# Timeline of Knoxville, Tennessee

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
** Knoxville founded as the capital of the Southwest Territory, named for Henry Knox
** Knoxville Gazette newspaper begins publication.
* 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
** Old Gray Cemetery established.
** Population: 2,076.
** First Baptist Church built.
* 1854
** James C. Luttrell becomes mayor.
** Market Square established
* 1855
** East Tennessee and Georgia Railroad begins operating.
** William Graham Swan becomes mayor.
* 1863
** Siege of Knoxville.
** Battle of Fort Sanders.
** Knoxville National Cemetery established.
* 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
** Customs House built.
** Peter Staub becomes mayor.
* 1875 – Knoxville College founded.
* 1885
** Knoxville Fire Department and Lawson McGhee Library established.
** Knox County Courthouse built.
* 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
** "Million Dollar Fire" destroys part of Gay Street.
** Market House rebuilt on Market Square.
** North Knoxville (modern Old North Knoxville) becomes part of city
* 1898
** West Knoxville (modern Fort Sanders) becomes part of city.
** Gay Street Bridge constructed.

## 20th century

* 1905
** Knoxville Railway and Light Company established.
** L&N Station (Knoxville) built.
* 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
** WROL radio begins broadcasting.
** Daylight Building constructed.
* 1928
** Tennessee Theatre opens.
** James Alexander Fowler becomes mayor.
* 1930
** Andrew Johnson Building constructed.
** Population: 105,802.
* 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
** Protest by African Americans during the Civil Rights Movement.
** Population: 111,827.
* 1962
** Fountain City and Bearden become part of the city.
** Highlander Research and Education Center relocates to Knoxville from Monteagle.
* 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.