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Places to See in Knoxville, Tennessee

By Chris Tingom · On September 14, 2013

Welcome to the Knoxville hub! This section will be your guide to everything to see and do in Knoxville!

First settled in 1786, Knoxville was the first capital of Tennessee. The city struggled with geographic isolation throughout the early 19th century, though the arrival of the railroad in 1855 led to an economic boom. During the Civil War, the city was bitterly divided over the secession issue, and was occupied alternately by both Confederate and Union armies. Following the war, Knoxville grew rapidly as a major wholesaling and manufacturing center. The city’s economy stagnated after the 1920s as the manufacturing sector collapsed, the Downtown area declined, and city leaders became entrenched in highly partisan political fights. Hosting the 1982 World’s Fair helped reinvigorate the city, and revitalization initiatives by city leaders and private developers have had some success.

Knoxville holds a special place in my heart. I have several friends who live in the suburbs and we recently attended a wedding for a friend there. We stayed at a hotel so we would be close, and were there for over a week!

One of my favorite places to eat from the entire week was checking out Nixon’s Deli which has been open for about 30 years now. They have a menu up online at nixonsdeli.com if you’re curious. I’ll do a full review shortly, but wanted to mention it in case you’re looking for an awesome place to get a sandwich!

Facts about Knoxville, TN

There’s so much history in Knoxville!

  • Knoxville was settled in 1791 and established in 1792, and if you’re wondering about the name, then you should know that it was named after after Henry Knox, President Washington’s War Secretary. Although, I don’t think he ever lived there as he lived in Maine.
  • Downtown Knoxville is 936 feet above sea level.
  • Currently Knoxville’s city population is more than 182,200 (2012).
  • Knoxville was home to the 1982 World’s Fair and at the time was the smallest city to host the exposition. Attendance was over 11,127,786 visitors. It was also the last successful World’s Fair held in America.
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Chris Tingom

Chris is the editor of this web site, and is an avid traveller who has been all over the south to taste the best BBQ. He has a wife and one child and loves to write and take photos.

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