Burlington

As a preface to history of East Knoxville, here are some scans of a sale flyer from between 1907 and 1910 ( Prior to the Appalachain Exposition) for the area around current day "Chilhowee Park" and the area now Burlington. The Lake Park Addition as it was called emcompassed "Lake Park", "Lake Ottosee" and "Knoxville Springs". Based on this, we would assume that the name "Burlington would have arrived sometime after this. I will post all panels of the flyer . Very interesting reading. Anyone would like a copy to read, let me know.

It was 5 cents to ride to the Bell Avenue Terminus of the Electric Line. 500 acres were to be sold. The Park and lake encompassed 54 acres.

NOTE: The following history was published in 1976 by Robert Cardwell. Mr. Cardwell was a local historian and former Principal at Fair Garden Elementary School. It has been placed here “as was published” without any check of accuracy. --Ben Humphries


A Brief History Of East Knoxville
Compiled and Composed by:
Robert H. Cardwell
For the Bicentennial 1776-1976


For its beginning, the first permanent settlement of Knoxville began in 1786 under James White.

James White commissioned his son-in-law, Charles McClung, to make a plan for Knoxville, the new capital of the Territory South of the river Ohio. McClung laid out the town, having sixteen blocks and sixty-four lots. The Northern limit was the present Church Street and it ended westward at Crooked Street. now known an Walnut Street, The street along the river was River Street, while along the creek was Water Street, now Central Avenue. The new town included small sections of Hill, Main, Cumberland, State, Gay and Market Streets. In the course of time, Knoxville was due to grow in all directions, east as well as west, north, and south,

East Knoxville

East Knoxville on the other side of Central Avenue was due to grow at first only a few blocks.

This small section was incorporated an a town in 1856. The :Incorporation was to last twelve years. This did not include what later became Park City and Burlington.. East Knoxville as then known became a part of Knoxville in 1868,

William Swan,, William Craig, William Brownlow, and John S, Vangilder were among its leaders,

East Knoxville during this period initiated free schooling, health laws, a hospital, built streets, bridges and sewers. It had its own City Hall and calaboose.

The constable was the health officer with authority to protect the health of the inhabitants, to fine those bringing infections and contagious diseases; to regulate sewages disposal and sanitary conditions. Profane swearing, working on the Sabbath, running and galloping horses, hallowing were misdemeanors and punishable by fines,

The last meeting of the East Knoxville Council was held on January 5, 1869. The aldermen of East Knoxville served as aldermen from the same wards in the City of Knoxville.

Even when East Knoxville was incorporated in 1856, and later developed as far East as Bell Street, Knoxville did not acquire very much growth. A few blocks on East Cumberland became its main thoroughfare,

To the North and West, there also existed separate government incorporations. An election on consolidation with Knoxville was held on July 23, 1897 with 995 votes for consolidation and 183 opposing consolidation.

Knoxville was to continue its growth stages to include Park City, and Burlington in 1917. The city boundary went east on Skyline Drive down Gravely Ridge, joined Ruggles Ferry Pike (now Holston Drive) east of the Robert H. Cardwell property before cutting northwest in front of the then existing Macedonia Church on the north side of the present Holston Drive.

Further East Knoxville annexation became effective July 11, 1963 when Holston Hills, Chilhowee Hills, and a section of North Hills came into the City of Knoxville.

Holston Hills

In the bicentennial year, a history of Holston Hills is timely

About the year 1800, North Carolina granted to Robert C. McCree approximately
300 acres. By 1894, Holston Hills was owned by seventeen different individuals, Joseph and Rosa McDonald continued to buy up this property. In 1916, the property was conveyed to John F, Shea and others. In 1924, the property was sold to Dr. Herbert Acuff.. In 1925, Dr. Acuff sold Holston Hills to Holston Hills Incorporated. Holston Hills continues to be one of the most attractive residential subdivisions.

Park City

Park City was annexed in 1917, This incorporated town on the eastern edge of Knoxville City began with the east end of the bridge over the Southern Railway.

After the turn of the century, Park City grew under its own management to the point where there was an excellent elementary and high school under the same roof. Park City School was on the same sight as the present Park Lowry School on Linden Avenue. The incorporation had its own Fire Hall just to the East of the school. W, R. Johnson was a long time Mayor of this growing community.

The Appalachian Fair of 1910 helped Park City and Burlington, The Fair was within the present location of Chilhowee Park. The buildings later burned.

The Electric Trolly Street Car came out to Chilhowee Park and later was extended to a turn around in Burlington,

Burlington

Around 1900, Burlington was very rural-, agricultural and unincorporated. In fact, the Burlington, Macedonia, Holston and Chilhowee Hills section was known as the "country."

In the heart of Burlington, Sam Lane owned the first grocery store at first located on the east parking lot of the Cox & Wright Grocery, This small wooden store was later sold to Pryor Rutherford. It became known as the Pryor Rutherford Race Track Store,


Cal Johnson was one of the largest land owners in Burlington. His most profitable business was the Cal Johnson Race Track. Its location was the present Speedway Circle, with a large acreage to the west about where the Trolley Lines made the circle for the return to town.

Rough wooden boards went into the eight foot fence around the race track. On the Westside Center, there was a wooden grandstand, which would hold around 500 persons, There were regular horse races. At other times, cart races were popular.

There were two stables for the horses as well as some feeding stations along a part of the fence.

The story of the Cal Johnson Race track around 1910 was spiced with a race between an automobile and a two wing Single engine airplane. Even then the automobile could not cope with the speed of that early airplane.

A third stable in Burlington was located within the street car turn around on the east parking lot of the Cox & Wright Grocery. People drove to this point, boarded their horses, and rode the trolley cars into Knoxville for shopping and other purposes.

In this bicentennial year of 1976, the two oldest businesses in Burlington need to be included in the story of Burlington. Burlington in more recent years is part of the life story of two of its most dedicated citizens, Blaine J. Farmer and William S. McCarty Sr. The Calloway-Farmer Hardware Store opened in 1926. The calendar of the hardware store in 1976 Shows pictures of Mr. & Mrs. Blaine Farmer with the caption, "Our 50th Year," . Two years later, William S, McCarty, Sr. brought his funeral home to McCalla Avenue in Burlington, thus making his business the second oldest,

This eastern section of Knoxville often made things happen. Within this spotlight a group of men formed the Burlington Civic Club in the forties that came to mean much to Burlington and East Knoxville, .

Burlington Civic Club

The goals of this group focused on community improvement. While there are surely other men, who made contributions to Burlington, the names of the following stand out in the memories of the citizens: Blaine J. Farmer, Rev. George Neff, William S., McCarty, Sr., Tom Clevenger, Dr, Leslie Burkhart, Dr. Paul Hahn, John B. Armstrong, W. D. Ward, H. K. Doyal, R. A. Newan, George Qgdin, Hardy Weaver, John Mynatt, Robert H. Cardwell, Dr, N. G., Riggins, Leon Dotson, George Greenlee, Rev. R. C. Barnes, Lonnie Keeton, Rev. T. C, Wyatt, Rome Lawson, and Charles Creswell.

A tall Christmas tree, located on the east parking lot of the Cox & Wright Grocery, was an annual affair. Scores of families brought their children for the sing festival and gifts for the children. The lighting of the tree was a big event in the life of the community. Tom Clevenger took a committee of men out the smaller tress and put the giant tree together,

This group of Burlington "Boosters" know that institutions of service needed to be added to the community, namely, a bank, a post office, and an enlargement of the library,

The Commercial Bank under Fred H. Cagle, Sr., moved a branch to McCalla Avenue next door to the first Hardy Weaver Cafeteria. The ribbon cutting for the bank was a large event in the life of the community. In a short while, the Hamilton National Bank, now the United American Bank bought the Commercial Bank uptown and in Burlington. Hamilton later moved its modern banking facility to Kirkwood Street, Burlington, the present location for the Burlington United American Bank.

Postal Services as a branch came to Burlington, using first a part of the Cox & Wright Grocery Building. In 1958, the Burlington Branch Post Office moved to its present location on Lakeside, The branch has grown and is a credit to the east community.

The Burlington Civic Club had a third goal, namely new library facilities for Burlington. A new building was needed. The humble beginning of library services in Burlington in 1928 within the Calloway-Farmer Hardware Building was not sufficient for the growing community.

In 1946, the Deaderick Parker family presented the present library site on McCalla Avenue to the City. The first library structure on this site contained 1,156 square feet.

In 1964, the Burlington Branch Library building was renovated and enlarged to 4000 square feet. Under the administration of Mayor John Duncan,, the present library building was dedicated in service to the community. Blaine J. Farmer was on the Library Board at that time. This branch continues to serve well the eastern community of Knoxville.

The Schools

With the exception of the Park City School on Linden Avenue, humble beginnings were typical of the earlier community schools, For example, a three room wooden school was at Fair Garden. Then, Knox County built a three story brick building, which served for many years. A three room wooden school building was near the present location of the Austin East High School on McCalla Avenue, probably at the intersection of Castle and McCalla Avenue. A two room wooden school in the Macedonia area was located on the John B, Armstrong property presently Holston Drive. Park City High School had a baseball team, but no football team,

In contrast to the modern schools in the eastern section of Knoxville, a look back in the bicentennial year at a description of the Macedonia school seems appropriate,

The Macedonia School covered grades 1 through 8 with four grades in one room and four in another, each room under a teacher. The weatherboarded school was located in a cluster of oak trees that often served for baseball bases, There was no library space, There was a large pot belly stove in each room. Water was carried for drinking purposes some two blocks from the Clanton spring. There were two water dippers for each room. Many of the boys counted it a favor to carry the water and at times sweep the rooms. Each room had double nailed down desks firmly attached to the floors. Beginning about 1917, the boys and girls from Macedonia were hauled to Fair Garden in a school hack, drawn by two heavy, beautiful horses, owned by George Bounds. At, times, the hack was driven by both Mr. & Mrs. George Bounds. The hack started at the Holston River and picked up on the three mile trip to Fair Garden,

The community of East Knoxville now boasts of fine modern buildings dedicated to good schools and to education as a great community investment,

Churches

Macedonia's first church on the north side of Ruggles Ferry Pike (Holston Drive) was made of logs in 1809. Macedonia was the oldest Methodist Church in Knoxville. Bell Avenue began on Linden Avenue in very humble beginning in 1879.
The Lennon-Memorial Church combined in 1886 to make the Lennon Methodist Church, McCalla Avenue Baptist Church was organized at the Fair Garden Elementary School in 1913, calling itself the Burlington Baptist Church. The Kirkwood Presbyterian Church started its Sunday School at the Mooney home on Prosser Road in 1908, then later in 1911 moved to a small dwelling at the rear of the present church. The Burlington Methodist Church began as a neighborhood church in 1924, The Park City Presbyterian Church was organized in 1890. All the churches, those mentioned and those not mentioned are dedicated to the "Great Commission."

It is fitting to close this short history of East Knoxville with a story and acknowledgments.

According to Mrs. Betsy B Creekmore in her excellent History of Knoxville, Louis Philippe, later French King once visited Knoxville and spent the night at the famous Chisholm Tavern. He was with his two younger brothers. Louis once startled an American tourist from Tennessee by remarking: "Tennessee--Ah Yes...Tell me, do they still sleep three in a bed in Knoxville.11

Appreciation is extended to Frank Lane and Harve Henderlight for their vivid descriptions of Burlington on the turn of the century, the colorful Cal Johnson Race Track, early business in Burlington and many other interesting stories.

The Knoxville City Library through its Burlington Branch has been helpful.

The writer worked cooperatively under a general committee, headed by Mrs. D. J. Vaughan, and Mr. Earl Ratledge, Greater Knoxville Chamber of Commerce.

The writer, Robert H. Cardwell, is also Chairman of the Bicentennial Committee of the Kiwanis Club of East Knoxville. The Club as a Bicentennial Activity compliments each of you with a copy of a brief history of East Knoxville. Anyone having knowledge of historical events in East Knoxville which are not included in this history is invited to contact Robert H. Cardwell for inclusion in further histories.

JOIN US IN BEING PROUD OF OUR 200th BIRTHDAY

Compiled and Composed by:

Robert H. Cardwell


Printing - Courtesy:

Greater Knoxville Chamber of Commerce