Metro Pulse/Urban Renewal

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816 N. 4th Ave.
4 bdrm, 4 bath
2516 sq. ft.
$159,900
Contact: Steve Hill, Elite Realty: 687-1311

by Matt Edens

There has always been something vaguely unsettling about the hype and hyperbole surrounding Universe Knoxville—the proposed downtown planetarium and outer space attraction. It's a fundamental flaw in the whole damn concept that I couldn't quite put my finger on. And then a few weeks ago it came to me, thanks to two back-to-back stories in that other paper. The first was about the CEO of Scripps Networks at a gathering of local business leaders exhorting Knoxville to "believe in itself." The second highlighted a study by the Convention and Visitors Bureau that cited Knoxville's "Tourism Identity Crisis." Now I don't know about you, but I'm not sure how a tourist attraction whose central focus is, quite literally, as far from Knoxville as one could possibly get answers either of those two challenges. Of all the noteworthy things inherent to East Tennessee, our leadership is busy boosting outer frickin' space? Knoxville's identity crisis has indeed reached astronomical proportions.

And yet, buried within that tourism study was an even more interesting bit of irony. Guess what ranked highest among Knoxville's current attractions? It's our historic sites. Whether it's a historic district like the Old City, the Museum of East Tennessee History or a house museum like the Blount Mansion, tourists are naturally drawn to the places that help make Knoxville unique, that connect with its past and shape its identity. If anything, it appears the tourists believe in Knoxville more than we do ourselves. Luckily, there are encouraging signs of change. First off, there's the tremendous expansion underway at the East Tennessee Historical Society, home of the Museum of East Tennessee History. Then there's the recently unveiled Heritage Marker Program from Knox Heritage and the Junior League—brass plaques with names and dates that will soon grace 30 of downtown's historic buildings (most of which, here's hoping, nobody knocks down for parking anytime soon?). And then there's all those rehab projects underway downtown—the Sterchi, Emporium and Phoenix.

We've barely scratched the surface though. From Agee to Cormac McCarthy there's a wealth of untapped literary potential. And Knoxville's music and mountain heritage—with the O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack hovering in the Billboard top ten for the umpteenth week in a row, I'd say there's opportunity out there. And Historic Districts like 4th and Gill and Old North Knoxville are resources we've yet to tap.

Heck, even old George Barber's probably good for a conference or symposium or two. At least a couple times a year I get a phone call out of the blue or an unsolicited email from some architectural or Victoriana enthusiast who's curious about Knoxville's mail-order architect. Occasionally somebody just shows up with a camera on the street outside my house. Just the week before last I spent an afternoon with a lady from Dallas—a Harvard Ph.D. architectural historian with an extensive list of publishing credits—who was in town shooting a Barber segment for an upcoming documentary on Victorian houses. And this is without any sort of formal promotion or recognition of Barber's legacy at all.

Of course, it's easy to see why folks are drawn to these houses; they're inherently beautiful things. This house at 816 N. 4th Ave. for instance—Design #36 in The Cottage Souvenir #2—was one of Barber's most popular designs. With its double-decked porch, intricate gingerbread and magnificent chimney enhanced with decorative embossed brick, it's a classic Queen Anne Victorian—one of the best examples in town. Or, as Barber put it in the advertising copy, "The exterior is all that anyone could desire." And the inside is just as stunning—particularly the entry foyer, which, 111 years ago, was "large and handsomely arranged, the fireplace with a nice mantel, adds very much to the trimmings and embellishments." And it still does—although not nearly so much as the incredible leaded glass keyhole window that graces the staircase landing. Sure it will cost you a bit more than the 1891 price tag of $3,180. But hey, next time there's someone out on the sidewalk taking pictures, charge 'em $100 for the privilege.