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Timeline of Knoxville, Tennessee facts for kids

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The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee, USA.

Prior to 19th century

  • 1786 – White's Fort built.
  • 1791
  • 1792 – Blount Mansion built.
  • 1793 – First Presbyterian Church established.
  • 1794 – Blount College (later the University of Tennessee) established.
  • 1796 – Knoxville becomes capital of new U.S. state of Tennessee.

19th century

  • 1806 – Hampden and Sydney School incorporated.
  • 1815 – City of Knoxville incorporated.
  • 1816 – Thomas Emmerson becomes mayor.
  • 1817 – Knoxville Hotel in business.
  • 1818 – Craighead-Jackson House (residence) built.
  • 1827 – Knoxville Female Academy established.
  • 1828 – The Atlas becomes the first steamboat to reach Knoxville, having successfully navigated the lower Tennessee River
  • 1834 – East Tennessee Historical and Antiquarian Society founded.
  • 1844 – Tennessee Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb established.
  • 1845 – Warner Tabernacle AME Zion Church congregation established.
  • 1849 – Brownlow's Whig newspaper relocates to Knoxville.
  • 1850
  • 1854
  • 1855
    • East Tennessee and Georgia Railroad begins operating.
    • William Graham Swan becomes mayor.
  • 1863
  • 1864 – E.J. Sanford and Company in business.
  • 1868 – City Hall built on Market Square.
  • 1869 – Knoxville Industrial Association founded.
  • 1870
    • Ebenezer Mill built (approximate date).
    • Population: 8,682.
  • 1871 – Cowan, McClung and Co. building constructed.
  • 1872 – Staub's Theatre opens.
  • 1873 – William Rule becomes mayor.
  • 1874
  • 1875 – Knoxville College founded.
  • 1885
  • 1886 – Sentinel newspaper (later the Knoxville News Sentinel) begins publication.
  • 1887
    • Knoxville Negro World newspaper begins publication.
    • Chamber of Commerce established.
  • 1888
    • Sterchi Brothers Furniture Company in business.
    • Martin Condon becomes mayor.
  • 1890
    • Peter Kern becomes mayor.
    • Population: 22,535.
    • Electric streetcar begins operating.
  • 1891 – H. T. Hackney Company in business.
  • 1892 – St. John's Cathedral rebuilt.
  • 1896 - Flag of Knoxville, Tennessee is designed
  • 1897
  • 1898
    • West Knoxville (modern Fort Sanders) becomes part of city.
    • Gay Street Bridge constructed.

20th century

Map of Street Railway Lines of the Knoxville Railway and Light Company c 1912
Map of Street Railway Lines of the Knoxville Railway and Light Company c 1912
  • 1905
  • 1909 – Knoxville City Beautiful League organized.
  • 1910
    • First Appalachian Exposition held.
    • Population: 36,346.
  • 1911 – Second Appalachian Exposition held.
  • 1912 – The city replaces its mayor-alderman form of government with a commission.
  • 1913 – National Conservation Exposition held.
  • 1914 – Candoro Marble Works in operation.
  • 1917
    • Park City becomes part of the city.
    • South Knoxville becomes part of the city.
  • 1919
    • Riot of 1919 takes place.
    • October: Streetcar strike.
  • 1920 – Population: 77,818.
  • 1921 – WNAV radio begins broadcasting.
  • 1923 – The city replaces its commission with a city manager-council form of government; Louis Brownlow hired as first city manager
  • 1925 – City government moves to City Hall on Summit Hill Drive.
  • 1926
    • Knoxville News Sentinel in publication.
    • Lincoln Park United Methodist Church built.
  • 1927
  • 1928
  • 1930
  • 1931 – Henley Street Bridge constructed.
  • 1932 – Church Street Methodist Episcopal Church built.
  • 1933 – Tennessee Valley Authority headquartered in Knoxville.
  • 1934 – United States Post Office and Courthouse built.
  • 1938 – Park Theatre opens.
  • 1940 – Population: 111,580.
  • 1942 – Town of Oak Ridge developed near Knoxville.
  • 1943 – Oak Ridge National Laboratory established near Knoxville.
  • 1946
    • Cas Walker becomes mayor.
    • Journalist John Gunther dubs Knoxville the "ugliest city" in America, sparking beautification efforts
  • 1947 – Office of City Manager merged with Mayor's office
  • 1950 – Population: 124,769.
  • 1951 - Municipal Zoo established.
  • 1952 – George Roby Dempster becomes mayor.
  • 1953 - WATE-TV and WTVK (television) begin broadcasting.
  • 1956 - WBIR-TV (television) begins broadcasting.
  • 1959 – John Duncan, Sr. becomes mayor.
  • 1960
  • 1962
  • 1970 – Population: 174,587.
  • 1972 – Kyle Testerman becomes mayor.
  • 1974 – Streaking occurs.
  • 1976 – Randy Tyree becomes mayor.
  • 1980 – Population: 175,045.
  • 1981 – Knoxville Community Food Cooperative organized.
  • 1982 – 1982 World's Fair held; Sunsphere built.
  • 1983
    • Knoxville Opera Company active.
    • Halls Cinema in business.
  • 1984 – Doyle Park established.
  • 1985 – Riverview Tower built.
  • 1987 – Victor Ashe becomes mayor.
  • 1988
    • WCKS radio begins broadcasting.
    • Jimmy Duncan Jr. becomes U.S. representative for Tennessee's 2nd congressional district.
  • 1990 – Population: 165,121.
  • 1991 – City bicentennial.
  • 1992 – Petro's Chili & Chips franchise headquartered in Knoxville.
  • 1994 – Home & Garden Television headquartered in Knoxville.
  • 1995 - City website online.
  • 1996
    • Knoxville-Oak Ridge Regional Network online.
    • Adair Park built.
  • 1998 - Knoxville Area Chamber Partnership organized.

21st century

  • 2003 – Bill Haslam becomes mayor.
  • 2005
    • Knoxville Marathon begins.
    • Tennessee Archive of Moving Image and Sound and Three Rivers Market food co-op established.
  • 2010 – Population: 178,874.
  • 2011 – Daniel Brown becomes mayor, succeeded by Madeline Rogero.
  • 2019 - Indya Kincannon becomes mayor.
  • 2020 Population 190,740.
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