Must-Visit Historical Destinations in Knoxville
East Tennessee is a region steeped in history, from the streets of Downtown Knoxville to the landscapes of the Appalachian Mountains. Whether you are a history buff or simply interested in learning more about the area you call home, Knoxville offers many landmarks and museums where you can learn the history of our local region. Let’s explore a few historical destinations to add to your Knoxville bucket list.
East Tennessee Historical Society
Established in 1834, the East Tennessee Historical Society located in downtown Knoxville offers lectures, family history programs, genealogy workshops, collections, and both permanent and temporary exhibits. Some of the permanent exhibits are Voices of the Land: The People of East Tennessee which highlights the close relationship of people to their land. History Headquarters offers a hands-on experience, allowing you to investigate artifacts, images, and documents to unravel historical mysteries. The Weather Kiosks detail the changes in weather forecasting over the years and explain why Knoxville was chosen as a kiosk location in 1912. Finally, Votes for Women highlights the significant role of women’s political activism in East Tennessee.
James White’s Fort
James White’s Fort is high on the list of must visit historical destinations in Knoxville. Touring the fort will give you a glimpse into the daily lives of early East Tennessee settlers. The two-story log cabin located on the property was established in 1786 by James White, captain of the Revolutionary War and considered the Founder of Knoxville. The cabin is furnished with original artifacts and tools from the period and is likely Knoxville’s first home. A tour of the fort, which includes the main house and its adjoining kitchen, a smokehouse, a guest house, and cabins used by blacksmiths, spinners and weavers, will allow you to experience frontier lifestyle through hands-on interpretation including open hearth cooking, blacksmithing and spinning.
Museum of Appalachia
Located on the outskirts of Knoxville, the Museum of Appalachia is a living history museum representing a pioneer mountain farm village. The museum highlights the history and culture of the people of Southern Appalachia. During a self-guided tour, you can roam 65 acres exploring and viewing 35 log cabins, barns, farm animals, churches, schools, gardens, and over 250,000 artifacts. Be sure to make time to enjoy a Southern Appalachian country cooked meal at the restaurant located on the property.
Marble Springs
Marble Springs, located in South Knoxville, is the last home and farm of Tennessee’s first governor, John Sevier. Named for its soothing springs and the Tennessee pink marble quarried nearby, the 350-acre farm offers a variety of educational programs throughout the year such as basket weaving and muzzle-loading workshops. You can walk beautiful nature trails, picnic under the pavilion and tour several of the historic structures such as the Tavern, Loom House, Smoke House, Spring House and the John Sevier Cabin.
The Sunsphere
Built for the 1982 World’s Fair hosted by Knoxville, the Sunsphere is a 266-feet high elevated globe offering a breathtaking 360-degree view stretching from downtown Knoxville to the Great Smoky Mountains including World’s Fair Park, the Tennessee River, and the University of Tennessee Campus. The theme of the fair was to highlight ways of dealing with a future with limited supplies of energy; therefore, The Sunsphere was built as a tribute to the sun, the original source of all energy on Earth. The Sunsphere features a 1982 World’s Fair timeline, gallery, memorabilia and a gift shop.
Mabry Hazen House and Westwood
Knoxville offers many historic homes available for touring, but two noteworthy homes are Mabry Hazen House and Westwood.
Built in 1958, Mabry Hazen House is an Italianate-style home that gives a rare view into 130 years of Knoxville history. Overlooking Downtown Knoxville, the Tennessee River and the Great Smoky Mountains, the home has over 2,500 original artifacts on display. During the Civil War, the home hosted both Union and Confederate officers at different times. A visit to Mabry Hazen House will allow you to learn about the origins of Knoxville’s Market Square, bitter divisions of the Civil War, struggles of Emancipation in Tennessee and the rise of Knoxville industry.
Westwood is the historic home, studio and gallery of artist Adelia Armstrong Lutz. Built in 1890, the home features the largest collection of her paintings on public display. The Queen Anne style home was designed by Baumann Brothers, Knoxville’s first architectural firm, and is Knoxville’s best-preserved example of high Victorian-style architecture.
Knox Heritage and Knoxville History Project
If you’re interested in discovering more about historic locations and homes in Knoxville, be sure to explore Knox Heritage and the Knoxville History Project. Knox Heritage provides a variety of programs, including lectures, workshops, and tours. They also offer the Historic Downtown Knoxville Walking Tour brochure, which is available online or at the Knoxville Visitors Center in Downtown Knoxville.
The Knoxville History Project is an educational nonprofit dedicated to researching and promoting Knoxville’s history. They offer educational talks and tours to the public.
Whether you’re exploring Knoxville for the first time or have called it home for years, we hope you’ll gain new insights about our city through these historical destinations.
