West Hills (Knoxville, Tennessee)
Encyclopedia
West Hills is a neighborhood in Knoxville, Tennessee
, USA, located just off Kingston Pike in West Knoxville
. Initially developed in the 1950s, West Hills was Knoxville's first major post-World War II
subdivision, and the first subdivision to consist primarily of modern ranch-style house
s. While West Knoxville experienced a boom in commercial development in the 1970s and 1980s, West Hills has managed to retain its residential character, due in large part to its aggressive neighborhood advocacy group, the West Hills Community Association.
and Interstate 75
passes between West Hills and Kingston Pike, running roughly parallel with the latter. The neighborhood is roughly bounded by Papermill Road on the south, Weisgarber Road on the east, and Walker Springs Road on the west. West Town Mall
dominates the south side of Kingston Pike, opposite the West Hills area. Bearden
and Forest Heights lie opposite Northshore Drive to the east, and the Turkey Creek
shopping centers lie to the southwest.
After World War II, the demand for new houses spiked, and vacant lots in Knoxville's older, pre-war neighborhoods quickly filled up. To meet the rising housing demand, developer Morgan Schubert purchased the Walker, Kirby, Hickey, and Van Osdale farms, and established the West Hills subdivision (the name "West Hills" was likely coined by Schubert). Knoxville's 1954 Parade of Homes featured new houses on Stockton Drive in West Hills, attracting many of the neighborhood's earliest residents.
One of the first houses built in West Hills was the Hotpoint Living-Conditioned House on West Hills Road. This house was one of four "demonstration starter homes" built as a result of a promotional campaign sponsored by Hotpoint Electrical Appliances and Living For Young Homemakers magazine. Conceived to demonstrate how a modern house with modern amenities could be built at an affordable price, the Hotpoint house was designed by Knoxville architect Bruce McCarty
, constructed by Martin Bartling, Jr., and was surrounded by gardens designed by landscape architect Robert Zion. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 2010.
The development of shopping centers in West Knoxville in the late 1950s and 1960s brought increased threats of commercial encroachment into the West Hills neighborhood. In the early 1960s, several West Hills residents formed the West Hills Estates Civic Association— the forerunner of the West Hills Community Association— to strictly monitor development and zoning codes in the neighborhood and its vicinity. In 1972, this group worked with Knoxville's Metropolitan Planning Commission to create the West Hills Plan, which provided a development model subsequently adopted for all Knoxville neighborhoods.
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 just off Kingston Pike in West Knoxville
West Knoxville
West Knoxville is the section of Knoxville, Tennessee, USA, that lies west of the city's downtown area. It generally stretches from Sequoyah Hills on the east to the city's border with Farragut on the west...
. Initially developed in the 1950s, West Hills was Knoxville's first major post-World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
subdivision, and the first subdivision to consist primarily of modern ranch-style house
Ranch-style house
Ranch-style houses is a domestic architectural style originating in the United States. First built in the 1920s, the ranch style was extremely popular amongst the booming post-war middle class of the 1940s to 1970s...
s. While West Knoxville experienced a boom in commercial development in the 1970s and 1980s, West Hills has managed to retain its residential character, due in large part to its aggressive neighborhood advocacy group, the West Hills Community Association.
Location
West Hills lies just off Kingston Pike, approximately 7 miles (11.3 km) west of Knoxville's downtown area. The merged 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...
and Interstate 75
Interstate 75
Interstate 75 is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. It travels from State Road 826 and State Road 924 in Hialeah, Florida to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, at the Ontario, Canada, border...
passes between West Hills and Kingston Pike, running roughly parallel with the latter. The neighborhood is roughly bounded by Papermill Road on the south, Weisgarber Road on the east, and Walker Springs Road on the west. West Town Mall
West Town Mall
West Town Mall is an upscale shopping mall located in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States. Opened in August 1972, this one-level mall is located in the western portion of Knoxville in the West Hills community. West Town Mall is located along Interstates 40/75 and Kingston Pike...
dominates the south side of Kingston Pike, opposite the West Hills area. Bearden
Bearden (Knoxville, Tennessee)
Bearden is a neighborhood in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA, located along Kingston Pike in West Knoxville. Developed primarily as an agrarian community in the 19th century, this neighborhood now lies at the heart of one of Knoxville's major commercial corridors...
and Forest Heights lie opposite Northshore Drive to the east, and the Turkey Creek
Turkey Creek (Tennessee)
Turkey Creek is a shopping complex and mixed-use commercial development located in west Knoxville, Tennessee, approximately three miles from the junction of Interstate 40 and Interstate 75. Turkey Creek comprises multiple developments, including the Pavilions at Turkey Creek, Colonial Promenade...
shopping centers lie to the southwest.
History
Before the 1950s, what is now West Hills consisted of several small family farms. The 100 acres (40.5 ha) Will Walker farm stood at the intersection of Wesley Road and Kingston Pike, and farms owned by the Kirby and Hickey families stood west of Vanosdale Road. Vanosdale Road is named for German immigrant David Van Osdale, who lived with his wife, Abbey, and their ten children on their 160 acres (64.7 ha) farm in the vicinity of the present Shannondale Health Center.After World War II, the demand for new houses spiked, and vacant lots in Knoxville's older, pre-war neighborhoods quickly filled up. To meet the rising housing demand, developer Morgan Schubert purchased the Walker, Kirby, Hickey, and Van Osdale farms, and established the West Hills subdivision (the name "West Hills" was likely coined by Schubert). Knoxville's 1954 Parade of Homes featured new houses on Stockton Drive in West Hills, attracting many of the neighborhood's earliest residents.
One of the first houses built in West Hills was the Hotpoint Living-Conditioned House on West Hills Road. This house was one of four "demonstration starter homes" built as a result of a promotional campaign sponsored by Hotpoint Electrical Appliances and Living For Young Homemakers magazine. Conceived to demonstrate how a modern house with modern amenities could be built at an affordable price, the Hotpoint house was designed by Knoxville architect Bruce McCarty
Bruce McCarty
Bruce McCarty, FAIA is an American architect, founder and senior designer at McCarty Holsaple McCarty Architects of Knoxville, Tennessee. During a career that has spanned more than a half-century, he has designed some of the city's iconic landmarks, and has been the city's most dedicated...
, constructed by Martin Bartling, Jr., and was surrounded by gardens designed by landscape architect Robert Zion. The house was 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...
in 2010.
The development of shopping centers in West Knoxville in the late 1950s and 1960s brought increased threats of commercial encroachment into the West Hills neighborhood. In the early 1960s, several West Hills residents formed the West Hills Estates Civic Association— the forerunner of the West Hills Community Association— to strictly monitor development and zoning codes in the neighborhood and its vicinity. In 1972, this group worked with Knoxville's Metropolitan Planning Commission to create the West Hills Plan, which provided a development model subsequently adopted for all Knoxville neighborhoods.
External links
- West Hills Community Association
- West City Sector Plan — Metropolitan Planning Commission site