East Tennessee History Center

East Tennessee History Center Discover Your History–Explore historical collections, the county archives, and a regional museum

Knox County Archives: 865-215-8800

McClung Historical Collection: 865-215-8801

East Tennessee Historical Society: 865-215-8824

Please call the individual agency for hours of operation.

06/08/2026

Views of downtown Knoxville and the surrounding areas circa 1980s can be seen in this Super 8mm film from Tennessee Archive of Moving Image and Sound (TAMIS).

The reel was shot by Knoxville artist Eric Sublett (1951-2018). Eric worked in just about every artistic media imaginable, including film and video. He videotaped many local artists and musicians in the 1980s and 1990s, capturing a unique audio-visual record of Knoxville's creative culture at the time. He also kept shooting Super 8mm film after most people had traded it in for video.

From the Eric Sublett collection at TAMIS, this reel was shot from a car during drives across the Henley and Gay Street bridges and surrounding areas of downtown Knoxville.

First through train from Louisville, KY, to Knoxville, TN, Southern Railway, June 3, 1883. From the Knoxville City Tri...
06/03/2026

First through train from Louisville, KY, to Knoxville, TN, Southern Railway, June 3, 1883.

From the Knoxville City Tribune, June 8, 1883: "Engine 36." We saw yesterday at McCrary & Branson's the first finished photograph of the engine and first through train from Louisville which arrived in Knoxville Monday. It is a splendid photograph 14 by 22 inches and is an excellent view of the engine with all its decorations, the crowd surrounding it and the throng on the bridge above. The view was taken by Mr. McCrary himself."

This copy of that photograph was made March 25, 1922 by Thompson Brothers, one of thousands of historic images available to view on the online McClung Historical Collection.

Fifth Annual Drummers picnic program, Knoxville, Tennessee, May 8, 1890. Cover with illustrations of life on the road ...
06/02/2026

Fifth Annual Drummers picnic program, Knoxville, Tennessee, May 8, 1890. Cover with illustrations of life on the road and the office for a traveling salesman.

The picnic was held at Elmwood Park for the benefit of Margaret McClung Industrial Home and the St. John's Orphanage.

The Museum's newest exhibition, Lines Were Drawn | ᏚᏂᏍᏓᏅᏅᏁᎯ (Du Ni Sda Nv Nv Ne Hi): The Treaty of Holston and Its Lega...
06/01/2026

The Museum's newest exhibition, Lines Were Drawn | ᏚᏂᏍᏓᏅᏅᏁᎯ (Du Ni Sda Nv Nv Ne Hi): The Treaty of Holston and Its Legacy, opens today, June 1! Come learn about this important moment in American history.

Museum admission is FREE for 250 days in honor of the 250th Anniversary of the United States.

Pages from the Prospectus of the East Tennessee Land Company pamphlet.The East Tennessee Land Company was chartered May ...
05/29/2026

Pages from the Prospectus of the East Tennessee Land Company pamphlet.

The East Tennessee Land Company was chartered May 25, 1889. Property was purchased around what is now the town of Harriman with the plan to create a town based on prohibitionist principles and also utilize the natural resources of the area to develop subsidiary companies to attract industry. The initial land auction held in February 1890 was highly successful, but by November 1893 the East Tennessee Land Company was forced into bankruptcy.

View the pamphlet in its entirety in the online Calvin M. McClung Historical Collection.

A portrait of Knoxville Journal employees, May 1937. Photo by Thompson Brothers. From the online Calvin M. McClung Histo...
05/28/2026

A portrait of Knoxville Journal employees, May 1937. Photo by Thompson Brothers. From the online Calvin M. McClung Historical Collection.

Pages from a pamphlet promoting the new YMCA building in downtown Knoxville (corner of Clinch Ave and Locust St). The bu...
05/27/2026

Pages from a pamphlet promoting the new YMCA building in downtown Knoxville (corner of Clinch Ave and Locust St). The building was designed by Barber & McMurry architecture firm and completed in 1929. It's the 3rd oldest YMCA building in the U.S., and it's listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

05/22/2026

Lines Were Drawn | ᏚᏂᏍᏓᏅᏅᏁᎯ (Du Ni Sda Nv Nv Ne Hi) : The Treaty of Holston and Its Legacy opens June 1.

Address

601 S Gay Street
Knoxville, TN
37902

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 8:30pm
Tuesday 8am - 8:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 5:30pm
Thursday 8am - 5:30pm
Friday 8am - 5:30pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 1pm - 5pm

Telephone

+18652158801

Website

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