KNOXVILLE'S OLD CITY

The Old City is located on the northeastern corner of downtown near the railroad. Though only a few blocks wide, this small section of the city is steep in history and character. Because of its proximity to the railroad, during the 1800s this part of downtown became the city’s wholesale food and meatpacking district for several years, complete with a stockyard utilized by the local cattlemen. Flour and coffee factories soon popped up in the area as well, including the now-famous White Lily Flour and JFG. Even with all this growth, the Old City also remained a residential neighborhood that was home to many families, most of whom were Irish immigrants. Toward the end of the 1800s, the city saw one of its biggest building booms, and many of the buildings built at the time are still standing.