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A long hiatus; demotivation

I have not written a blog post since August. That is not to say that I haven't started a few and then stopped. When I started this blog, my mission was clear. I wanted to make the people of Knoxville aware of what rich treasures we have lost, in the hope of avoiding further losses. Well, 2013 was perhaps the worst year in decades for historic preservation in Knoxville.  Frankly, I have become a bit demotivated by all that his been destroyed this year.

Aconda Court


Temple Court
Stokely Athletic Center
W.H. Obenour House (The UT Black Cultural Center)
The Magnolia (please excuse the picture quality)
The Mack Truck Dealership on Depot (Industrial Belt and Supply) - lost to fire
The Walnut Street Townhouses
The Walnut Street buildings were a particularly harsh blow to the preservation effort in Knoxville, and to me personally as they were the buildings that prompted me to start this blog. There have been some other demolitions that most folks won't fret over much: the Liberty building, Lucille's, the produce warehouses on Dale Ave. Sadly, there are several more slated for the near future: the 18th Street IGA and it's neighboring Victorian house, the three Victorian houses on White Ave. Perhaps we will see the demolition of Estabrook Hall (the second oldest building on campus), all of the dormitory towers on UT's campus (that should change the skyline), two mansions on Kingston Pike, and others.

There were some successes this year, but the amount of loss was staggering. Here's to a brighter future and to more awareness of our heritage. I hope to begin working on new posts for the near future. Until then...

Comments

Unknown said…
hi what mansions on kingston pike?
Jef said…
Sad stuff. I anticipate things getting much worse before they get better. The majority of Knoxvillians harbor irrational hatred toward the center city and the lack of investment both in terms of capital and politically will allow demolitions like this to continue in the future. It's a sinking ship, this city.
Barry Bozeman said…
At the very bottom of this website page you will find a 1946 picture taken in the courtyard of Aconda Court. http://knoxville22.blogspot.com

Sorry I cannot simply post the picture here. Aconda Court was my first residence in Knoxville after delivery at Fort Sanders Hospital
Anonymous said…
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