Gay Street, Knoxville

Gay Street traverses the heart of Knoxville's downtown area. Since its development in the 1790s, the street has served as the city's principal financial and commercial thoroughfare, playing a primary role in its historical and cultural evolution. Part of Charles McClung's original 1791 plat of Knoxville, Gay Street was a focal point for the early political activity of both the city and the State of Tennessee.

By 1850, Gay Street had accommodated three-fourths of Knoxville's commercial activity and in 1854 became the first paved road in the city. On the eve of the Civil War, Gay Street was the site of simultaneous Union and Confederate recruiting rallies. After the war, it saw extensive commercial development as railroad construction brought an industrial boom to Knoxville.

Today, Gay Street is home to the largest office buildings and oldest commercial structures in Knoxville; several local buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.