The Knoxville

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Jack Neely
Author
Jack Neely

Jack is the Executive Director of the Knoxville History Project, an educational nonprofit whose mission is to research and promote the history of Knoxville. He is a journalist who has been writing about his hometown’s character and heritage for many years. He has written several books about Knoxville and its history, and they can be purchased in various places throughout the city including Union Avenue Books and the Visit Knoxville Gift Shop.

Five Knoxville Things to See in 2023

There are so many things to do and see in Knoxville that any short list is likely to seem pretty random. And it goes without saying that a walk around downtown that includes Gay Street, Market Square, and the Old City is an essential. That’s just what you do when you come to Knoxville. But the…

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Lights! Cameras! East Tennessee!

On Gay Street there’s a cineplex and a historic movie theater, and just across the street, at the Museum of East Tennessee History, is a comprehensive exhibit about the history of film here. It’s called “Lights! Cameras! East Tennessee!” and it’s pretty fascinating. Movies, still a favorite form of…

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Guide to Knoxville for Readers

Several cities tout their favorite local authors, because people like to see the places they’ve read about in novels. Knoxville has its own literary heritage, associated with nationally well-known books and authors, and a brand-new guide to the city’s notable writers, and the places they wrote…

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UT: The Historic Tour

The University of Tennessee is arguably the largest entity in Knoxville, and one of the oldest. But how well do we know it? About 100,000 people gather there now and then, especially in the fall to watch a football game, but may not see much of the rest of the university. But UT’s campus presents a…

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A Guide to the Historic House Museums of Knoxville

In and around Knoxville is an array of photogenic historic homes, houses noted for their age, architecture, and stories of the people who lived there. No two are very much alike. Some have been known and respected as house museums for almost a century, while another is a relatively recent addition…

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Downtown Knoxville: The Book

Downtown Knoxville never fails to attract attention, with relatively narrow streets reflecting its 18th-century origins, a public square of unusual shape, and a variety of large buildings of different styles in brick and marble, most of them built before 1930. And most of it’s on top of a 60-foot…

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A Guide to the Unique Architecture of World's Fair Park

We take World’s Fair Park for granted, as a venue for concerts and festivals, but next time you’re down there, have a look around. There may be nowhere like it in the world. It’s a pretty extraordinary assemblage of more than a century’s worth of architecture, from mid-Victorian industrial to some…

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Top Historic Experiences in Knoxville

A computer-generated list of Knoxville’s top 10 historical experiences, based on online queries, caught our attention. It’s an interesting list, and would pose a challenge for anyone trying to experience them all in one day or one weekend: Maple Hall Crescent Bend Ramsey House Knoxville Museum of…

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Knoxville’s Suffrage Landmarks

You’ve probably heard a lot about the history of the 19th amendment, which guaranteed women the right to vote. Tennessee played the key role in that Constitutional landmark event. Over the last couple of years, national events have celebrated its centennial. When Tennessee passed it in August of…

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