The A-Z Challenge is slipping away quickly. Combining two posts into one, today’s theme is my town.
In 1790 my town became the Southwest Territory Capital and named after the Secretary of War, Henry Knox. Later on, in 1796, Knoxville became the first capital of Tennessee.
During the early 19th century, Knoxville steadily grew with westward bound immigrants passing through my town and a place of trade for nearby mountain communities.
The railroad created a boom in my town’s population and commercialism in the 1850s. Although Knoxville is a southern city, it was home to a strong Pro-Union section and my town was bitterly divided during the Civil War.
After the war, the town’s business leaders with northern roots forged iron and textile industries here, establishing my town as the third largest wholesaling center in the south. In many large buildings constructed across the country used Tennessee marble that came beneath the soil of my town, earning Knoxville the nickname of The Marble City.
The economy slowed down in the 1900s for my town but with the Tennessee Valley Authority establishment and the ten-fold expansion of the University of Tennessee stabilized the economy in my town.
In the 60s, city council sought more open-minded changes in economic diversity while establishing a metro revival. My town hosted the 1982 World’s Fair Expo bringing in millions of people into the area for the first time, helping with the revitalization somewhat.
We did our part to boost Knoxville’s economy by supporting the World’s Fair Expo with season passes. My town is not too big, not too small, but just right to me. If you’re in my neck of the woods, come visit my town!
Sending a round of applauds and cheers to this week’s featured photographer. 👏
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