Inside of Knoxville

Ghost Walking the Lone Tree Saloon & Shoe Shop on the 200 Block of Gay Street (Part I)

Paul James·September 10, 2026

With the recent opening of Lone Tree Pass, the first major construction project on the 200 block of Gay Street in a century, it’s a good time to look back at this section of town. As...

Ghost Walking the Streets of Knoxville: Staub’s Opera House & the Colonial Hotel on the 800 Block of Gay

Paul James·July 20, 2026

If one had the opportunity to travel back in time, anytime in Knoxville’s history, and choose a particularly memorable day, you may not go far wrong in selecting Tuesday, October 1, 1872. The occasion: the grand...

The Treaty of Holston: 235 Years Ago, a Pivotal Event Led to the Founding of Knoxville

Paul James·July 2, 2026

On July 2, 1791, some 235 years ago, Gov. William Blount likely woken up in his little cabin along the river and looked forward to the successful conclusion of a conference with Cherokee chiefs that had...

Ghost Walking Another Section of Walnut Street (W. Church to Union)

Paul James·June 12, 2026

After last month’s short shuffle along Crooked Street, this time we’re going to stay on Walnut Street and head north past St. John’s Cathedral. All the residences that once existed on this block (as seen in...

Ghost Walking the Crooked Streets of Knoxville: Mysteries Remain on Walnut between Main & Cumberland

Paul James·March 19, 2026

For the curious out there, there is one paved section of town that sounds a little more interesting than most: Crooked Street. This is the old name for Walnut Street that has fascinated a few Knoxvillians...

Ghost Walking the Lost Bridges That Preceded the Gay Street Bridge

Paul James·February 16, 2026

With the re-opening of the Gay Street Bridge in late 2025, to pedestrians and cyclists at least, it’s a good time to take a ghost walk back and forth across the bridges of old. And while...

Ghost Walking Around the Former Whittle Communications Building on Main Street

Paul James·January 6, 2026

Have you ever noticed how quiet it is around Gay Street and Main Street in the evening? During the day, it’s reasonably lively with lawyers, bankers, government employees milling about. It will be even more so...

Ghost Walking the Christmas Streets of Knoxville: The Inaugural Knoxville Santa Claus Parade

Paul James·December 1, 2025

“Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus, right down Santa Claus Lane, Vixen and Blitzen and all his reindeers pulling on the reins, Bells are ringing, children singing, all is merry and bright, So hang...

Ghost Walking the Streets of Knoxville: Prize Steers, Peddlers & Pool Halls

Paul James·November 18, 2025

Just beyond the edge of the town’s original 64 lots laid out in 1791, the intersection of Gay Street and Clinch Avenue has long been a bustling place in downtown Knoxville. Today, thousands of people walk...

Ghost Walking the Streets of Knoxville: The Hotels at Gay & Clinch

Paul James·October 9, 2025

It’s interesting how the use of a certain spot on a street basically stays the same for decades, if not more than a century. The site of a courthouse typically indicates a long tenure, but how...

Ghost Walking the Streets of Knoxville: The Dr. John Mason Boyd Memorial Arch

Paul James·September 3, 2025

The steps of the Dr. John Mason Boyd memorial arch at the corner of Gay Street and Main Street offer a fine perch to ponder bygone times in this old section of downtown. Anyone who has...

Ghost Walking the Streets of Knoxville: Early Movie Theaters

Paul James·August 12, 2025

Just like we do today, Knoxvillians have long come downtown looking for some entertainment. For many years, Staub’s Opera House (later known as Staub’s Theatre and the Lyric) served as the city’s most dependable live-performance venue....

Ghost Walking With the Fallen Fireman’s Memorial Monument

Paul James·June 30, 2025

Most towns and cities have statues and memorials of all kinds, but for me it’s the unique ones that not only inform the feel of a place, but also convey some local history. The most Knoxville-centric...

Ghost Walking Around the Lamar House

Paul James·June 10, 2025

Down on the 800 block of Gay Street it’s generally a lot quieter than a couple of blocks farther north. With the quiet end of a federal building on one side, and a towering office tower...