South Knoxville facts for kids
South Knoxville is a part of Knoxville, Tennessee, in the United States. It is located south of the Tennessee River. This area is mainly found along important roads like Chapman Highway, Alcoa Highway, Maryville Pike, and Sevierville Pike. It includes many neighborhoods such as Lindbergh Forest, Island Home Park, and Colonial Village.
South Knoxville is connected to Downtown Knoxville by four vehicle bridges. These bridges are the James C. Ford Memorial Bridge, the Gay Street Bridge, the Henley Bridge, and the J. E. "Buck" Karnes Bridge. Some parts of South Knoxville became officially part of Knoxville in 1917.
For a long time in the 1800s, South Knoxville did not have many people living there. This was because there were no bridges across the river. Two important early residents were Governor John Sevier, who started a farm at Marble Springs in the 1790s, and Perez Dickinson, who built a large house called "Island Home" in the 1850s. Today, this house is on the campus of the TSD.
During the American Civil War, Union soldiers built several forts in 1863. These forts included Fort Higley, Fort Dickerson, Fort Stanley, and Sevierville Hill. They were very important in stopping Confederate General James Longstreet from attacking Knoxville from the south during his siege of the city later that year.
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Marble Industry and Growth
South Knoxville has large amounts of a special type of rock called Tennessee marble. Because of this, many marble quarries (places where stone is dug out) and finishing factories were built here in the late 1800s. Famous examples include the Ross-Republic quarries, which are now part of the Ijams Nature Center, and the Candoro Marble Works in Vestal.
When the Henley Bridge was finished in 1931, it made it much easier to travel to South Knoxville. Soon after, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park opened. Chapman Highway became the main road connecting Knoxville to the park. This led to a big increase in businesses along Chapman Highway.
As of the year 2000, about 18,516 people lived in South Knoxville. In recent years, efforts have focused on making the riverfront better for fun activities and businesses. There has also been work on developing the Urban Wilderness trail system. Improving the look and access of Chapman Highway and Maryville Pike are also important goals. The University of Tennessee Medical Center is one of the biggest employers in South Knoxville.
Schools in South Knoxville
South Knoxville has several schools for students of all ages.
High School
The only high school in South Knoxville is South-Doyle High School.
Middle and Elementary Schools
Other well-known schools in the area include South-Doyle Middle School, South Knoxville Elementary, Bonny Kate Elementary, and Mount Olive Elementary. Dogwood Elementary and Moreland Heights Elementary are also among the elementary schools here.
Special Schools
South Knoxville is also home to the Tennessee School for the Deaf. Its campus is right next to the Island Home Park neighborhood.
Famous People from South Knoxville
Many well-known people have lived in or are from South Knoxville. These include:
- Federal judge William H. Hastie
- Actors David Keith, John Cullum, and Johnny Knoxville
- Cartoonist Darby Conley
- Author Cormac McCarthy
- Actor Brad Renfro
- Pittsburgh Steelers punter Craig Colquitt
Special Mentions
In 2010, a restaurant in South Knoxville called Ye Olde Steak House was featured on a TV show. It appeared in the third season of Man v. Food on The Travel Channel. In 2012, a book about the history of South Knoxville was published. It is simply titled "South Knoxville." [1]
Images for kids
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Bonny Kate Elementary
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Mount Olive Elementary
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Apache Trail in the Arrowhead subdivision
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Mount Olive Baptist Church
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Mountain View United Methodist Church
