North Knoxville
Encyclopedia
North Knoxville is the section of Knoxville, Tennessee
, USA, that lies north of the city's downtown area
. It is concentrated around Broadway (US-441
), Clinton Highway (US-25W
), Tazewell Pike (TN-331), Washington Pike, and adjacent roads, and includes the neighborhoods of Fountain City
, Inskip-Norwood, Oakwood-Lincoln Park, Old North Knoxville
, Fourth and Gill, North Hills
, and Whittle Springs. North Knoxville is bisected by Sharp's Ridge
, a 7 miles (11.3 km) elongate ridge that rises prominently above the surrounding terrain.
"North Knoxville" originally referred to the area between Downtown Knoxville and Sharp's Ridge. A portion of this area, namely the Old North Knoxville and Fourth and Gill neighborhoods, incorporated as the City of North Knoxville in 1888, though this city was annexed by Knoxville in 1897. Lincoln Park and Oakwood, which developed alongside the Southern Railroad's Coster Yards, were annexed in 1917, pushing the city's boundaries to the base of Sharp's Ridge.
The residential development of North Knoxville began with the advent of streetcars in the 1880s, and the establishment of the so-called "Dummy Line," a train connecting Knoxville with Fountain City, in 1890. This train and the trolley that replaced it in 1905 ran along Broadway. Fountain City and other areas north of Sharp's Ridge were annexed in 1962, and the area south of Sharp's Ridge, namely the Old North Knoxville, Fourth and Gill, and Oakwood-Lincoln Park neighborhoods, are now typically referred to as "old" North Knoxville, or "Downtown North."
Recent economic initiatives have focused on rezoning commercial or industrial areas as "mixed-use" areas or low-density residential areas, improving sidewalks and greenways, and improving (i.e., widening or adding turn lanes) important roads.
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
, USA, that lies north of the city's downtown area
Downtown Knoxville
Downtown Knoxville is the downtown area of Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. It contains the city's central business district and primary city and county municipal offices. It is also home to several retail establishments, residential buildings, and the city's convention center...
. It is concentrated around Broadway (US-441
U.S. Route 441
U.S. Route 441 is a spur route of U.S. Route 41. It currently runs for 939 miles from U.S. Route 41 in Miami, Florida to U.S. Route 25W in Lake City, Tennessee. Between its termini, US 441 passes through the states of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee...
), Clinton Highway (US-25W
U.S. Route 25
U.S. Route 25 is a north–south United States highway that runs for from Brunswick, Georgia to the Ohio state line in Covington, Kentucky.-Georgia:...
), Tazewell Pike (TN-331), Washington Pike, and adjacent roads, and includes the neighborhoods of Fountain City
Fountain City, Tennessee
Fountain City is a neighborhood in northern Knoxville, Tennessee, in the southeastern United States. Although not a census-designated place , the populations of the two zip codes that serve Fountain City— 37918 and 37912— were 36,815 and 18,695, respectively, as of the 2000 U.S. census...
, Inskip-Norwood, Oakwood-Lincoln Park, Old North Knoxville
Old North Knoxville
Old North Knoxville is a neighborhood in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA, located just north of the city's downtown area. Initially established as the town of North Knoxville in the late-19th century, the area was a prominent suburb for Knoxville's upper middle and professional classes until the 1950s...
, Fourth and Gill, North Hills
North Hills Historic District
The North Hills Historic District is a residential subdivision in north Knoxville, Tennessee, that was added to the National Register of Historic Places in September 2008 as an historic district. The subdivision was established in 1927 by the North Hills Corporation as a neighborhood of...
, and Whittle Springs. North Knoxville is bisected by Sharp's Ridge
Sharp's Ridge
Sharp's Ridge is a steep limestone ridge in Knoxville, Tennessee, north of the city's downtown. A area of the ridge is maintained as Sharp's Ridge Memorial Park, a city park dedicated to the honor of the area's war dead. The ridge also is the site of a transmitting antenna farm that serves most...
, a 7 miles (11.3 km) elongate ridge that rises prominently above the surrounding terrain.
"North Knoxville" originally referred to the area between Downtown Knoxville and Sharp's Ridge. A portion of this area, namely the Old North Knoxville and Fourth and Gill neighborhoods, incorporated as the City of North Knoxville in 1888, though this city was annexed by Knoxville in 1897. Lincoln Park and Oakwood, which developed alongside the Southern Railroad's Coster Yards, were annexed in 1917, pushing the city's boundaries to the base of Sharp's Ridge.
The residential development of North Knoxville began with the advent of streetcars in the 1880s, and the establishment of the so-called "Dummy Line," a train connecting Knoxville with Fountain City, in 1890. This train and the trolley that replaced it in 1905 ran along Broadway. Fountain City and other areas north of Sharp's Ridge were annexed in 1962, and the area south of Sharp's Ridge, namely the Old North Knoxville, Fourth and Gill, and Oakwood-Lincoln Park neighborhoods, are now typically referred to as "old" North Knoxville, or "Downtown North."
Recent economic initiatives have focused on rezoning commercial or industrial areas as "mixed-use" areas or low-density residential areas, improving sidewalks and greenways, and improving (i.e., widening or adding turn lanes) important roads.
See also
- CorrytonCorryton, TennesseeCorryton is an unincorporated community in northeastern Knox County, Tennessee, United States, about 15 miles north of Knoxville. The United States Geographic Names System classifies Corryton as a populated place...
- Halls CrossroadsHalls Crossroads, TennesseeHalls Crossroads is an unincorporated community in northern Knox County, Tennessee. As a northern suburb of nearby Knoxville, Halls is included in the Knoxville, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- KarnsKarns, TennesseeKarns is an unincorporated community in western Knox County, Tennessee, United States, about west of the center of Knoxville. The United States Geographic Names System classifies Karns as a populated place.- Geography :...
- PowellPowell, TennesseePowell is an unincorporated community in Knox County, Tennessee, United States. The United States Geographic Names System classifies Powell as a populated place. The area is located in the Emory Road corridor, just north of Knoxville, southeast of Clinton, and east of Oak Ridge...
External links
- North City Sector Plan — Knoxville-Knox County Metropolitan Planning Commission report
- Central City Sector Plan — Knoxville-Knox County Metropolitan Planning Commission report
- North Knoxville Business and Professional Association