Louisville and Nashville Depot, Knoxville
The former train station known as the Louisville and Nashville Depot can be found at the northern end of Knoxville's World's Fair Park. Constructed in 1905, this impressive Victorian building was designed by Richard Montfort, the chief engineer of the L&N railroad. Until the L&N stopped offering passenger train service to Knoxville in 1968, the depot served as a significant passenger terminal. Thereafter, it housed L&N offices until 1975.
The L-shaped building was considered the "finest" station on the L&N's Cincinnati–Atlanta line, as it was the largest of its kind. Its distinctive features include an elegant northeast corner tower that rises three stories and is topped by a pitched, clay-tiled roof with decorated dormers. Another tower can be found at the end of the west wing, giving the building its chateau-like appearance. A wrap-around veranda provides access to the main floor on the south side of the building, while the north side of the west wing features restored frosted glass doors and glazed transoms.
During the 1982 World's Fair, the station was renovated and used for various purposes. Since it was close to the World's Fair Park, two restaurants, the L&N Seafood Grill, and a Ruby Tuesday restaurant, were situated on the lower floors. Additionally, the second-floor offices were converted into meeting rooms for the fair's VIPs. Nowadays, the L&N STEM Academy, a magnet high school that focuses on science, technology, engineering, and math, is housed in the building.
James Agee's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, “A Death in the Family,” mentions the L&N Station in several scenes. In recognition of its architectural significance and contribution to Knoxville's transportation history, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.
The L-shaped building was considered the "finest" station on the L&N's Cincinnati–Atlanta line, as it was the largest of its kind. Its distinctive features include an elegant northeast corner tower that rises three stories and is topped by a pitched, clay-tiled roof with decorated dormers. Another tower can be found at the end of the west wing, giving the building its chateau-like appearance. A wrap-around veranda provides access to the main floor on the south side of the building, while the north side of the west wing features restored frosted glass doors and glazed transoms.
During the 1982 World's Fair, the station was renovated and used for various purposes. Since it was close to the World's Fair Park, two restaurants, the L&N Seafood Grill, and a Ruby Tuesday restaurant, were situated on the lower floors. Additionally, the second-floor offices were converted into meeting rooms for the fair's VIPs. Nowadays, the L&N STEM Academy, a magnet high school that focuses on science, technology, engineering, and math, is housed in the building.
James Agee's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, “A Death in the Family,” mentions the L&N Station in several scenes. In recognition of its architectural significance and contribution to Knoxville's transportation history, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.
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.
Louisville and Nashville Depot on Map
Sight Name: Louisville and Nashville Depot
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.
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
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
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