Civil War twelve Union raiders who were charged at the Old Courthouse with train stealing in the Great Locomotive Chase in Georgia were tried in 1863. After one was convicted, the trial was adjourned and the prisoners were sent to Atlanta because of increasing Union raids in east Tennessee. The courthouse was then used as a hospital for the wounded of both sides in the fall of 1863. 

A plaque near the courthouse honored US Air Force Captain Charles McMillan II, a Tennessee native who gave his life while attempting to rescue the 53 American hostages who were held in Iran on April 25, 1980. How apt were these words: "A privilege of many to love our country, but destiny decrees that some make the supreme sacrifice."

The Craighead-Jackson House, one of the few remaining early 19th century structures in downtown Knoxville, was built in 1818. It was named for its original owner John Craighead, credited with building Knoxville’s first waterworks, and the prominent Knoxville physician, Dr. George Jackson. The house still contained interior woodwork hand-carved by Knoxville’s first professional architect. In 1957, the house was purchased jointly by the city and state and was opened to the public in 1966.

James White, the founder of Knoxville, erected the city's first building in 1786. James White's Fort, which now consisted of seven log houses, was later constructed surrounding the house. 

The city was named for Henry Knox, the Secretary of War during President George Washington's administration. The city was selected as the capital of the territory of the United States south of the Ohio River from 1790-1794.

Just across the street from the Fort was the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame with its giant 30-foot wide basketball to greet visitors! We, unfortunately, didn't have time to tour the facility or view a bronze sculpture of three female basketball players representing the past, present, and future of the game. 

We then drove through the nearby Old City, a vibrant neighborhood that featured 19th-century brick warehouses containing shops, cafes, and antique stores. 

The centerpiece of the Old City was the pedestrianized Market Square. However, though we were there at noon, it was dead as a doornail with no one around to peer into the shop windows, get some takeout from the many restaurants or just admire the architecture. I could only guess that it had fallen victim to the pandemic as it looked like it had everything going for it to attract citizens and visitors alike. 

Nearby were some amusing murals that caught my eye as I walked back to the car. Dolly Parton, of course!

The Love Bug, I'm guessing?!

We clearly had not realized how much might attract us in Knoxville and had not planned enough time in the eastern Tennessee city. If we're ever fortunate to return to Knoxville, we'll make sure to tour the Basketball Hall of Fame, the 300-acre IJAMS Nature Center, the celebrated Knoxville Museum of Art, and the McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture.

Next post: Our 'happy' place on the Florida Panhandle.

Posted early on March 17th, 2021, from our home in Denver's western suburbs. This St. Patrick's Day is a particularly special day for Steven and me as we met 40 years ago today while we were both on vacation in the small town of Zihuatenejo, Mexico! Steven was there by himself visiting from Littleton, Colorado, and I was at the tail end of a three-week vacation with a friend from my hometown of Ottawa, Canada. Crazy as it sounds, in just the four days Steven and I spent together, he and I discussed whether he would move up to Ottawa or I would relocate to Colorado so we could be together! In under a year and after some very challenging health issues on my part, we married in Ottawa and made our home together here in Littleton where we were later blessed with four wonderful children and now two granddaughters. May you, too, have a fun St. Paddy's Day and be safe and happy.