1. The Headquarters Of Vol Nation
Big Orange, baby! Knoxville is home to the flagship campus of the University of Tennessee, and you’d better believe Knoxvillians are flat out crazy about their UT sports teams. More than 100,000 orange-clad football fanatics fill up Neyland Stadium for home games, singing “Rocky Top” at the top of their lungs.
2. So Orange You Glad To Be In Knoxville?
The distinctive UT orange was chosen as the school’s color in 1889, inspired by the orange and white daisies growing on campus. Today orange is seen not only on UT sports uniforms but all over the city, on signs, flags, clothes, cars, boats and pretty much anything else you can think of – even tanks!
3. Don’t Be Surprised By Smokey the Hound
Despite the Vol moniker, UT’s actual mascot has been a blue tick hound dog named Smokey since the 1950s. The costumed one might be more in-your-face, but the real Smokey sometimes wears a UT jersey, overalls, a tuxedo or whatever else may seem appropriate for a particular game.
4. The Tennessee River Starts Here
The Tennessee River forms Knoxville’s east side and runs downtown, which means the opportunities are endless—rides on The Star of Knoxville paddlewheel riverboat or Volunteer Princess Yacht or renting canoes, kayaks, jet skis and stand up paddleboards.
5. Peyton Sightings Are Still Possible
The best, smartest pro quarterback to ever play the game, and the classiest guy on and off the gridiron, Peyton Manning played his college games for UT. The future Hall of Fame QB stays involved in various charitable activities in the city and visits at least a time or two every year.
6. You Should Do A Hollywood Name Check Too
There’s a reason Bruce Willis is trying to get back to Knoxville in Pulp Fiction; why Lt. Aldo Raine in Inglourious Basterds is from Maynardville, Tennessee, just up the road from Knoxville. They are homages by director Quentin Tarantino to the city he was born in. Another hometown boy made good in Hollywood, P. J. Clapp, actually renamed himself after his hometown to become Johnny Knoxville.
7. Knoxville Doesn't Know The Word "Recession"
Turns out Knoxville rode through the economic crisis pretty smoothly. In 2013 the city was named #2 on the list of "Happiest Cities to Work in Right Now" by CareerBliss.com, in Top 50 “Best Places for Business and Careers,” by Forbes, and in the “Top 10 Best Places to Retire” by Livability.com.
On top of that, in 2012 the city was named one of three cities in the country to have recovered best from the recession and in the top 10 for economic growth potential.
8. The City Is In A Downtown Renaissance
Knoxville’s downtown has seen a renaissance in the past several years, and its momentum still continues today. New retail, restaurants and entertainment spots in the centrally located Market Square just keep on opening, and the Old City section is doing well too and the Gay Street corridor running down the heart of the city is thriving.
9. You’re Closer Than You Think To Just About Everywhere
If you’re dreading that long car or plane ride to your new hometown, consider this: Two-thirds of the population of the entire country lives just a day’s drive from Knoxville. Yep, you read that right. Highways I-81, I-40 and I-75 all connect up in the city, so you really can get anywhere from here.
10. Now Entering Lake Land
In addition to the Tennessee River, seven lakes surround Knoxville: Cherokee, Douglas, Ft. Loudon, Melton Hill, Norris, Watts Bar and Tellico. Boaters, sing hallelujah! Fishermen and women, rejoice! Water skiers and jet skiers, Yahoo!
11. But You Can't Forget The Mountains Either
Knoxville is only 30 miles from Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most-visited national park in the U.S. and undoubtedly one of the most beautiful. With towering peaks, plenty of trails and a truly magnificent autumn leaf display, the Smokies are simply spectacular.
12. You'll Never Forget The World Fair
Knoxville’s iconic image is the gleaming Sunsphere, the 266-foot-tall, gold-tinted tower originally built for the 1982 World’s Fair. The refurbished Sunsphere now houses an observation deck, nightclub, and special event venue.
13. The Heart Of The Americana Revolution
The primary torchbearer for Knoxville’s Americana musical heritage is WDVX, the public-supported radio station famous for its eight “Bluegrass Station of the Year” awards, eclectic musical offerings, and musical performance series. The WDVX Blue Plate Special is a free noontime live performance broadcast on the radio and internet from the Knoxville Visitor’s Center.
14. The Dog Days Are Never Over In Knoxville
Knoxville has won Dog Fancy Magazine’s Most Dog Friendly City in the Southeast, thanks to its seven dog parks, the PetSafe company, UT’s College of Veterinary Medicine, and wide range of pet-friendly events such as Mardi Growl, Bark in the Park, Doggie Date Night and Yappy Hour. Your furry best friend will never want to leave.
15. Batons, Arias And Riffs, Oh My!
Don’t balk at the sound of all that bluegrass, music snobs. The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra is the oldest continuing orchestra in the Southeast and performs a variety of musical offerings at the magnificent Tennessee Theatre. Knoxville Opera presents three major operas each year at the same venue, and the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra presents six annual concerts in downtown Knoxville as well.
16. Time Travel Is (Almost) Possible In Knoxville
Knoxville is fortunate to have more than 100 structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places, some dating back to the mid-19th century. Some of the great historic homes have been carefully restored, like Crescent Bend, the Bleak House and the Mabry-Hazen House.
17. Knoxville Has Writerly Ways
Mega best-selling novelist Cormac McCarthy of “The Road” and “No Country for Old Men” fame grew up in Knoxville and his early novels are set in the area. Knoxville native James Agee’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel “A Death in the Family” was set in Knoxville too. And world-renowned poet and activist Nikki Giovanni is a native Knoxvillian and named a poem after her hometown.
18. Political Powerhouses Are Born Here
Knoxville’s first female mayor, Madeline Rogero, is currently serving and making waves on a national level. The city’s previous mayor Bill Haslam is the former president of Knoxville-based Pilot Flying J, the largest travel center chain in the nation, and now governor of the state of Tennessee. Not too shabby.
19. Knoxville Loves Red Pandas Even More Than You
The Knoxville Zoo is home to more than 900 animals and has been phenomenally successful in breeding endangered species. More red panda cubs have been born here than anywhere else in the world except for one other zoo, and the zoo is also one of the top breeders of white rhinos and several species of snakes and tortoises.
20. And All The Cool Kids Love First Friday
Drummers drum, hoop dancers twirling, poi spinners spinning their orbs(some lit on fire), street musicians play, and other diverse artists demonstrate their craft inside and out. That’s just a hint at what goes on downtown the first Friday of the month. Don’t miss out.
21. Something Good Is Brewing!
High quality brew pubs are popping up in Knoxville. Downtown Grille & Brewery and Saw Works Brewing Company are downtown. Out in the western suburbs, there’s Black Horse Pub & Brewery, Calhoun’s Bearden Hill and Smoky Mountain Brewery. And more are on the way!
What do you love about living in Knoxville? Let us know in the comments below.
