February 6, 1796, 225 years ago, the Constitutional Convention for the State of Tennessee met in Knoxville to adopt the document that would give birth to the 16th state in the Union: Tennessee. Fifty-five statesmen from the territory gathered in Knoxville to sign the document that would be sent to the United States Congress. These men met at David Henley's headquarters, located on the southwest corner of the intersection of Gay Street and Church Avenue, what was then the northern fringe of Knoxville. Such a monumental event must surely be commemorated by a monument or, more likely, a museum recreating the scene. What if I told you that the birthplace of the State of Tennessee is marked by a couple of Ford F-150's, some Toyotas, a Honda or two, a pretty nice Range Rover, and a small booth with a sign that says "Pay Here in Advance." If you're a longtime reader of this blog, then this comes as no surprise. That's right folks, we the people of Knoxville paved ove
The Metamorphosis of Knoxville's Spaces