Banners Up; Dedication Planned

By: David Booker
October 16, 2001

With the threat of rain overhead and the beginning of fall colors all around, several members of Old North Knoxville, Inc., and even a visitor, erected eleven newly made banners on Saturday, October 13^th. The six-foot long by two-foot wide banners were placed on poles that had been set in the ground on Saturday, September 22^nd. The poles and banners are part of an overall project to highlight the historic importance of Old North Knoxville.

Included in that project are the 14 brown historic signs that guide people to this historic neighborhood and the beautification of older brick markers that have been used to indicate the neighborhood’s boundaries. The historic signs were also recently put in place and a dedication for them was held in May of this year. (For details, see related story in the July/August Old North News newsletter.)

The banners are located near the corners of East Scott and N. Central Avenues, Oklahoma and N. Central Avenues, Glenwood and Woodland Avenues, Glenwood Ave. and Broadway, Kenyon Ave. and Broadway, and Grainger Ave. and Broadway. Those involved with the raising of the banners included Marv Payne, Tomica Miller, Dave and Lynne Palmer, Beth and David Booker, and David’s father, Ken Booker, who had come to help David work on his house and found himself drafted into the banner erection effort.

The purple and green in the banners carry over the purple and green colors used in the logo that is part of the older brick markers. Also, the Standing Lady Liberty design in the brick markers has also been carried over, though simplified slightly, presenting a stronger and clearer image. The dates 1889 – 1897 represent the dates Old North Knoxville was a separate city. At that time, the city was known as North Knoxville and was larger in size than the present Old North Knoxville neighborhood. Old North Knoxville, Inc., (ONK) was established to preserve, promote and protect the neighborhood, which is a residential and business district built from the 1880s to the 1940s.

Plans are underway for a dedication ceremony. The mayor and members of city council will be invited. Their generous gift of $5,700 paid for the banners and poles. (For details, see related story in the July/August Old North News newsletter.) Plaques are being made to express the gratitude of Old North Knoxville residents. These plaques will be placed near the base of the banners and poles for all to see who stop and admire this latest indication of an historic neighborhood taking pride in its past and expressing hope for its future.