The Knoxville History Project

09/01/2026

KHP's for September is "Knoxville Blues"!

In its own low-key way, Knoxville has been surprising the musical world for generations. As early as the 1880's Knoxville was holding an annual springtime music festival. First to celebrate classical music and opera, but after a few years, some impromptu fiddlers joined in the festivities. We were the home to one of the first female symphony founders, when Bertha Walburn Clark formed the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. A major national record company set up a make-shift studio to record a variety of blues, country, jazz, gospel, and folk tunes, which were ultimately forgotten. In 2016 they were found a released. We are the home to Roy Acuff, Chet Atkins, and Stick McGhee. And while she may have travelled down from Sevierville, it was a radio station here in Knoxville that trumpeted the voice of a young Dolly Parton. In recent years, we have been home to one of the largest music festivals in the Southeast.

Knoxville Blues tells the stories of some of the musicians, festivals, and musical events that originated here in Knoxville.

Available for $10.95 (+shipping) at https://knoxville-history-project.square.site/product/knoxville-blues/102?cs=true&cst=custom

08/30/2026

Happy Historic Birthday to Albert B. Baumann, Sr. (1861-1942)! 🎂🎉

Baumann was a leading Knoxville architect of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Son of German immigrants—his father had a shipbuilder in Savannah—he learned architecture working as a draftsman for his much-older brother Joseph Baumann, arguably Knoxville’s first full-time architect, and the two worked together for many years as Baumann Brothers, creating several Victorian homes (Westwood is one) and landmark buildings, including the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.

Baumann had an unusual challenge in 1916, to redesign a grand house his brother had designed early in his career: hence the McGhee house on Locust Street became the Masonic Temple. Baumann himself was a member of that fraternity.

After his brother’s death, Baumann formed a new partnership with his own son, A.B. Baumann, Jr., working for some years as Baumann & Baumann, who were responsible for many of the enduring works of architecture in downtown Knoxville today, including the Andrew Johnson Hotel building and the much-admired marble-clad Main Street post office.

📸 - Albert B. Baumann as he appeared in Men of Affairs: Knoxville, 1917. (KHP.)

08/27/2026

We are always happy to help share all the stories of Knoxville!

Honored to have had the wonderful historian Jack Neely contribute the foreword to 12 Years of the Knoxville Asian Festival. When Kumi Alderman first introduced us less than a year ago, little did I know how instrumental him and Paul’s words of wisdom at the KHP would shape how I (Arthur) would write my first non-fiction book. 📚✨

This book represents an important milestone in American history—documenting the people, traditions, stories, and celebrations that have helped shape the cultural landscape of East Tennessee. 🇺🇸🌏

Part history, part educational resource, and fully colorful, the book was thoughtfully designed to reflect the beauty, diversity, and richness of Asia’s many cultures and ethnicities. 🌸🏮🎎

Having Jack’s historical perspective help frame this story makes this project even more meaningful. We are proud to preserve these memories and celebrate the vibrant Asian American community that has become such an important part of Knoxville and East Tennessee’s history.

08/26/2026

Updating the KHP website with a heavy heart this morning. She was beloved around the world and will be forever remembered not only for her talent, but her kind and generous spirit. Thank you Dolly Parton for everything you did, you will be missed, especially here in East Tennessee.

08/20/2026

Answer - If you guessed Blount Mansion - you were correct!

Blount Mansion was home to U. S. Constitution signer William Blount, appointed by President George Washington to govern the Southwest Territory, which Blount shepherded into admission to the union as our nation’s sixteenth state, Tennessee.

The chair in yesterday's photo is one of the few items in the house known to have belonged to Governor Blount.

"The chair was made in the Roanoke River Valley on the border of North Carolina and Virginia, c1790. It is made in the American, Chippendale style, with curved crest rail with extended ears; sheaf of wheat pierced slat, S-shaped arms; red slip seat, 4 square legs fully stretched. An interesting detail of the chair is that there are a row of nail holes in the chairs seat rail or apron. Leading us to believe it had been modified at some point into a potty-chair possibly for one of the Blount's children born in Tennessee." Courtesy of the Blount Mansion Virtual Tour.

Check out blountmansion.org to learn more!

08/19/2026

First person to guess correctly will receive a KHP magnet! Check in tomorrow for the answer!

08/17/2026

Today marks the first day of classes for our UT Volunteers and we welcome them back!

The University of Tennessee traces its beginnings to 1794, before Tennessee was even a state. But behind that founding date, which gives UT a claim to be one of the nation’s oldest public universities, is a story of stressful decades when the tiny college almost ceased to exist, changed its name and its campus, and only through the tenacity of a few determined scholars and supporters, held on by a thread.

Read the full story here - https://knoxvillehistoryproject.org/2015/08/20/the-university-of-tennessee-the-trip-to-the-hill/

07/29/2026

August Save the Dates!

8/5 - Tickets go on sale for September's Coffee Club at Eugenia Williams House
8/11 - Maple Hall: Great Shows in Modern History (Free)
8/15 - ETHS History Fair
8/15 - Last Day to donate to the South Knoxville Book Subscriber Campaign

Ongoing - Knoxville Walking Tours w/Laura Still. Laura offers tours at various locations on various topics: Eugenia Williams House, Misbehaving Women, Knoxville's Early Years, Civil War, Black History, Knoxville Botanical Garden, Gunslingers, Music, Old Gray Cemetery, Literature, and Ghost Stories. Check out her calendar (https://knoxvillewalkingtours.com/calendar.html/) to schedule.

Further information can be found on our event page.

07/24/2026

Help Fund the Completion of a Groundbreaking New Book on Historic South Knoxville and Receive Exclusive Swag! Visit https://knoxvillehistoryproject.org/southknoxsubscriber/ to learn more!

The deadline for the subscriber campaign has been extended to August 15.

Help Fund the Completion of a Groundbreaking New Book on Historic South Knoxville and Receive Exclusive Swag! Please click amount to donate. The campaign runs though August 1, 2026  Please note – when making your donation, there will be a […]

07/19/2026

Happy 🍦

📸Swift's Ice Cream building, October 1936 (McClung Historical Collection) & Advertisement in The Knoxville Journal - June 15, 1935.