Take My Son!

In a benign way the story that follows has nothing to do with Knoxville Heritage. But, in an even more realistic way it has everything to do with Heritage itself…not just Knoxville Heritage. It is the story of life. On this CHRISTmas day I think there is nothing more important than the message of this…

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Cruze, Majors and Lawson, Lift David McMahan’s Spirits!

David McMahon In today’s fast paced (as fast as it can be at our age) world, it is truly heartwarming to see friends and acquaintances rally around a hurting brother. Well, it was not surprising when we saw this happen recently with some East High graduates. Hundreds at least, and probably more, have been humbled…

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Remembering Chilhowee Park

My memory bank is chock full of vivid memories of times and events at Chilhowee Park.  My guess is that virtually everyone reading this has at least one unforgettable remembrance of this iconic Knoxville landmark. On KNOXVILLE HERITAGE we have included a number of vintage photos of the park and the Exposition Center building that…

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Share Your CHRISTmas Memories: Knoxville or Other!

Victorian Christmas Before I share some of my CHRISTmas memories from decades past, I ask if you would please also share your favorite memory…or two…of earlier years in Knoxville. It’s easy and painless and readers will also be able to enjoy your meaningful experiences. Just add your thoughts at the bottom of this article. THANKS!…

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PEARL HARBOR: THEN AND NOW!

USS Arizona Memorial   Seventy-one years ago, December 7, 1941 the US “was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.” as FDR said.  It was truly a “day that will live in infamy,” and will never be forgotten…or will it? The events of that day truly changed forever the…

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Asleep for 68 Years. What a Revolution!

In doing research on a WW2 project over the last 4 years I have repeatedly thought of what it would be like to have pulled a Rip Van Winkle and gone to sleep in 1944 and awakened in 2012.  I wonder if someone in that position would initially be more awed or more terrified. Regardless…

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Pictures of the Past

“Time is a sort of river of passing events, and strong as its current; no sooner is a thing brought to sight than it is swept by and another takes its place, and this too will be swept away.” – Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Time truly flies by so fast. It seems like it was only…

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The Troubled Past of Knoxville’s Market House

“Of all the bewildering things about a new country, the absence of human landmarks is one of the most depressing and disheartening.” -Willa Cather Our history has many stories to tell; stories of war and freedom, of happiness and misery, of victory and failure. These are stories which have melted hearts and touched lives over…

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Hail the World War II Veterans!

“The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example.” -Benjamin Disraeli   Some heroes are born, while some are made. Some heroes fight war, while some are victims. Some heroes save lives, while some sacrifice their own. Heroism comes from within. It’s the soul of a…

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Preserving Voices from the Past

Today we are swamped with technology that enables us to listen to virtually any music and other recorded sound at anytime.  To capture and reproduce these sounds in extremely high quality we have, among many MP3 and computer devices; iPhones, iPods, iMacs, iPods, iShuffle, iNano and soon to come…iCloud.  Can an iPen and an iBiscuit…

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