The Blue Line Trolley Highlights

• East Tennessee Historical Society Museum   Preserves and interprets 200 years of the history of the Tennessee Valley with permanent as well as changing exhibits, workshops, and programs.  Also the start of the Cradle of Country Music Walking Tour, with guide maps available in the museum.  Admission: $2 Adults, $1 Children 6-12 yrs. Free Wednesdays.
  
  

• Krutch Park. Downtown Knoxville's pride, this little bit of paradise features a small stream, a variety of native plants, and lots of outdoor seating for relaxing in the cool peace of nature.  During the Christmas season, Krutch Park has over 100,000 lights.  At the north end of the park is Market Square, which features several great restaurants and interesting shops as well as serving as the location for many special events throughout the year.
  
  

• Blount Mansion   Built between 1792 and 1830 by William Blount, Governor of the Southwest Territory who was instrumental in establishing the state of Tennessee and later became the first US senator from the state. Blount Mansion is Knoxville's only registered National Historic Landmark.  Deeply rooted in the history of the state, it served as a territorial capital and as the site where the Tennessee State constitution was drafted.
  
  
• Gateway Pavilion  Just across the Hill Avenue Bridge is the entranceway to Knoxville's new waterfront area.  Walk down to the river from here and explore Volunteer Landing- a one-mile stretch of paved riverwalk along the waterfront that features several restaurants, a marina, historical homes and markers, fountains and a small play area for children.
  
  
• James White Fort   Built in 1786 by General James White, Knoxville's founder. The fort was restored and opened to the public in 1970 and is presently Knoxville's most visited historic site. Includes original house, restored stockade, loom house, smokehouse, and blacksmith shop.
  
  
• Women's Basketball Hall of Fame  You can't miss this site, with its 30-foot tall, 10 ton basketball replica sitting atop a glass staircase column at the corner of the building. Visitors will find much more than just the history of women's basketball here--in addition to the usual hall-of-fame-type memoribilia, video clips and displays, there is a large Playground area where visitors can shoot hoops, practice their dribbling and passing techniques, or compare their vertical leaps with those of some WNBA star players.
  
  
• Civic Coliseum   Located at 500 Howard Baker Jr Ave, the Coliseum serves as the site for a wide variety of events throughout the year, including concerts, plays, sports events and conventions.
  
  
• Tennessee Theatre Completely renovated and re-opened in 2005, this 1928 Rococo-style theater is home to the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. This beautiful theatre, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, also hosts a variety of other events, including movies, plays and musical performances.   Also features The Mighty Wurlitzer Organ (also recently restored to its original 1928 condition) performed by Bill Snyder, former Chancellor of the University of Tennessee.
  
  
• Bijou Theater   Built in 1817 as the Lamar House; the theater was added in 1908. The Bijou has been closed since 2004, but efforts are underway to restore it to its original splendor and re-open this part of Knoxville history. In the meantime, you can still visit the Bistro at the Bijou restaurant, specializing in classic regional southern cuisine; the Bistro is open for lunch and dinner on weekdays and Saturdays.
  

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Page updated 03.20.09