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Designated Property: Knoxville Historic Zoning Commission

Historic Knoxville High School
101 E. Fifth Avenue

Knox County education programs

at

Historic Knoxville High School

· Adult Education

· Adult High School

· GED Testing

· Continuing Education

· Vision Services

· Hearing Services

· Speech/Language Services

· Math Department

· Science Department

· Friends of Literacy

· ELL Department

· Building Directory

Knoxville High School was built in 1909-1910, with additions made in 1914 and 1920. It is Neoclassical with a Beaux Arts influence. The imposing building was designed by Albert Baumann, Sr., who founded the architectural firm of Baumann and Baumann with his brother Joseph in 1891. The firm is known for its use of red brick trimmed with limestone, and Knoxville High School is a noteworthy example of that use of materials. Knoxville High School was known as the outstanding improvement to the Knoxville School System in the early 1900’s. Knoxville’s first citywide school, it was Knoxville’s only high school for many years. The additions made in 1914 and 1920 more than doubled its size and by 1923, its enrollment was 2,030 students. Many of its facilities were also used by the community at large, with its auditorium serving as a community theater and other school spaces being used as community spaces.

Knoxville High School ceased to be used as a regular high school in the 1950s, but the building has been continuously utilized. Until the 1980s the building housed the central office for the old Knoxville city school system and was used for records storage. Presently the building is used by a variety of Knox County education programs.