All About Knoxville, Tennessee

Knoxville is a bustling city located in Knox County, in the heart of eastern Tennessee. With an estimated population of approximately 185’000 people, it is the third largest city in Tennessee, after Memphis and Nashville; much like its two larger neighbors, it is a cultural and musical hub.

History of Knoxville

Although first founded in 1791, the first European settlers arrived in the area as early as 1786, and the history of Knoxville stretches even further back, with Native American settlement in the area as far back as the year 1000 B.C. A burial mound located on what is now the campus of the University of Tennessee is estimated to date back to between 1000 and 1400 A.D., and is one of the oldest structures in Knoxville.

Knoxville was initially founded by James White, on land he had himself purchased. William Blount was appointed as Governor of the “Territory South of the River Ohio”, which included the area where Knoxville was being established. He named the city in honor of Henry Knox, an officer in the Revolutionary War who also served as President George Washington’s Secretary of War.

When the initial layout of Knoxville was planned, James White placed great importance on education, allocating four of the original sixty-four lots of land for a school. This land was used to establish Blount College in 1794, which later became the University of Tennessee.

During the post-Civil War era, several large investors in the Knoxville region helped grow Knoxville through the creation of factories, mostly focused on agriculture and food production, as well as the textiles and iron products industries. Though these industries provided strong growth for many years, the Great Depression and a decrease in reliance on the railway began to take a toll on the mostly manufacturing focused economy. To combat this, Knoxville has turned its attention on the tourism and culture industries, and the efforts have been rewarded, as thousands of people flock to Knoxville every year for their attractions.

Geography and Climate

Knoxville is located in the Great Appalachian valley, otherwise known as the Tennessee valley, and at the head of the Tennessee river, which runs through the downtown area Knoxville. It is a warm city, falling in the humid sub-tropical region, though it can be quite cold in the winter, with temperatures reaching below freezing, and an average of 6.5 inches of snowfall most years. The record low is -24 oF, while the highest temperature recorded is 105 oF.

Knoxville’s valley setting means the city is near many grand mountains, and several creeks also meander through it, several of them tributaries to the Tennessee river; the Tennessee river, in turn, forms part of the artificial lake known as Fort Loudoun Lake.

Culture

Knoxville is the birthplace of many celebrities, ranging from the arts and music, to business, sports, and even science. Painter Joseph Delaney, singer Ashley Monroe, Wendy’s founder and entrepreneur Dave Thomas, screenwriter and director Quentin Tarantino, and boxer and Olympian John Tate are just a few of the big names to hail from Knoxville.

As the place where these celebrities were first born, it is unsurprising that Knoxville boasts such a vibrant cultural scene. Containing both as an arts and a theater district, Knoxville is home to many art galleries, theaters, museums, and more. There are also beautiful walking tours which showcase the many murals scattered throughout the city, as well as more natural tourist attractions such as hiking trails and parks.

Trivia

As with many an old city, Knoxville has its share of facts to make one smile – for example, it is still the law there that every place of business must have a hitching post outside.

Knoxville, often called the Cradle of Country Music, is especially known for its culture focused on music, and is the place where Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton and the Everly Brothers launched their careers.

In 1982, Knoxville was the host to the World’s Fair. At the time of this event, the first touch-screen was demonstrated to the public. Two buildings remain in Knoxville from the World’s Fair, one being the renowned Golden Globe, also known as the Sunsphere.

Museums

Some of the notable museums in Knoxville include The Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, Frank H. McClung Museum, East Tennessee Discovery Center, Museum of Appalachia, Museum of East Tennessee History and Beck Cultural Exchange Center.

Historic Sites

Apart from the World’s Fair Park, Knoxville has many historic houses and other historic sites. Some of the most well-known historic sites in Knoxville are the Marby – Hazen House, Ramsay House Plantation, Armstrong – Lockett House, Blount Mansion and the Bleak House.

Parks and Outdoor Recreation

Knoxville’s parks and outdoor recreation areas is the perfect place for hikers, outdoor enthusiasts and residents looking to take some time outside. The city has many parks, such as Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cherokee National Forest and Big Ridge State Park.

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