Parkridge (Knoxville, Tennessee)
Encyclopedia
Parkridge is a neighborhood in Knoxville, Tennessee
, USA, located off Magnolia Avenue east of the city's downtown area. Developed as a streetcar suburb
for Knoxville's professional class in the 1890s, the neighborhood was incorporated as the separate city of Park City in 1907, and annexed by Knoxville in 1917. In the early 1900s, the neighborhood provided housing for workers at the nearby Standard Knitting Mills factory.
In 1990, over 600 houses in Parkridge were listed on the National Register of Historic Places
as the Park City Historic District. The neighborhood contains one of the largest concentrations of houses designed by George Franklin Barber
(1854–1915), a mail-order architect known nationwide for his ornate Victorian house plans.
on the north, Magnolia Avenue (part of US-70
) on the south, Hall of Fame Drive on the west, and Cherry Street on the east. The Chilhowee Park neighborhood
lies opposite Cherry Street to the east, Fourth and Gill lies opposite Hall of Fame Drive to the west, Morningside lies to the south, and North Hills
lies opposite I-40 to the northeast. First Creek has traditionally divided the area from Downtown Knoxville to the southwest, and expressway construction, namely Hall of Fame Drive and the James White Parkway, has sharpened this division in recent decades.
. By the mid-19th century, much of this land had been acquired by Joseph Mabry, whose house still stands atop Mabry Hill to the south. During the 1850s, a developer named John Shields established Shieldstown between First Creek and modern Bertrand Street, near what is now the Old City
, which by 1880 had a population of 700.
In 1875, Fernando Cortes Beaman (1836–1911), a college professor, purchased an 1100 acres (445.2 ha) dairy farm east of Shieldstown from the descendants of Alexander McMillan. This included what is now Chilhowee Park, which Beaman began developing in the mid-1880s, namely with the creation of "Lake Ottossee," and the erection of a dance pavilion. A road, Park Avenue (modern Magnolia), was constructed to connect the park with Downtown Knoxville. In 1889, streetcar entrepreneur William Gibbs McAdoo
agreed to build an electric streetcar line along Park Avenue, springing residential development in the areas between the park and Downtown Knoxville.
One of the partners in this company was architect George Franklin Barber, who would eventually become known nationwide for his catalog designs. Barber designed numerous houses in the new subdivision, including his own house, which still stands at 1635 Washington Avenue. Barber lived in this house until 1895, and his company's draftsmen continued boarding at the house until the early 1900s. The designs of several Barber houses along Washington and Jefferson avenues were featured in Barber's catalogs, which were sold worldwide over the subsequent two decades.
The various new subdivisions along Park Avenue incorporated as Park City in 1907, with W. R. Johnson serving as mayor. The new city had a population of 7,000, and its new school, Park City High School, had an enrollment of over 1,000 students, making it one of the largest in the state (the school building was designed by Barber and his new partner, R. F. Graf
). The city benefited from the three national expositions held at Chilhowee Park, namely the Appalachian Expositions of 1910 and 1911, and the National Conservation Exposition
of 1913. In 1917, Park City was annexed by Knoxville.
/Craftsman
to Tudor Revival. Several notable Victorian houses built during the late 19th century survive, however, especially along Washington and Jefferson avenues.
Caswell Park, Cansler YMCA, John T. O'Connor Senior Center, and Knoxville Municipal Stadium (formerly Bill Meyer Stadium
) are located in Parkridge. The larger Chilhowee Park
and the Knoxville Zoo
are located off Magnolia to the east.
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, located off Magnolia Avenue east of the city's downtown area. Developed as a streetcar suburb
Streetcar suburb
A streetcar suburb is a residential community whose growth and development was strongly shaped by the use of streetcar lines as a primary means of transportation. Early suburbs were served by horsecars, but by the late 19th century cable cars and electric streetcars, or trams, were used, allowing...
for Knoxville's professional class in the 1890s, the neighborhood was incorporated as the separate city of Park City in 1907, and annexed by Knoxville in 1917. In the early 1900s, the neighborhood provided housing for workers at the nearby Standard Knitting Mills factory.
In 1990, over 600 houses in Parkridge were listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as the Park City Historic District. The neighborhood contains one of the largest concentrations of houses designed by George Franklin Barber
George Franklin Barber
George Franklin Barber was an American architect best known for his residential designs, which he marketed worldwide through a series of mail-order catalogs. One of the most successful domestic architects of the late Victorian period in the United States, Barber's plans were used for houses in...
(1854–1915), a mail-order architect known nationwide for his ornate Victorian house plans.
Location
Parkridge is located in East Knoxville, and is bounded by Interstate 40Interstate 40
Interstate 40 is the third-longest major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90 and I-80. Its western end is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern end is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina...
on the north, Magnolia Avenue (part of US-70
U.S. Route 70
U.S. Route 70 is an east–west United States highway that runs for 2,385 miles from eastern North Carolina to east-central Arizona. As can be derived from its number, it is a major east–west highway of the Southern and Southwestern United States...
) on the south, Hall of Fame Drive on the west, and Cherry Street on the east. The Chilhowee Park neighborhood
Chilhowee Park (neighborhood)
Chilhowee Park is a residential neighborhood in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA, located off Magnolia Avenue in the East Knoxville area. Developed as a streetcar suburb in the 1890s, this neighborhood was initially part of Park City, which was incorporated as a separate city in 1907, and annexed by...
lies opposite Cherry Street to the east, Fourth and Gill lies opposite Hall of Fame Drive to the west, Morningside lies to the south, and 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...
lies opposite I-40 to the northeast. First Creek has traditionally divided the area from Downtown Knoxville to the southwest, and expressway construction, namely Hall of Fame Drive and the James White Parkway, has sharpened this division in recent decades.
Lake Ottossee
What is now Parkridge was once part of a vast farm owned by Moses White, the son of Knoxville founder James WhiteJames White (general)
James White was an American pioneer and soldier who founded Knoxville, Tennessee, in the early 1790s. Born in Rowan County, North Carolina, White served as a captain in the county's militia during the American Revolutionary War...
. By the mid-19th century, much of this land had been acquired by Joseph Mabry, whose house still stands atop Mabry Hill to the south. During the 1850s, a developer named John Shields established Shieldstown between First Creek and modern Bertrand Street, near what is now the Old City
Old City (Knoxville)
The Old City is a neighborhood in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA, located at the northeast corner of the city's downtown area. Originally part of a raucous and vice-ridden section of town known as "The Bowery," the Old City has since been revitalized through extensive redevelopment efforts carried out...
, which by 1880 had a population of 700.
In 1875, Fernando Cortes Beaman (1836–1911), a college professor, purchased an 1100 acres (445.2 ha) dairy farm east of Shieldstown from the descendants of Alexander McMillan. This included what is now Chilhowee Park, which Beaman began developing in the mid-1880s, namely with the creation of "Lake Ottossee," and the erection of a dance pavilion. A road, Park Avenue (modern Magnolia), was constructed to connect the park with Downtown Knoxville. In 1889, streetcar entrepreneur William Gibbs McAdoo
William Gibbs McAdoo
William Gibbs McAdoo, Jr. was an American lawyer and political leader who served as a U.S. Senator, United States Secretary of the Treasury and director of the United States Railroad Administration...
agreed to build an electric streetcar line along Park Avenue, springing residential development in the areas between the park and Downtown Knoxville.
Park City
Around 1890, the Edgewood Land and Improvement Company initiated the development of Parkridge, namely with the division of lots in what is now the western part of the neighborhood. Streets in Parkridge still roughly follow the gridlike pattern laid out by this company and other developers during this period. Other developments included the Poplar Springs subdivision, established by Preston Blang in the vicinity of what is now Linden and Bertrand, and Elmwood, in the vicinity of what is now Woodbine and Boruff. A black community was developed in the area of Adams, Dodson and Nichols.One of the partners in this company was architect George Franklin Barber, who would eventually become known nationwide for his catalog designs. Barber designed numerous houses in the new subdivision, including his own house, which still stands at 1635 Washington Avenue. Barber lived in this house until 1895, and his company's draftsmen continued boarding at the house until the early 1900s. The designs of several Barber houses along Washington and Jefferson avenues were featured in Barber's catalogs, which were sold worldwide over the subsequent two decades.
The various new subdivisions along Park Avenue incorporated as Park City in 1907, with W. R. Johnson serving as mayor. The new city had a population of 7,000, and its new school, Park City High School, had an enrollment of over 1,000 students, making it one of the largest in the state (the school building was designed by Barber and his new partner, R. F. Graf
R. F. Graf
Richard Franklin Graf was an American architect, active primarily in Knoxville, Tennessee, and the vicinity, in the early 20th century. His works include Stratford Mansion , Sterchi Lofts , St. John's Lutheran Church , and the Journal Arcade . His home, the Prairie School-inspired Graf-Cullum...
). The city benefited from the three national expositions held at Chilhowee Park, namely the Appalachian Expositions of 1910 and 1911, and the National Conservation Exposition
National Conservation Exposition
The National Conservation Exposition was an exposition held in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States, between September 1, 1913 and November 1, 1913. The exposition celebrated the cause of bringing national attention to conservation activities, especially in the Southeastern United States...
of 1913. In 1917, Park City was annexed by Knoxville.
20th century
During the 1920s, Knoxville's more affluent residents began moving to automobile suburbs on the outskirts of town, and the city's streetcar suburbs, including Park City, gradually transitioned into working class neighborhoods. One of Park City's primary employers, Standard Knitting Mills, built a large factory on the neighborhood's western end in 1900. At its height, this factory employed over 3,000 workers. It closed in 1989.Park City Historic District
In 1990, a large portion of Parkridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places as the Park City Historic District. This district contains 678 contributing buildings, the most of any of the Knox County's National Register-listed historic district. Most of the buildings were constructed in the first half of the 20th century, and have architectural styles ranging from BungalowBungalow
A bungalow is a type of house, with varying meanings across the world. Common features to many of these definitions include being detached, low-rise , and the use of verandahs...
/Craftsman
American Craftsman
The American Craftsman Style, or the American Arts and Crafts Movement, is an American domestic architectural, interior design, landscape design, applied arts, and decorative arts style and lifestyle philosophy that began in the last years of the 19th century. As a comprehensive design and art...
to Tudor Revival. Several notable Victorian houses built during the late 19th century survive, however, especially along Washington and Jefferson avenues.
Notable properties
- George Franklin Barber House (1635 Washington Ave.), a Queen Anne-style house built in 1889 and designed by architect George Franklin Barber. Barber lived here from 1889 until 1895.
- Alonzo Cash House (1712 Washington Ave.), built in 1889 and designed by George Franklin Barber. This house was featured as design #3 in Barber's catalog, The Cottage Souvenir.
- W. O. Haworth House (1724 Washington Ave.), built in 1889 and design by George Franklin Barber. This house was featured as design #35 in Barber's The Cottage Souvenir No. 2.
- F. E. McArthur House (1701 Jefferson Ave.), built in 1889 and designed by George Franklin Barber. This house was featured as design #40 in Barber's The Cottage Souvenir No. 2.
- D. D. Remer House (1618 Washington Ave.), built in 1890 and designed by George Franklin Barber. This house, restored by Knox Heritage in 2006, was featured as design #65B in Barber's New Modern Dwellings.
- Joshua Deaver House (1803 Washington Ave.), built in 1893 and designed by George Franklin Barber. This house was featured as design #63 in Barber's New Modern Dwellings.
- 2041 Washington Avenue, a Queen Anne-style house built circa 1893 and designed by architect John Ryno, a later partner of George Barber. Ryno lived here during the 1890s.
- 2336 Woodbine Avenue, an American Foursquare-style house built circa 1900. This house served as Knoxville Florence Crittenton homeNational Florence Crittenton MissionThe National Florence Crittenton Mission was an organization established in 1883 by Charles N. Crittenton. It attempted to reform prostitutes and unwed pregnant women through the creation of establishments where they were to live and learn skills....
for several years.
- 2511 East Fifth Avenue, a Craftsman-style house with PrairiePrairie SchoolPrairie School was a late 19th and early 20th century architectural style, most common to the Midwestern United States.The works of the Prairie School architects are usually marked by horizontal lines, flat or hipped roofs with broad overhanging eaves, windows grouped in horizontal bands,...
features, built circa 1915.
- 2512 East Fifth Avenue, a Bungalow-style house with Prairie features, built circa 1915.
- 2331 and 2343 Washington Avenue, identical two-story Eastlake-style houses, built circa 1890.
- Central Church of Christ (1932 Woodbine Ave.), a two-story cement block church constructed circa 1910.
- Fifth Avenue Baptist Church (2500 E. Fifth Ave.), a brick church constructed in the neoclassical style circa 1921.
- The Haven (2510 E. Fifth Ave.), a fourplex constructed circa 1925.
- Park Lane (1721 E. Fifth Ave.), a two-story apartment building constructed circa 1915 in the Colonial Revival styleColonial Revival architectureThe Colonial Revival was a nationalistic architectural style, garden design, and interior design movement in the United States which sought to revive elements of Georgian architecture, part of a broader Colonial Revival Movement in the arts. In the early 1890s Americans began to value their own...
.
- Pleasanttree (2460 E. Fifth Ave.), an Italian Renaissance-style apartment building constructed circa 1925.
- Stewart Building (2362 E. Fifth Ave.), a two-story Italian Renaissance-style apartment building, constructed circa 1920.
- 1805 East Fifth Avenue, two identical two-story apartment buildings constructed circa 1915 in the Italian Renaissance Revival style.
Community
The Parkridge Community Organization (PCO) describes Parkridge as an urban neighborhood with approximately 3,500 people living in 1,800 houses. The neighborhood is "racially mixed," at 65% black and 35% white. The neighborhood is home to nine churches and six non-profit organizations.Caswell Park, Cansler YMCA, John T. O'Connor Senior Center, and Knoxville Municipal Stadium (formerly Bill Meyer Stadium
Bill Meyer Stadium
Bill Meyer Stadium was a baseball field located in Knoxville, Tennessee.It was named after Billy Meyer , a Knoxville native who was a catcher and manager in Major League Baseball and a longtime minor league skipper.-Baseball Usage:...
) are located in Parkridge. The larger Chilhowee Park
Chilhowee Park
Chilhowee Park is a public park, fairgrounds and exhibition venue in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA, located off Magnolia Avenue in East Knoxville. Developed in the late 19th century, the park is now home to the Tennessee Valley Fair, and hosts several dozen expositions annually...
and the Knoxville Zoo
Knoxville Zoo
Knoxville Zoo is a zoo located just east of downtown Knoxville, Tennessee near exit 392 of Interstate 40. The zoo is home to about 800 animals and welcomes over 400,000 human visitors each year....
are located off Magnolia to the east.