James Park House, Knoxville
Located in Knoxville, the James Park House is a significant historical structure. The L-shaped building stands two-and-a-half stories high, with a contemporary service wing situated at the back. Governor John Sevier laid the foundation in the 1790s, and Knoxville merchant and mayor James Park (1770–1853) completed the house in 1812. It is the second-oldest building in Downtown Knoxville, after the Blount Mansion.
To restore the house, Claussen utilized old photographs and architectural research. They added a picket fence around the property, reconstructed the Victorian-style front porch, rebuilt the front stairs, and reshaped the chimneys. Additionally, they restored an arched fireplace in the basement that had a design similar to the one in the Craighead-Jackson House.
The floors of the modern service wing have been painted with various historical maps of Knoxville. One restroom features a ceiling-to-floor safe, while another was modeled after the Red Sage restaurant's restroom in Washington, D.C.
The James Park House is registered on the National Register of Historic Places and serves as the headquarters for Gulf and Ohio Railways.
To restore the house, Claussen utilized old photographs and architectural research. They added a picket fence around the property, reconstructed the Victorian-style front porch, rebuilt the front stairs, and reshaped the chimneys. Additionally, they restored an arched fireplace in the basement that had a design similar to the one in the Craighead-Jackson House.
The floors of the modern service wing have been painted with various historical maps of Knoxville. One restroom features a ceiling-to-floor safe, while another was modeled after the Red Sage restaurant's restroom in Washington, D.C.
The James Park House is registered on the National Register of Historic Places and serves as the headquarters for Gulf and Ohio Railways.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Knoxville. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
James Park House on Map
Sight Name: James Park House
Sight Location: Knoxville, USA (See walking tours in Knoxville)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Knoxville, USA (See walking tours in Knoxville)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Knoxville, Tennessee
Create Your Own Walk in Knoxville
Creating your own self-guided walk in Knoxville is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Knoxville’s Historical Buildings
Knoxville is often referred to as "The Marble City" for the abundant supply of high-quality marble used in many of its buildings. Noting the wealth of well-preserved historic homes in the city, prominent American architect John Russell Pope even coined his own moniker for it – the "City of Houses".
Indeed, Knoxville's eventful and sometimes turbulent past, dating from... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.2 Km or 1.4 Miles
Indeed, Knoxville's eventful and sometimes turbulent past, dating from... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.2 Km or 1.4 Miles
Downtown Knoxville Walking Tour
A small town with big-city amenities and a vibrant music scene (a mix of country, bluegrass, and rock), Knoxville, or K-Town as it's popularly shortened by locals, is also often referred to as “the Gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains,” for its proximity to the national park area, whose marble quarries, in the past, gave it another moniker, The Marble City.
Knoxville was founded in... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles
Knoxville was founded in... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles
University of Tennessee Walking Tour
Founded in 1794 as William Blount College, The University of Tennessee (UT) in Knoxville is one of the oldest public universities in the United States. Nowadays, the UT flagship institution features a mix of historic and modern sites which draw many a visitor to the city.
The campus covers nearly 600 acres in downtown’s west end, including over 200 buildings and a faculty of more than 1,700... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
The campus covers nearly 600 acres in downtown’s west end, including over 200 buildings and a faculty of more than 1,700... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles