After last month’s short shuffle along Crooked Street, this time we’re going to stay on Walnut Street and head north past St. John’s Cathedral. All the residences that once existed on this block (as seen in the postcard below) have […]
Ghost Walking Articles
Ghost Walking the Crooked Streets of Knoxville: Mysteries Remain on Walnut between Main & Cumberland
March 19, 2026
For the curious out there, there is one paved section of town that sounds a little more interesting than most: Crooked Street. This is the old name for Walnut Street that has fascinated a few Knoxvillians for years. Just like […]
Ghost Walking the Lost Bridges That Preceded the Gay Street Bridge
February 16, 2026
With the re-opening of the Gay Street Bridge in late 2025, to pedestrians and cyclists at least, it’s a good time to take a ghost walk back and forth across the bridges of old. And while it may be frustrating, and seem […]
Originally written by Paul James and published by Inside of Knoxville. Have you ever noticed how quiet it is around Gay Street and Main Street in the evening? During the day, it’s reasonably lively with lawyers, bankers, government employees milling […]
Ghost Walking the Christmas Streets of Knoxville: The Inaugural Knoxville Santa Claus Parade
December 1, 2025
Originally written by Paul James and published by Inside of Knoxville. “Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus, right down Santa Claus Lane, Vixen and Blitzen and all his reindeers pulling on the reins, Bells are ringing, children […]
Just beyond the edge of the town’s original 64 lots laid out in 1791, the intersection of Gay Street and Clinch Avenue has long been a bustling place in downtown Knoxville. Today, thousands of people walk or drive through here […]
It’s interesting how the use of a certain spot on a street basically stays the same for decades, if not more than a century. The site of a courthouse typically indicates a long tenure, but how about hotels? Hyatt Place, […]
The steps of the Dr. John Mason Boyd memorial arch at the corner of Gay Street and Main Street offer a fine perch to ponder bygone times in this old section of downtown. Anyone who has more than just glanced […]
Ghost Walking the Streets of Knoxville: Early Movie Theaters
August 12, 2025
Just like we do today, Knoxvillians have long come downtown looking for some entertainment. For many years, Staub’s Opera House (later known as Staub’s Theatre and the Lyric) served as the city’s most dependable live-performance venue. But in the early […]
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EDITOR
Jack Neely is executive director of the Knoxville History Project. He has become one of Knoxville’s most popular writers and its unofficial historian. Jack is well known for his thoughtful, well-researched, and provocative pieces of long-form journalism, not to mention his books, speeches, and other public appearances...
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