Gay Street - Knoxville History Project

gay street history

If you’ve strolled through Greenwich Village, you’ve probably e across Gay Street and wonred how got s name. The street is loted wt of 6th Ave, between Christopher St and Waverly Pl. Jt a block away om the famo Stonewall Inn, the birthplace of morn LGBTQ rights, one would thk Gay Street is named

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GAY STREET

Disver Knoxville Tennsee, the rich history of Gay Street, learn about Knoxville's Theater District, where to go, and live shows to explore on Vis Knoxville. * gay street history *

Sce the 1790s, Gay Street has played a primary role Knoxville’s historil and cultural velopment.

WHO OWNS GAY STREET?

Disver Gay Street New York, New York: An aptly-named street near the birthplace of the morn LGBT rights movement. * gay street history *

Gay Street is home to art galleri, historic theaters, the East Tennsee History Center and more – wh many buildgs listed on the Natnal Register of Historic Plac. Gay Street was the se of the 1796 Constutnal Conventn that rulted the foundg of the state of Tennsee, and was a fol pot for the early polil activy of both the cy and the state of Tennsee.

On the eve of the Civil War, Gay Street was the se of simultaneo Unn and Conferate recg ralli. Durg the Civil War, Gay Street saw some early vlence, a fatal shootg of a Unnist monstrator, days after the firg on Ft. William Sanrs died as the rult of wounds the Lamar Hoe on Gay.

After the war, Gay Street saw extensive mercial velopment as railroad nstctn brought an dtrial boom to Knoxville.

GAY STREET

By 1850, Gay Street was home to three-fourths of Knoxville's mercial activy. In 1854, Gay Street beme Knoxville's first paved road.

Almost all public visors to Knoxville ma an appearance on Gay Street. Durg the Civil War, Andrew Johnson was shot at when he gave a pro-Unn speech on Gay Street.

GAY STREET

Others who were seen on Gay Street at one time or another were prohibnist Carrie Natn, Socialist ndidate Eugene V.

One of Knoxville’s olst buildgs, the Lamar Hoe, now the ont portn of the Bijou Theatre, was operatg as a hotel facg Gay Street by 1817, when hosted a receptn for Gen.

THE HISTORY OF GREENWICH VILLAGE’S GAY STREET

Begng 1908, Gay Street beme the lotn of Knoxville’s first skyscrapers, steel-ame buildgs of 10 stor or more, begng wh the Burwell Buildg, followed by the taller Holston Buildg, and some years later the Andrew Johnson Hotel, which was for almost half a century the tallt buildg East Tennsee.

From 1960 to 1963, Gay Street was the se of dozens of civil-rights monstratns, first s-s at all-whe lunch unters, then monstratns outsi the still-segregated movie theaters. Gay Street has also been the home of multiple partment stor, cludg Miller’s, which mataed a prence s origal bex-arts brick buildg on Gay for 70 years.

It was home to the headquarters of furnure giant Sterchi Brothers, whose logo has bee a signature of the Gay Street skyle, and today is one of downtown’s largt and most popular rintial buildgs. Gay Street has always been home to Knoxville’s ft theatr.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* GAY STREET HISTORY

Explore Historic Gay Street Knoxville TN | Thgs to Do .

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