Gay Street and the Civil Rights Movement Historil Marker

GAY STREET

* gay street knoxville history *

Gay Street, cir 1890s. Regnized by the Amerin Planng Associatn as one of the natn’s “Great Streets, ” Gay Street was regard before the Civil War as Knoxville’s ma mercial street. Durg the 1920s Gay Street served as a meetg pot for a new group of Knoxvillians head to both disver a new wilrns and blaze trails for a new Natnal Park, the Great Smoky Mountas.

David Chapman, also owned a pharmacy bs on Gay Street, famo for s Whe Ln statue.

GAY STREET

“Y’all means ALL” urty of Taryn Ferro In 2012 the ternatnal LGBTQ Magaze The Advote listed Knoxville as the “8 th Gayt Cy Ameri” * gay street knoxville history *

Almost everythg that has ever happened downtown Knoxville has a lk some way to Gay Street. GAY STREET VINTAGE POSTCARD GALLERY.

For a look to the 100 Block of South Gay Street by the railroad on the north end of Gay Street, jo for a Knoxville Weekend vio featurg KHP’s Jack Neely and Knoxville Urban Guy, Alan Sims, for an affectnate look back at an old classic – Harold’s Deli. In 1919, the cy raised this sectn of Gay Street to take out what was known as the “Death Dip, ” sentially a steep valley down towards and back up across the railroad tracks.

DID YOU KNOW THE 100 BLOCK OF GAY STREET WAS RAISED? TAKE AN UNRGROUND TOUR

A reimaged historil view of Gay Street. Excerpts om an old photograph of Gay Street are playfully layered wh lorful shap, l, bshstrok and abstracted rad wav, reprentg elements of Knoxville’s past and current culture. It observ the nnectn between the history of Gay Street and s rurgence as a culture hub. * gay street knoxville history *

Raisg the 100 Block of Gay Street 1919. ROSS MOL’S GAY STREET VIADUCT GALLERY. Sce the 1790s, Gay Street has played a primary role Knoxville’s historil and cultural velopment.

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.

Y’ALL MEANS ALL – THE GAY SCENE KNOXVILLE

Gay Street Knoxville, Tennsee, was named one of the Great Streets 2012. * gay street knoxville history *

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.

GAY STREET

After the war, Gay Street saw extensive mercial velopment as railroad nstctn brought an dtrial boom to Knoxville. 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. Others who were seen on Gay Street at one time or another were prohibnist Carrie Natn, Socialist ndidate Eugene V.

GAY STREET: KNOXVILLE, TENNSEE

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. 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.