Unveiling of Tennessee Civil War Trails Marker on Knoxville as a Divided City

Communications Director

Kristin Farley
[email protected]
(865) 215-2589

400 Main St., Room 691
Knoxville, TN 37902

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Unveiling of Tennessee Civil War Trails Marker on Knoxville as a Divided City

Posted: 12/02/2014
December 2, 2014 - A new Tennessee Civil War Trails Marker to be unveiled on December 5 will focus on Knoxville as a bitterly divided city.

Located at the Old Knox County Courthouse, the marker tells the story of the happenstance of simultaneous Union and Confederate rallies taking place in April 1861 only blocks apart on Gay Street.

Knoxvillian Samuel Bell Palmer witnessed the rallies firsthand, and with amazing accuracy, sketched the scene from memory while a prisoner-of-war at Camp Douglas, Illinois.

Those familiar with downtown will recognize several of the buildings, such as the Lamar House on the south end of Gay and the tower of the Catholic Church to the north.

The dedication will take place from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m., December 5 at the Knox County Courthouse, Main Street.

The Tennessee Civil War Trails Program is part of a five-state trails system that encourages visitors to explore both well-known and familiar sites associated with events of the Civil War. Tennessee has 310 markers, and its trails guide is the most requested of the five states, which also include Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and North Carolina. "Knoxville: A Divided City" is the eighth Civil War Trails marker in Knox County. Local sponsor for the marker is the East Tennessee Historical Society.