How well do you Know Your Knox? We answer the questions you really want to know
Knox News tackles big questions about Knoxville in its news coverage every day - but we always have those smaller, random, uniquely local questions in mind, too. And we're answering them in our Know Your Knox column.
What's that thing that always bugs you when you're out and about? What tall tale about Knoxville have you heard from three different people but still find doubtful? What question popped into your head the other day as you drove past a particular corner?
Check out these questions we've already asked and answered in previous Know Your Knox articles. Then email yours to [email protected] and we'll look for the answers.
How did Gallows Hill become Summit Hill?
If you assumed Summit Hill was named after iconic Lady Vols coach Pat Summitt, you wouldn't be alone. But in fact, the familiar Knoxville name dates back much further - and, as Hayden Dunbar recounts, has a grim story behind how it was once known.
What's the oldest neighborhood in Knoxville that's not downtown?
While many of Knoxville’s oldest neighborhoods look nothing like they once did, there's one just northwest of downtown that still maintains much of its original aesthetic. Angela Dennis delves into how Mechanicsville has preserved its rich history and unique character.
Downtown Island Airport invites you into a Knoxville story like no other
At this airport on an island in the Tennessee River just three miles from downtown, planes take off and land around 72,000 times each year, and people are welcome to settle in a rocking chair to watch aircraft take off against a stunning skyline backdrop. Daniel Dassow takes you behind the scenes.
Can you swim in the Tennessee River in Knoxville?
The Tennessee River begins in Knoxville and flows right through the city, providing fun boating, kayaking and fishing opportunities. And even though there aren't designated swimming areas along the river here, you can swim if you'd like. But should you? Devarrick Turner has the answers.
Knoxville depended more on enslaved people than history suggests
Though Knoxville has often been described as a more racially tolerant Southern city, its history of depending on the labor of enslaved people is deeply intertwined in the fabric of Tennessee's third-largest city. Angela Dennis explains the reality of slavery in Knoxville, and how much slavery contributed to the local economy.
Why does Knoxville have so many luxury apartments?
When you're apartment-hunting in Knoxville now, you're bound to find listings that say (or at least seem to be priced as) "luxury apartments." But what some landlords call luxury doesn't always meet the textbook definition for what's technically considered luxury or "class-A" apartments. Silas Sloan looks into Knoxville's high-end rental market.
Should TVA headquarters be in Alabama? Why the Supreme Court said no
Even a cursory reading of the Tennessee Valley Authority Act, the 1933 federal legislation that created the nation's largest public power provider, suggests its headquarters should be in Alabama and not Knoxville, Tennessee. So how did Knoxville win out over Muscle Shoals, Alabama? Not without a fight - and one that Knoxville nearly lost, Daniel Dassow relates.
Why does Knoxville have two state veterans cemeteries?
Tennessee has five state veterans cemeteries total across the state, and Knoxville is home to two them. Tyler Whetstone tells their story, including how Knoxville came to have the first state veterans cemetery, established before its Nashville and Memphis counterparts.
Why are Knoxville fire hydrants blue and yellow?
If you've noticed all the blue and yellow fire hydrants along streets around Knoxville, you've probably wondered why they're not the traditional picture-book red. Or, better yet, why aren't they orange and white in keeping with the city's Vols spirit? And what about the other color combos that pop up around town? Hayden Dunbar paints a colorful story to answer those questions.
'Knoxville Girl,' the murder ballad that has resonated through centuries
Cities such as Nashville or San Francisco have been name-dropped by famous songs. But perhaps in keeping with Knoxville's under-the-radar appeal, pretty much the only well-known song closely associated with the Scruffy City is a murder ballad. But as Liz Kellar relates, it's one that can be traced way back, and has had multiple versions recorded.
Why are there so many houses of worship along Kingston Pike?
Sometimes called the "Miracle Mile," the shaded two-mile stretch of Kingston Pike east of Bearden is home to 10 different houses of worship. Allie Feinberg explains why the placement of churches and synagogues among the stately older houses is not a coincidence.
Why are Davy Crockett and Smokey both University of Tennessee mascots?
On the sidelines of University of Tennessee football and basketball games, you'll notice not just one mascot but several. Keenan Thomas delves into how the Vols came to have essentially three and a half mascots.
Why does the University of Tennessee livestream a rock?
One corner of the University of Tennessee campus in Knoxville has cameras pointed at it at all times, livestreaming anything that happens there 24/7. The UT Police Department patrols the area. A student group monitors the corner. All eyes focus on one thing: a giant rock. Keenan Thomas explains how this campus landmark relates to free speech.
Are nuclear weapons still made at Y-12 in Oak Ridge?
There is a common misconception that nuclear weapons parts are no longer made in Oak Ridge: In reality, Daniel Dassow explains, there would be no nuclear weapons in the U.S. stockpile without the Y-12 National Security Complex.
When will construction on Alcoa Highway be done?
Three things in life are guaranteed: death, taxes and construction on Alcoa Highway.
OK, so maybe the last one won't actually go on indefinitely, but it can seem like the never-ending road project. Silas Sloan shares the latest news on what's next and what's still down the road for this longtime, ongoing road project.
What's the oldest Black-owned restaurant in Knoxville?
It's a tricky thing to find the oldest restaurant in Knoxville, since locations, names and owners change. It's even more difficult to find the city's oldest Black-owned restaurant for reasons starting with the loss of so many Black-owned businesses to years of urban removal. Daniel Dassow explains how a reopened icon of East Knoxville has earned that title.
Which big brands started in Knoxville?
Whether you're new to Knoxville or a native of the Scruffy City, you still might not be aware of all of the famous names that were born here - specifically well-known commercial products seen and used by people everywhere, every day. So pop open a Mountain Dew and let Liz Kellar fill you in on the well-known brands Knoxville knew before they hit it big.
Are bodies really buried beneath Neyland Stadium?
When you watch the movie "The Blind Side," you might sit up and take notice when Kathy Bates' character declares that the University of Tennessee stores body parts "right underneath the football field" in connection with UT's study of the decomposition of dead bodies. For anyone haunted by that thought when sitting in Neyland Stadium, Ryan Wilusz gets at the truth of this persistent claim.
How many people visited downtown Knoxville in 2023?
Just how many people visited downtown in 2023? And of that number, how many were locals or visitors from outside the city or outside the state? Ryan Wilusz shares a total number for the year that might or might not surprise you (depending on how long you've found yourself looking for a parking spot for the farmers market on a Vols game day!), and how such specific data was collected.
University of Tennessee has a Body Farm, but what actually happens there?
UT's Body Farm has been enshrined in the public's imagination, and not just as the location where mystery author Patricia Cornwell's detective Kay Scarpetta discovers the truth about a murder victim. It has been featured prominently in innumerable novels and TV series. Reporter Liz Kellar explains why it's here, and what its purpose is beyond its fame in popular culture.
Does Knoxville ever have earthquakes?
Even though you might not have realized it, Knoxville is actually "in earthquake country." Yes, really! Devarrick Turner explains why you might or might not notice a rumble beneath your feet sometimes.
How do TVA's nuclear plants prepare for emergencies?
The most enduring image of a nuclear operator in American media is Homer Simpson, fallen into a jelly doughnut-induced coma while warning sirens blare at the fictional Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. Fortunately, the reality at Tennessee's two nuclear plants could hardly be more different. Daniel Dassow outlines the safety measures TVA takes.
Why was the University of Tennessee System created?
Though it seems like it's been around forever, the web that connects universities across Tennessee wasn't formed until 1968. That's just the blink of an eye when you consider the University of Tennessee at Knoxville was founded in 1794. Keenan Thomas dives into why the scattered universities were linked and what it's meant for Vols statewide.
What is the oldest church in Knoxville?
The oldest church congregation in Knoxville is older than the state of Tennessee and predates just about everything else in the region. But if you factor in the oldest church building, and the limits that the South's history put on communities of color, some other familiar names come up, too, Tyler Whetstone reports.
How much do Farragut and Knoxville residents pay for Knox County Schools?
Somewhat confusingly, two separate municipalities within the county, Knoxville and Farragut, have schools in Knox County Schools. Do do their taxes go into the same system? The short answer is yes, though not directly. Tyler Whetstone lays out the longer explanation for how local schools are funded.
What will happen to the old Smokies Stadium when the team comes to Knoxville?
The Tennessee Smokies will become the Knoxville Smokies (again) when they move to the new Old City baseball stadium in 2025. They'll leave behind a stadium in Kodak, on property that happens to be near an incredibly busy highway exit used by millions of visitors to Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and those other local Smokies. Silas Sloan looks at what could happen next in that valuable property's next incarnation.
Why doesn't the Sunsphere light up at night?
When the sun goes down and the sky grows dark, so does the Sunsphere. If you think this well-known feature of the downtown Knoxville skyline should be visible at night, well, you're not alone. Ryan Wilusz shares where things stand on plans to set the Sunsphere aglow.
Why is Downtown West called that when it isn't downtown?
In a puzzling twist, a street far from Knoxville's city center bears the name "Downtown West Boulevard." The name is the remnant of a concept that never came to fruition. As it turns out, Angela Dennis shares, this naming choice can be traced back to the 1970s and some ambitious urban planning.
How much Manhattan Project radioactive waste is left in Oak Ridge?
The Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management is part of the largest cleanup effort in the world. Cleaning up radioactive materials at one of the Manhattan Project sites is dangerous and expensive work that must be conducted very close to where thousands of scientists and engineers come to work every day. And it's going to take ... a while, Daniel Dassow reports.
Why doesn't Knox County just run its own ambulance service?
Knox County's contracted ambulance service has struggled mightily to keep up with demand, to the point that the delays prompted Knoxville police spokesman Scott Erland to tell Knox News in October "there’s no guarantee an ambulance will show up quickly or at all."
Amid the many theories on how to fix the problem, one question rises to the top: Why doesn’t Knox County run its own ambulance service? Tyler Whetstone explains how Knox County got to this point, and why that answer might not be as simple as it sounds.
Political signs are ubiquitous, but there are rules about where they can go
From late summer and well into the fall, political candidates' signs seem to pop up in yards and on street corners all over town - and they stay there for months in some cases. Allie Feinberg takes a look at the rules for what kinds of signs candidates can post, where and for how long ahead of an election.
Why are the University of Tennessee Vols' colors orange and white?
Buildings, vehicles, clothes and even food around Knoxville all pay tribute to Big Orange every day of the year, it seems, and even more so on game days. But where did the color combination of bright orange and white for the University of Tennessee Volunteers come from? Liz Kellar follows traces the daisy chain of this UT tradition (that's a hint!) back to the beginning.
What would it take to get rid of the divisive James White Parkway?
The James White Parkway - the road to nowhere, as many deem it - is a short stretch of highway that carves a prominent division between East Knoxville and the city's core. Angela Dennis examines whether removing the mile and a half of highway that dead-ends the Sevierville Pike exit would even be feasible - or if there could be a more creative solution to bridge the separation this past infrastructure project caused.
How did Farragut fend off Knoxville annexation and become its own town?
During the 1970s and '80s, Knoxville was busily annexing parts of the county outside the city limits, notably slices of commercial corridors that could bring in extra sales tax revenue. It took a court battle, but Farragut held out and eventually became its own town. Tyler Whetstone recounts how it happened.
Who's the most famous Knoxvillian?
With so many possible contenders, that's not an easy question with an obvious answer - but Silas Sloan gives it a try anyway. See what you think of his picks in the categories of athletics, music, film/television, literature and miscellaneous.
Knox County once had the tallest tower anywhere in the world
Sixty years ago, Knox County was home to the tallest structure in the entire world - but it never quite made it into the official record book. Daniel Dassow tells the story of why this "cloud-piercer" was built where it was, how it missed out on its moment of fame and its current ranking among the tallest structures locally and worldwide.
Is the Old City really the oldest part of downtown Knoxville?
The name of the popular hub for restaurants, retail and nightlife notwithstanding, the oldest part of downtown is just about as far away from the Old City as can be. The neighborhood likely got its name thanks to the kind of change and commercial growth in other areas of Knoxville, Ryan Wilusz recounts.
Why is Knoxville called the 'Scruffy City'?
Knoxville was derided as "this scruffy little city" in a 1980 Wall Street Journal article that cast aspersions on the city's fitness to host 1982 World's Fair. The community pushed back, not only hosting the event that gave us Knoxville the Sunsphere, taking the "scruffy" insult and turning into a quirky badge of pride that's still widely used decades later, Keenan Thomas reports. (Take that, WSJ!)
When will I-40 from Cedar Bluff to downtown be repaved?
A particularly bumpy stretch of much-used Interstate 40, from Cedar Bluff to downtown Knoxville, prompted a reader to ask when the tires of the many vehicles taking that route might enjoy a smoother ride. The good news is, it'll happen, Silas Sloan reports; the not-so-great news is how soon that might be.
What’s the right way to say Vols?
There’s one, and only one, way to say the nickname of the University of Tennessee football team that plays in Neyland Stadium. It might seem obvious to any Southern football fan, but newcomers jumping on the Volunteers bandwagon can be understood - if perhaps not forgiven - for not getting it quite right on their first try. Never fear; Adam Sparks comes to the rescue.
What books are set in Knoxville? More than you might realize
Some writers whose ties to Knoxville feature prominently in their work spring to mind immediately: poet Nikki Giovanni, Cormac McCarthy, James Agee. But beyond that uber-famous trifecta, Liz Kellar reports, other authors also have featured Knoxville in stories that star the Bijou Theater, Gay Street and the University of Tennessee's Body Farm.
Knoxville played a supporting role in films with John Turturro, Ingrid Bergman
An earlier Knox Your Knox installment looking at the city's role in movies that were set here, fans of movies and/or Knoxville were quick to point out some other favorite appearances of the Scruffy City on the big screen. So in the true spirit of the movie biz, Liz Kellar offers a sequel to Knoxville's moments of movie fame.
Are summers getting hotter in Knoxville?
Happily for us, Knoxville is routinely a little cooler than some other areas - and we mean that in literal temperature terms as well as figurative hip-ness, of course. But the rising temps that are affecting the world are definitely heating things up here, too. Devarrick Turner looks at Knoxville's normal temps of the past, and how hot it's likely to get here in the future.
Will Knoxville's airport ever land Southwest Airlines?
Southwest Airlines is the most popular carrier at Nashville International Airport, and is even making the Music City its newest crew base. The airline flies in to Memphis International Airport, too. So why no love for McGhee Tyson Airport, Southwest? Daniel Dassow looks at whether the Knoxville airport will ever get the top thing on many travelers' wish lists.
Voting in Knoxville's primary election? What you can and can't take or do
If you've studied the candidates running in Knoxville's current election, and you have your ID in hand, congratulations, you're ready to vote. Or are you...? Tyler Whetstone lists the rules you might not have realized go along with doing your duty as a citizen, from what you can't wear to whether you can take a selfie.
Which movies are set in Knoxville or East Tennessee?
Nashville shares its name with a Robert Altman movie and a TV series, but so far no "Knoxville" shows up on an IMDB search. (Well, not without "Johnny" in front of it.) Though various productions have filmed here over the years, relatively few films or TV shows are actually set in or around Knoxville. Liz Kellar lists the titles that are so you can plan your Scruffy City movie night.
What's the oldest restaurant in Knoxville?
Knoxville's menu of restaurants is extensive, varied and frankly delicious, but the question of which one has been around the longest is more complicated than you might expect. Daniel Dassow explains why that is, and offers a list of four contenders for the title.
Is downtown Knoxville on Fort Loudoun Lake or the Tennessee River?
Any Knoxvillian can identify the Tennessee River, the waterway that's such a focal point of the city's layout. Then there's Fort Loudoun Lake - but wait, isn't that also just ... the Tennessee River? Ryan Wilutz explains how and why this central waterway running alongside downtown Knoxville can be both, and also kinda neither.
Does Oak Ridge make the region a juicy target for a nuclear attack?
Being right next door to Oak Ridge, with its historic and current work on nuclear weapons, is bound to prompt grim "what if" questions about the chances of an attack targeting the "secret city," not to mention what effect a nuclear blast could have on the entire region. Liz Kellar looks into the likelihood, results and plans in case of such an unnerving scenario.
If you build it, they will flush: Riverside project is not what you think
What's that construction going on between the Tennessee River and Sevier Avenue? A read suggested it might be a project for nearby Holston Gases, but Ryan Wilusz flushed out the truth: it will be a new pump station for the Knoxville Utilities Board to help in the process of treating wastewater before it's returned to the river.
What's at the bottom of Mead's Quarry and Augusta Quarry?
When you jump into one of the popular quarries in South Knoxville, what's in the water far below where you could see or swim? Well you might wonder; talking with historians and one of the only people who's actually seen 200+ feet down in Augusta Quarry, Daniel Dassow does a deep dive on what lurks beneath swimmers there.
When will road work on I-640 in Knoxville be done?
Like probably every other driver regularly using the highways around Knoxville, a Knox News reader wanted to know when exactly the road project that has limited lanes and speed on I-640 between I-275 and I-40 in northeast Knoxville more than a year would be done. Daniel Dassow has good news; that phase of a long-term project is on pace to be done this fall. See why it's taken so long, and what's happening between now and the completion date.
Who owns the fading JFG sign, and will its lights ever be fixed?
How many Knoxvillians does it take to change a light bulb in the dimmed JFG Coffee sign by the Gay Street Bridge?Jokes aside, the answer is more complex than just screwing in a new bulb here or there. Ryan Wilusz shines a light on a couple of reasons the South Knoxville landmark hadn't been refurbished or maintained before the sign was abruptly taken down completely in early October, leaving its future uncertain.
Do the Great Smoky Mountains really protect Knoxville from tornadoes?
Have you ever heard that Knoxville is never hit by tornadoes thanks to the mountains? Don't take undue comfort in that false promise; we might average fewer tornadoes here in the Tennessee Valley than flatter areas, but both history and a National Weather Service meteorologist confirm that we can and do have tornadoes. In fact, the timing of when many tornadoes arrive in East Tennessee makes them potentially more dangerous and might explain why people don't realize how often they occur here, Devarrick Turner reports.
Know Your Knox answers your burning questions about life in Knoxville. Want your question answered? Email [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Know Your Knox has the answers to your questions about Knoxville
