E V HAPPY A H T HOLLER X I S FIVE N WINONA S A GUIDE TO KNOXVILLE’S POINTS N Caswell Y CE A FOURTH Park N W T T R D A & GILL ELM ST A M LS O C R C T O B N DHAM AVE W BAXTER AVE N N E E AFRICAN W OL AV L FIFTH L E E S AV T AVE JR WESTERN LIA AVE G O J A IN BEAUMONT N E K HEIGHTS AG S M S MCCALL R E A E M TH U N HALL OF FAME DR FAME OF N HALL IN L E N AMERICAN S I T E T R AV A AVE D M AR H N A R R BEAUMONT E R B I 275 E VE T A T EMORY A U LI B HERITAGE O M PLACE N AG A 1 M N S W T AVE AVE MAGNOLIA GE This guide highlights several points of interest that RID LOW WAREHOUSE ND IL DA W DISTRICT help explain the heritage of Knoxville’s African- W FIFTH AVE R 2 MIT HILL D Malcolm 5 E SUM MORNINGSIDE American community. Going back to the days when E Martin AV N Park Y G IT AY OLD CITY 11 C S Knoxville became an established river town in the O ER S R LL IV T D E N GE GE U 6 3 LE S S L T E H late 1700’s, the images and descriptions show that O MECHANICSVILLE V A C A L LE L IL ON O XV KS F E Morningside O C S F V African-Americans have been an integral part of A A A Park N E J C M R K E J V W N E R A E R T 4 D AK K L D R R B C IL A D every-day life in the community from the beginning. O H R W T S L A HI ESTERN A S IT G S W ST VE T O OR K M A H IC C Y P E DR A M R IVERSID S ES R R L U ERVATION D B S T G N K PIKE EOR W MARKET GE ER DR T DEMPST W BROO VE E E SQUARE H A N AV RC E T MIDDLE OR U AV J Y IL CH L A A L M FI 9 E HI R E S E T AVE H S E E W AL N S D W ELEVENTH ST L H T A E I 40 Y L T S LOCUST ST N E T U P T 8 K 10 S W T Y ST Future Suttree IN Volunteer MA Landing Park 7 Landing AVE HOME Park ISLAND S FORT SANDERS Worlds I X Fair Park DOWNTOWN T E E S SEVENTEENTH ST N T H S T OLD SEVIER E SOUTH D AV LAN WATERFRONT IGH MAPLEHURST A H L R C D O D A AN H VOLUNTEER BLVD UNIVERSITY OF YL D W VE E A A N V Y CH E IN TENNESSEE N CL P E O T AV R W T T N R E E OU D N AV BL T ND E Y LA S ER E B C M O CU N Tyson D Park S T C H A P 1 in = 0.25 miles M A N Miles H W 0 0.25 0.5 Y 1 BECK CULTURAL EXCHANGE CENTER 5 THE OLD CITY 9 TENNESSEE THEATRE 1927 Dandridge Avenue Jackson Avenue/Central Street intersection 604 S. Gay Street 2 HALEY HERITAGE SQUARE 6 THE GEM THEATRE 10 RICH’S DEPARTMENT STORE 1620 Dandridge Avenue Summit Hill Drive/Central Street intersection (University of Tennessee Conference Center) This map guide, which is not an exhaustive resource, draws from information 3 GREEN SCHOOL 7 BLOUNT MANSION 600 Henley Street obtained from Mr. Robert Booker and the Beck Cultural Exchange Center, (Green Magnet Math & Science Academy) 200 W. Hill Avenue 11 KNOXVILLE COLLEGE primarily through the mobile tourism application, Knoxville African American 801 Town View Drive 8 BIJOU THEATER 901 Knoxville College Drive Tours of Cultural Heritage, which was developed by the University of Tennessee Community Partnership Center (go to http://isse.utk.edu/cpc/ 4 CAL JOHNSON PARK 803 S. Gay Street beck/ for more information and a link to this free tour guide iphone app). 507 S. Hall of Fame Drive 4 CAL JOHNSON PARK was the fact that the stage and movie screen were located near the played a pivotal role in the segregation of the city’s public 507 S. Hall of Fame Drive front entrance. All theater patrons had to walk in front of the screen facilities and was one of the last venues to open its doors for all Dedicated to one of Knoxville’s to get to their seats, so everyone could see who came and went at the Knoxville residents. Performers such as Cab Calloway and Lionel leading citizens in the late 19th Gem. With the desegregation of downtown movie theaters, the Gem Hampton could entertain in the theatre, but neither could watch Century and early 20th Century, became a night club and restaurant in 1965 and was demolished in a movie there. The theatre was the scene of protests in the early Cal Johnson Park recognizes the 1972 for the expansion of James White Parkway. 1960’s, until the Tennessee fi nally opened its doors in 1963 to all achievements of a successful Knoxville citizens. 7 BLOUNT MANSION businessman, race horse enthusiast, 10 RICH’S DEPARTMENT STORE and real estate investor. Caldonia 200 W. Hill Avenue Fackler Johnson was born a slave Built between (University of Tennessee Conference Center) in 1844 and lived with his family on 1792 and 600 Henley Street the site of the old Farragut Hotel, at 1796 by the corner of Gay Street and Clinch William Blount, 1 BECK CULTURAL EXCHANGE CENTER Avenue. His interests included Governor of 1927 Dandridge Avenue several saloons frequented by some the Territory Named for James Garfi eld Beck and Ethel Benson Beck, the Beck of Knoxville’s leading men, the city’s only horse race track, and real Southwest of Cultural Exchange Center has served since 1975 as a forum of estate holdings that included several downtown buildings. Johnson the Ohio River, artistic expression and historical perspective for African Americans served as a city alderman from 1883 to 1885 and contributed a house which included in Knoxville and East Tennessee. The Becks were two of the most for the city’s fi rst black YMCA building. The park was established in 1922, present day infl uential members of Knoxville’s black community from the 1920’s and a recreation center was built there in 1957. Johnson died in 1925. Tennessee, Blount Mansion to the 1960’s. The Beck Center is a place that researches, collects, 5 THE OLD CITY preserves, and exhibits African-American achievements and culture. stood out Jackson Avenue/Central Street intersection prominently against Knoxville’s early landscape. The house served as 2 HALEY HERITAGE SQUARE Stretching in four the de facto capitol of the Southwest territory and was the setting of 1620 Dandridge Avenue directions from the drafting of the fi rst Tennessee state constitution. Like most of his Located at the entrance to Morningside the intersection neighbors, Blount owned several slaves and argued that “Negroes are Park, Haley Heritage Square features of Central Street the most valuable property in this country.” Although slaves worked the bronze statue of renowned author, and Jackson the Blount farm, located on or near the University of Tennessee Alex Haley. It is one of the largest Avenue, the campus, it is thought that several slaves lived and worked on the Few people realize that the structure housing the University statues of an African American in the Old City was mansion grounds. As such, these slaves were probably Knoxville’s fi rst of Tennessee Conference Center was the location of Rich’s world. Haley, who is best know for his the center of African-American residents. Department Store, the fi rst location outside the state of Georgia world famous book, Roots: The Saga commerce after for the Atlanta-based retailer. This 1955 example of mid-century 8 BIJOU THEATER of an American Family, lived in the Knoxville was modern commercial architecture was the scene of largely peaceful Knoxville area for several years until his founded in 803 S. Gay Street protests to integrate the store’s dining facilities, which were death in 1992. Noted sculptor, Tina Allen, was commissioned to 1791. With the Built in 1909, the open only to white patrons. In July of 1960, and after several design the statue, which was supported by the State of Tennessee, arrival of trains Bijou began as a demonstrations and sit-ins at other whites-only eating places, Knoxville City Council, and the Knoxville Community Development in the mid 19th Century, loading docks, saloons, warehouses, and venue for high class Rich’s and other Knoxville retailers desegregated their facilities. Corporation. The Alexander Murray Palmer Haley Statue was retail shops sprang up and fl ourished. Also known as “The Bowery”, Vaudeville shows. 11 KNOXVILLE COLLEGE dedicated on April 24, 1998, before a large crowd, that included the area included several bars and clubs and was a place where the Over time, it grew noted actor, Louis Gossett. color line was lightly regarded. The only thing that mattered, for black to be a performing 901 Knoxville College Drive or white, was whether one had enough money to pay for a drink.