What's the oldest neighborhood in Knoxville that's not downtown? | Know Your Knox

While many of Knoxville’s oldest neighborhoods look nothing like they once did, Mechanicsville, just northwest of downtown, still maintains much of its original aesthetic.

Founded by Black settlers and Welsh immigrants soon after the Civil War, Mechanicsville has been home to various industries and a rich history that shaped its unique character.

“I would consider Mechanicsville the oldest surviving residential neighborhood,” Jack Neely, director of the Knoxville History Project, told Knox News. "While nothing is older than downtown, I'd call Mechanicsville the oldest neighborhood that still seems like a neighborhood. That is, a place with more residences than anything else, and some density in that regard, of unrelated people living close together. And one that still has a lot of its original homes.”

How Mechanicsville got its name

Mechanicsville was established in the late 1860s on land that initially was owned by Col. John L. Moses, a New Hampshire native who played a significant role in Knoxville’s civic and religious life.

Mechanicsville still bears the marks of Moses' influence, with some of the older streets named after his family members and the large former Moses School named in his honor.

Also known as the "Ninth Ward" in its early days, Mechanicsville was developed and named to reflect its roots as a home for mechanics and other skilled workers employed by local industries, such as the Knoxville Iron Company and various mills and railroads?.

Home to Black families, businesses and schools

In the early 20th century, Mechanicsville evolved into a prosperous neighborhood for Black businesses and working families, many of whom were among the first homeowners after slavery was abolished.

Notable institutions such as the Fairview School, later renamed the Moses School, and the historically Black Knoxville College, established by the United Presbyterian Church in 1875, played pivotal roles in the community's development. These institutions provided education and cultural enrichment, significantly contributing to the neighborhood's growth and producing notable Black professionals and entrepreneurs.

The neighborhood’s cultural fabric was further enriched by the Welsh community, which established a church and a choral society by 1869. The Welsh influence extended to annual Eisteddfods, traditional festivals of music and poetry that became well-known events in the area from the 1860s to the early 1900s.

Hope VI project and urban renewal transformed College Homes

The neighborhood went into decline during the mid-20th century as many middle-class residents moved to suburban areas. The later half of the 20th century brought other challenges to Mechanicsville. Construction of the Interstate 40 expressway led to the demolition of numerous homes.

Significant revitalization efforts began in the 1970s with the establishment of the Mechanicsville Citizens for a Better Community and continued with the creation of the Mechanicsville Task Force in 1985. These groups focused on the rehabilitation of historic homes and the construction of new ones, aiming to restore the neighborhood to its former glory?.

In 1997, Knoxville's Community Development Corporation received a $22 million HOPE VI grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The money facilitated the redevelopment of the former College Homes housing projects, replacing barracks-style apartments with single-family and duplex homes designed to blend with the neighborhood's late 19th-century architecture. Those homes stand today along the north side of Western Avenue. The project aimed to provide affordable housing options for low-income families, contributing to the area's ongoing revitalization?.

Today, Mechanicsville is celebrated for its extensive collection of 19th-century architecture, including Victorian-style homes and the largest concentration of shotgun houses in Knoxville. Shotgun houses, characterized by their narrow, elongated design, reflect the neighborhood’s historical roots and working-class heritage.

Notable landmarks such as Fire Station No. 5, Knoxville College, and the Moses School, where Emerald Academy now operates, remain integral parts of the community, showcasing the neighborhood’s enduring historical significance?.

Other historic Knoxville neighborhoods were redeveloped or no longer exist

In the early days of Knoxville, there were several distinct sections and developments in the city, many of which were forgotten or redeveloped over time, Neely said.

• Williamsburg, established around 1819 on the southwest side of downtown, is now known as Maplehurst.

• Old East Knoxville, incorporated as a separate town before the Civil War and annexed by Knoxville in 1868, is today primarily occupied by the James White Parkway and the Coliseum.

• "There was a separate pre-Civil War development called Shieldstown, a suburban development on the northeastern side of downtown, basically between the Cripple Creek, also known as "The Bottom," Caswell Park and Five Points, mainly on the east side of the creek, that might be called a failed development," Neely said. "Today its only remnant is a very small graveyard. It was completely redeveloped, with a different street grid, during the Park City era."

• The late 19th century saw significant development in the areas now known as Fourth & Gill, Old North and Parkridge, as Knoxville's population quadrupled due to industrial growth. This period also saw the development of neighborhoods such as Lonsdale and Lincoln Park, contributing to the city's expansion and diversity.

Know Your Knox answers your burning questions about life in Knoxville. Want your question answered? Email [email protected].

Angela Dennis is the Knox News race, justice and equity reporter. Email [email protected].

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Oldest surviving Knoxville neighborhood was built for industrial workers