Dear Z. Heraclitus Knox, 5th Earl of the Firth of Forth:I have a question about the street names in the Lonsdale community. Why are they named after different states? Somebody told me that it was because of the Civil War, but the streets have names of Northern states. My family ...Read More

Dear Doc Knox: Do you have any history into the significance of the McClung Warehouses as well as the McClung family in the Knoxville area? I would love to see some development rehabilitate the structures and continue to connect the growth and revival of the West Jackson Avenue corridor. Do ...Read More

Dear Doc Knox,Now that the corners of Cedar Bluff and Kingston Pike are being overrun with more monstrous parking lots and big-box stores, I'm wondering what's to become of the old (antebellum, possibly?) brick house just to the west of The Academy Sporting Goods store. It's been cleared of vines ...Read More

Dear Doc Knox:We have 11th through 22nd Streets in Fort Sanders, and I remember 10th Street before the World's Fair. But were there ever First through Ninth Streets?Joseph T. CorbellMy Dear Mr. Corbell:Well, the short answer is Yes. With an asterisk, followed by an extensive further annotation.History, sir, is not ...Read More

Hello,I was wondering if Doc Knox could shed some light on the history of professional/semi-pro baseball teams in Knoxville. I was reading J. Neely's article on John Gunther and there was a mention of a team called the Smokies in the '60s. Any info about other teams, other stadiums and ...Read More

Dear Dr. Knox:I cannot find a decent biography of John Williams, Jr. (1818-1881), the son of Colonel John Williams. Can you help?I am researching Horace Maynard, who was attacked with a cane by Williams in a Knoxville street on August 14,1867.Why this occurred, The New York Times of August 15 ...Read More

Dear Doc Knox,I am searching for information on a local musician and relative, "Blind" George Reneau. I know that he performed around Knoxville, and recorded some 78 rpm records. (My dad has one of the records). I can't find much info about him, so anything you have would be appreciated.Ed ...Read More

Dear Doc Knox:Not including the river, where was Knoxville's first city dump/landfill?AirmackMy Dear Mr. Airmack:We assume by not including the river, we're also excusing First and Second creeks, which were used as dumps probably from the first time James White's kids took out the trash in 1786.We can't be certain ...Read More

Dear Doc Knox:My wife and I had lived in Knoxville for about 15 years before we left in the early 90's. We returned in '04 and were truly awed by the metamorphosis we saw. A downtown we first experienced as one of the most lifeless had turned into a great ...Read More

Dear Doc Knox:There is an old huge skeleton of a wooden building in the Rocky Hill community on Northshore Drive that is situated on a hill up in the woods. It is on Currier Lane, across from Roosters. It has been there for years and nobody that I know seems ...Read More