There was a house you mention on the radio one day I would love to take my wife and mother-in-law too. The lady was quite reclusive and you said the home’s kitchen was in working order with same appliances. I cannot remember the name. Any information would help. Thank you.
I believe that jack was referring to the Eugenia Williams House. Jack is currently conducting monthly tours through the ASLAN Foundation. You can register for them through their website: https://www.aslanfoundation.org/
Jack I listened to you on the Yarbrough show and there’s a couple things I want to run by you. The best way to learn about Neyland is to go to YouTube and watch a video called “100 years of Volunteer football “ Volume 1.
This dynamic picture of downtown you were talking about. I bet it was during the 1914 Vanderbilt game in Nashville. It was our biggest game in history at that time and that was our only great team we had ever had. We were undefeated and playing our season final against Vanderbilt which was a power house back then and a team we had never beat. As many fans as possible went by train to Nashville but the remaining hung out in town around the Tennessee Theater and awaited game results by telegram and the information would be relayed throughout town as things developed.
We won the game and the whole town basically got shut down for days for the celebration. Probably no other win in history had that kind of effect.
Who was Walter P Taylor? I have searched high and low. Robert H Taylor is a common result but not the guy. Who was Walter Taylor home named after? My best guess is a forgotten, yet important resident of the Cripple Creek era. Please enlighten?
Hi Eddie, Sorry for the delay in responding but here an answer from Jack Neely for you.
Walter P. Taylor was a commissioner for the Knoxville Housing Authority, predecessor to KCDC. Born in then-rural Bearden in 1877. By the time he was appointed to KHA, in 1948, was already well-known as a downtown clothing merchant; Woods & Taylor, whose logo is still legible on Wall Ave. was his firm.
He died in early 1957, just as they were plotting out Urban Renewal, and the housing projects that later bore his name, so I suspect it was intended as a memorial. The housing project opened a few years later, in the mid-’60s.
Walter P. Taylor was a commissioner for the Knoxville Housing Authority, predecessor to KCDC. Born in then-rural Bearden in 1877. By the time he was appointed to KHA, in 1948, was already well-known as a downtown clothing merchant; Woods & Taylor, whose logo is still legible on Wall Ave. was his firm.
He died in early 1957, just as they were plotting out Urban Renewal, and the housing projects that later bore his name, so I suspect it was intended as a memorial. The housing project opened a few years later, in the mid-’60s.
Hi Jack, I’m interested in learning about a house on Strawberry Plains Pike at the corner of Osborne Road (1729 Obsorne Road to be exact). I pass it often and have wondered the history of the obviously once beautiful old home. Any insight is greatly appreciated!
Hi Jack!
It’s Amy Garland Bowman…please excuse my awful grammar!
I’m watching a documentary of Montecello & the once enslaved souls who fled after the Civil War. One such man was Henry Wright. The film shows a public notice of him looking for his children and hoping to reunite in Knoxville, TN. So this man chose to come south of Virginia after the Civil War to become a Knoxvillian! Do you know anything more about this man and if he found his children?
Hi Amy,
In a brief search, it looks like Wright placed an ad in the Knoxville papers looking for his in children in April 1873, July 1874, and March 1878. In December of 1880 there is a notice in the Loudon Journal that “after escaping and being at large for a year, Henry Wright (colored) was caught on charges of larceny.” Not 100% sure if this is the same Henry Wright, but it could be. If you really want to delve into this story a good place to start would be the Beck Cultural Exchange Center. They have a large archive of black history in Knoxville and may be able to shed some more light.
9 Comments
There was a house you mention on the radio one day I would love to take my wife and mother-in-law too. The lady was quite reclusive and you said the home’s kitchen was in working order with same appliances. I cannot remember the name. Any information would help. Thank you.
Hi Justin,
I believe that jack was referring to the Eugenia Williams House. Jack is currently conducting monthly tours through the ASLAN Foundation. You can register for them through their website: https://www.aslanfoundation.org/
Thanks for your interest in KHP!
Nicole
Jack I listened to you on the Yarbrough show and there’s a couple things I want to run by you. The best way to learn about Neyland is to go to YouTube and watch a video called “100 years of Volunteer football “ Volume 1.
This dynamic picture of downtown you were talking about. I bet it was during the 1914 Vanderbilt game in Nashville. It was our biggest game in history at that time and that was our only great team we had ever had. We were undefeated and playing our season final against Vanderbilt which was a power house back then and a team we had never beat. As many fans as possible went by train to Nashville but the remaining hung out in town around the Tennessee Theater and awaited game results by telegram and the information would be relayed throughout town as things developed.
We won the game and the whole town basically got shut down for days for the celebration. Probably no other win in history had that kind of effect.
Who was Walter P Taylor? I have searched high and low. Robert H Taylor is a common result but not the guy. Who was Walter Taylor home named after? My best guess is a forgotten, yet important resident of the Cripple Creek era. Please enlighten?
Hi Eddie, Sorry for the delay in responding but here an answer from Jack Neely for you.
Walter P. Taylor was a commissioner for the Knoxville Housing Authority, predecessor to KCDC. Born in then-rural Bearden in 1877. By the time he was appointed to KHA, in 1948, was already well-known as a downtown clothing merchant; Woods & Taylor, whose logo is still legible on Wall Ave. was his firm.
He died in early 1957, just as they were plotting out Urban Renewal, and the housing projects that later bore his name, so I suspect it was intended as a memorial. The housing project opened a few years later, in the mid-’60s.
Walter P. Taylor was a commissioner for the Knoxville Housing Authority, predecessor to KCDC. Born in then-rural Bearden in 1877. By the time he was appointed to KHA, in 1948, was already well-known as a downtown clothing merchant; Woods & Taylor, whose logo is still legible on Wall Ave. was his firm.
He died in early 1957, just as they were plotting out Urban Renewal, and the housing projects that later bore his name, so I suspect it was intended as a memorial. The housing project opened a few years later, in the mid-’60s.
Hi Jack, I’m interested in learning about a house on Strawberry Plains Pike at the corner of Osborne Road (1729 Obsorne Road to be exact). I pass it often and have wondered the history of the obviously once beautiful old home. Any insight is greatly appreciated!
Hi Jack!
It’s Amy Garland Bowman…please excuse my awful grammar!
I’m watching a documentary of Montecello & the once enslaved souls who fled after the Civil War. One such man was Henry Wright. The film shows a public notice of him looking for his children and hoping to reunite in Knoxville, TN. So this man chose to come south of Virginia after the Civil War to become a Knoxvillian! Do you know anything more about this man and if he found his children?
Hi Amy,
In a brief search, it looks like Wright placed an ad in the Knoxville papers looking for his in children in April 1873, July 1874, and March 1878. In December of 1880 there is a notice in the Loudon Journal that “after escaping and being at large for a year, Henry Wright (colored) was caught on charges of larceny.” Not 100% sure if this is the same Henry Wright, but it could be. If you really want to delve into this story a good place to start would be the Beck Cultural Exchange Center. They have a large archive of black history in Knoxville and may be able to shed some more light.
Hope this helps!
Nicole Stahl, Administrative Coordinator