Old City (Knoxville)
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| Jackson Avenue Warehouse District and Extension | |
|---|---|
| (U.S. Registered Historic District) | |
| Location: | Jackson Ave Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Added to NRHP: | April 11, 1973; March 10, 1975 |
| NRHP Reference#: | 73001802; 75002148 |
The Old City is located at the northeast corner of downtown Knoxville, Tennessee. Its boundaries, while not completely defined, correspond roughly with the Jackson Avenue Warehouse District, a National Register historic district. Presently, the Old City is known as an offbeat urban neighborhood, home to several unique restaurants, bars, clubs, and shops. There is also a smattering of small offices and apartments.
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[edit] History
The Old City is generally made up of warehouses, buildings of light industrial use, and a small historically commercial strip along South Central Street. Several railroad lines, originally part of the East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad, run through the northern edge of the district. Trains pass through often on the main line on a grade crossing over Central Street, and still serve at least one factory in the neighborhood, White Lily Flour. The whistle of a train is a familiar noise in the Old City. Manufacturing and warehousing have always been the main industries in the Old City. JFG Coffee was for decades located in several buildings in the Old City, but has recently moved. John H. Daniel company, a custom Tailoring company makes clothing in a large factory on West Jackson Street. The Old City was the location of race riots in 1919, when a mob of people broke into several warehouses to arm themselves. As Knoxville's industrial boom ended, many warehouses were abandoned, and many were lost to demolition or fire. A few abandoned buildings can still be seen throughout the district. Other buildings on South Central Street and Jackson Avenue were bought by developers after industry moved out, who converted them into bars, restaurants, loft apartments, and offices. Revitalization of the Old City has continued in recent years and abandoned buildings are being renovated for future development in many locations.
[edit] Geography
The Old City is in the northeast corner of downtown Knoxville. It is a relatively small district that is concentrated around the intersection of South Central Street and West Jackson Avenue. Interstate 40 passes directly to the north of the Old City. A new exit was constructed in 2006 enabling quick access to the Old City from Interstate 40 utilizing Hall of Fame Drive. The Old City is in a low lying area around First Creek, down from the hill on which downtown Knoxville was originally laid out.
[edit] Population
There are several loft apartments in the older buildings of the Old City, many located behind and above offices and stores. The Jackson Ateliers Building and Hewgley Park lofts have been residential locations for many years. Fire Street Lofts, located at the intersection of South Gay Street and West Jackson Avenue, has been redeveloped more recently as upscale condimuiums. The Emporium Lofts and Sterchi Lofts are located just a few buildings away on Gay Street, but it is debatable whether these qualify as part of the Old City since they are generally referred to as being in the "100 Block" neighborhood.
The area tends to attract young single adults, who are sometimes affiliated with the University of Tennessee, which is less than a mile away. The Old City's proximity to entertainment and nightlife make it an attractive place to live for many young adults. The Old City has a noticeable presence of homeless people, but violence is uncommon and the main concern is panhandling.
[edit] References
- The Future of Knoxville's Past: Historic and Architectural Resources in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Knoxville Historic Zoning Commission, October, 2006), pages 20-21.
