Chilhowee Park is a public park, fairgrounds and exhibition venue in

Knoxville, Tennessee Knoxville is a city in and the county seat of Knox County in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, Knoxville's population was 190,740, making it the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division and the state' ...

, United States, located off Magnolia Avenue in East Knoxville. Developed in the late 19th century, the park is home to the Tennessee Valley Fair and hosts several dozen expositions annually. The park covers , and includes a exposition center, a 1910-era bandstand, a 4,500-seat amphitheater, and a lake, Lake Ottosee. The park is also home to The Muse Knoxville, a children's science museum formerly known as the East Tennessee Discovery Center.

Background

The land that became Chilhowee Park was initially part of a dairy farm purchased by Professor Fernando Cortes Beaman (1836–1911) in 1875. In the late 1880s, Beaman converted part of the farm into a park with the construction of dance pavilions and mineral springs. In 1890,

William Gibbs McAdoo William Gibbs McAdoo Jr.McAdoo is variously differentiated from family members of the same name: * Dr. William Gibbs McAdoo (1820–1894) – sometimes called "I" or "Senior" * William Gibbs McAdoo (1863–1941) – sometimes called "II" or "Ju ...

extended trolley tracks along Magnolia Avenue all the way to the park, connecting it with Downtown Knoxville. Later that year, the Lake Park Springs Addition Company, which had been formed by Beaman and several partners to develop the adjacent Chilhowee Park neighborhood, purchased the park. In 1910 and 1911, Chilhowee Park hosted the two Appalachian Expositions, which were held to demonstrate progress in Southern industry. Former president

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...

spoke at the 1910 exposition, and President

William Howard Taft William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857March 8, 1930) was the 27th president of the United States (1909–1913) and the tenth chief justice of the United States (1921–1930), the only person to have held both offices. Taft was elected pr ...

spoke in 1911. The expositions featured a large exhibit hall designed by architect John R. Graf, a

Tennessee marble Tennessee marble is a type of crystalline limestone found only in East Tennessee, in the southeastern United States. Long esteemed by architects and builders for its pinkish-gray color and the ease with which it is polished, this stone has been ...

bandstand designed by architect R. F. Graf, and a building constructed by

Knoxville College Knoxville College is a historically black liberal arts college in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States, which was founded in 1875 by the United Presbyterian Church of North America. It is a United Negro College Fund member school. A slow peri ...

students to exhibit the city's African American history. The expositions saw the first

airplane An airplane or aeroplane (informally plane) is a fixed-wing aircraft that is propelled forward by thrust from a jet engine, Propeller (aircraft), propeller, or rocket engine. Airplanes come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and wing configurat ...

and

zeppelin A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship named after the German inventor Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin () who pioneered rigid airship development at the beginning of the 20th century. Zeppelin's notions were first formulated in 1874Eckener 1938, pp ...

flights in East Tennessee, and helped boost the careers of local artists

Lloyd Branson Enoch Lloyd Branson (1853–1925) was an American artist best known for his portraits of Southern politicians and depictions of early East Tennessee history. One of the most influential figures in Knoxville's early art circles, Branson rec ...

and

Catherine Wiley Anna Catherine Wiley (January 18, 1879 – May 16, 1958) was an American artist active primarily in the early twentieth century. After training with the Art Students League of New York and receiving instruction from artists such as Lloyd Bran ...

. In 1913, the park hosted the National Conservation Exposition, which promoted environmental conservation in Southern Appalachia. Furniture store magnate James G. Sterchi purchased Chilhowee Park in 1920, and leased it to the East Tennessee Division Fair (the forerunner of the Tennessee Valley Fair). In 1926, the City of Knoxville purchased the park, and continued the lease. In the 1930s, Joe "Smoky" Ellison opened one of Knoxville's first bowling alleys at the park. Jazz musician Louis Armstrong performed at Chilhowee Park in February 1957. During his performance, an unapprehended person tossed a stick of dynamite from the window of a car in an unsuccessful attempt to disrupt the event. On August 8, 1863, the Military Governor of Tennessee, Andrew Johnson, freed his personal slaves. In the early part of the 20th century, August 8 of each year was the only day Black people in Knoxville were allowed to visit the park. During the early 20th century, the day was celebrated by Black people in Tennessee as a holiday.

References

External links

* {{coord, 35.9983, -83.8853, region:US_type:landmark, display=title Parks in Tennessee Geography of Knoxville, Tennessee Protected areas of Knox County, Tennessee Tourist attractions in Knoxville, Tennessee 1880s establishments in Tennessee World's fair sites in Tennessee Fairgrounds in the United States