The Lost Buildings on the West Side

of the 600 block of South Gay Street

Ron Allen

Downtown Knoxville originally developed from the Tennessee river northward. That logical progression of homes and businesses was natural, as many likely first arrived via river travel, at or near the base of what became Gay Street. Some writings suggest that George Roulstone's press, the first in Tennessee, was hauled up the hill from the Tennessee river along Gay, when he removed the equipment from Rogersville to Knoxville to continue publishing the state's first newspaper - - a publication he had already named the Knoxville Gazette, although the early issues had been printed in Rogersville.

Nineteenth century photographs depicting Gay Street buildings reveal that there were a number of narrow structures two or three stories in height, building that standing alone look rather odd in those old photos. Later, when adjoining buildings were built alongside those structures, the scene meshed together, they no longer appeared so unusual, and one looked closely it was difficult to distinguish those original buildings from others. By the twentieth century, unless one too time to carefully observe, the buildings seemed to mesh together. Certainly their antiquity was hardly noticeable. One particular block of interest was along the west side of Gay, between Church and Clinch. The Mercantile Building, at the northwest corner of Church and Gay, was a later nineteenth or early twentieth century structure. All other buildings in that block were considerable older, and the block probably represented the oldest remaining continuous street where original nineteenth century buildings were still standing in downtown Knoxville at that time.

The numbers were changed on Gay Street between the river and the railroad tracks in the late 1800's. The original system numbered buildings consecutively from the river northward, continuously, with no division among the blocks. Locations on Gay Street near the river were single digits, and the final block was numbered in the 200's. The new system numbered buildings from north to south, added the name "South" to Gay Street south of the tracks, and numbered the blocks, the 100 block becoming the block between Jackson and Vine, the 200 block between Vine and Commerce, etc., with the final block between Hill and Front becoming the 1000 block.

The Fouche building, built in 1847, stood at the southwest corner of Gay and Clinch. Next door to the south was the 1876 building - - apparently so named as that was the year it was constructed . Continuing south to the aforementioned Mercantile Building, all of the buildings in that block were constructed in the nineteenth century. Included were several of those previously mentioned narrow two and three story structures that stood for many years, and while the precise date of their construction has not been determined, it is likely that most of them were built not long after the end of the Civil War, and in fact some perhaps pre-dated that time.

The buildings in the block south of the 1876 building were demolished in the late 1980's, including the Mercantile building other buildings to the west along the north side of Church, and the Empire building at the northeast corner of Market and Church - - in other words, the entire section along the north side of Church between Gay and Market, and most of the west side of the 600 block of Gay, were torn down. From my office window in the Burwell Building, I took a photograph of that section along Gay Street back then, showing that area just after those buildings had been demolished. That picture reveals that someone in the work crew had a sense of humor, lining up several toilets that had been removed from bathrooms in those buildings, along Gay Street near the sidewalk.

In 1991, the remaining two buildings - - the 1876 and the Fouche - - were subjected to the wrecking ball, and the demolition of the final remaining downtown block of historical nineteenth century structures was completed. At that corner site at Gay and Clinch, where the Fouche building was originally reportedly torn down to make way for a proposed commercial development, as has often been true of numerous other "announced" projects that eventually fell through in downtown Knoxville over the years, that project likewise never saw the light of day. I was suspicious one Monday morning when I looked across the street from my office window in the Burwell Building and noticed that the date of 1847, embedded in the masonry when the building was originally built, had suddenly been chiseled away from above the second floor center window the previous weekend. That was probably a year or so before the building came tumbling down. I surmised that somebody didn't want any unwanted publicity, in case some local citizens happened to look up and finally notice how old the building that was soon to disappear actually was, and raise any concern about its antiquity. After those buildings were torn down, the corner property where the Fouche building had been located remained dormant for a number of years, as an unsightly downtown mud hole. Finally, somebody did manage to toss a few grass seeds on the property, to keep it being such an eyesore. If the echoes of voices from more than a hundred and forty-five years ago could have been heard in 1991, what could the Fouche building have revealed? Was such an old downtown ante-bellum structure not really worth saving? Obviously not. The Brownlow family, descendants of Preacher-Author-Governor William G. "Parson" Brownlow, long operated their real estate business on the second floor of the building. The following story concerning the demolition of that building is likely known by only a small handful of people. As the Fouche building was being torn down, a cache of old papers came tumbling from the ceiling. They were a collection of original documents that had belonged to the old Parson himself. They included handwritten letters and documents dating from the early 1850's to the post Civil War years. The collection included many letters that were written during Brownlow's term as Tennessee's Governor, in the turbulent reconstruction years immediately following the Civil War, with signed documents from prominent politicians from Tennessee and other states, from former Civil War Generals and Officers, and others. Fortunately, the entire collection was rescued and kept intact, and today is housed in the Special Collections Library at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

The East Tennessee Historical Center now stands at the site of the old Fouche building, and that facility is obviously a plus for Knoxville. The fact that it sits at the site where one of the city's oldest downtown buildings was demolished is perhaps more difficult to swallow, particularly when perhaps some earlier planning and foresight might have resulted in saving that building. For example, the center could just as easily have been constructed along Market street, at the corner of Church, where the Empire Building stood, a property that likewise was adjacent to the old U S Customs House, and a structure that was on the market not that many years ago, at what today sounds like a bargain price.

If someone has found a easy way to determine the names of the businesses that were located on the west side of this block of Gay Street before the Civil War - - or, for that matter, the specific addresses of more than a handful of any other downtown businesses during those times - - they have come up with a magic formula that has escaped my research. The 1859 city directory does reveal that the G. Rawlins Hardware and Saddlery store was then located at the northwest corner of Gay and Church, that address later being 631. The only other businesses shown in that year's directory as having been located in that block were produce dealer B. R. Bolling, the J. F. Cooper grocery store, and Thomas J. Powell's dry goods store. However, the specific addresses of those businesses are not known.

In 1869, Adney and Cruze Dry Goods, S. Bissinger tailor, E. J. Sanford & Co. Druggist, and John S. Van Gilder's Shoe and Boot manufacturers were located on the west side between Church and Clinch. Again, the directory makes no mention of the specific addresses for those businesses. However, under the street numbering system at that time, the numbers on the west side of this block that later became the 600 block of South Gay were from 107 (the southeast corner) and 133 (the northeast corner). While the actual street location numbers for most downtown businesses still were not shown in the city directory, in a few instances they were, and the following firms were located on this side of Gay in 1869 :

109 - 111. (Later 629-631) Hodge and McCorkle. Provision store.

117. (Later 617) Gilbert & Bros. Groceries and dry goods.

119. (Later 6??) L. C. Hoss. Merchant.

The following businesses are also shown in the city directory as having been on the west side of this block of Gay Street in 1869, but the specific addresses are not known :

Adney and Cruze, tinware hardware West side Gay

Bissinger, S., Tailor. West side Gay, corner Clinch

Gaines & Co. Boots and Shoes. West side Gay, near Church.

Johnson, James P. Merchant, west side Gay, near corner Clinch.

People's Bank. West side Gay

Simpson and Driskell, Produce Dealers. West side Gay, near Clinch

Van Gilder, John S. Boot and shoe manufacturer. West side Gay

Western Union Telegraph Co. Office west side Gay, near Clinch, upstairs.

Following were some of the known occupants of the buildings on the west side of the 600 block of South Gay over the years.

FOUCHE BUILDING (601 - 605 South Gay)

Although this building was built in 1847, no record of the earliest occupants have been found. The first three Knoxville city directories, for 1859, 1869 and 1876, do not list locations by street number, and no verifiable information as to the businesses that were operating in this building during those years. The 1884 city directory shows that Peter Ritter's Cigars and Tobacco store was at this corner location. A colored barber, W. O. Scott, had his shop in the building that year. The Knox County Medical Society Museum and Library occupied space in the upper story, and at least a section of the upstairs portion was known as the Golden Cross Hall. A wholesale dry goods store, McNulty, Borches, Lillard and Company, also was in business in the building that year, at the street level, as were barbers McClung and Martin, at 603 South Gay. Tom Egan's Saloon was at the 605 address. By 1886, McCrum and Yeager Druggists had moved to the 603 location.

In 1895, Louis Seilaz cigars and tobacco had replaced the Peter Ritter Company at the corner location, and the Louis Seilaz Saloon had taken over the 605 address previously occupied by the Tom Egan Saloon. W. O. Scott, a colored barber, was in business at number 603 that year.

In 1900, the Ritter family - - now J. H. Ritter Cigar Company - - again occupied he corner location at 601. Louis Seilaz then occupied both other street addresses, with the Seilaz Restaurant at 603 and the Seilaz Saloon at 605 South Gay.

The Fouche Building continued to be the site of a cigar store in 1910, as it would for many years afterwards. The corner location, number 601, had become Ashe's Restaurant in 1910, and the J. H. Ritter Cigar Company occupied number 603 that year. Another restaurant, J. T. McGuire's Eating House, was next door to at 605. Around that time a private school, Miss Alma Wood's School, was located on the second floor.

In 1925, yet another cigar store, the United Cigar Store, was at the corner location at number 601. That year, a jewelry store, the Jewel Box, occupied number 603, and the Peter Dumas Eating House was located at number 605.

By 1940, the United Cigar Company was at 601, the Orange Julius was at number 603, and the Sanitary Sandwich Shop was in business at number 605. In 1948, the name of the corner cigar store had been changed to Helms Cigar Store and the other two businesses were still in operation at 603 and 605.

The Orange Julius had expanded into the corner location in 1969, now occupying both the 601 and 603 locations. By then, the Brass Rail restaurant had replaced the Sanitary Sandwich Shop at number 605. The same businesses continued to occupy the ground floor of the Fouche building in 1980, but by then the name of the Orange Julius had been changed to Nan Denton's. Both of those businesses continued in operation in 1980.

By 1987, Henry's Restaurant occupied the space where Nan Denton's Orange Julius had been in business, at 601-603 South Gay. At the 605 address, the Brass Rail continued in business.

1876 BUILDING (607 - 609 South Gay)

607. The Southern Express Company occupied the ground floor level at 607, in 1884. In 1895, the city directory lists Egan's Restaurant at this address. By 1900, the directory again lists Southern express at 607 South Gay, and by 1910 the name is shown as Southern Express Company and Adams Express Company. In 1925,

Dan Chambliss Co. Druggist was at 607. In 1940, Mayfair Hatters was here. In 1947, the Gay News Center was at the street level. The following year in 1948, Hardy's Shoe Store had taken over the address.

A tailor, Douglass Moore, was at 607 ½, on the second floor, in 1900. By 1925, B Attorneys. C. Ogle and R. L. Pope occupied that site.

C. C. Kohlhase Saloon was at number 609 (then number 125) in 1884. By 1895, Tom Egan had moved his saloon south from number 605 to the 609 address. In 1900, it had become the Meyer and Meyer Saloon. Several businesses were later at the 609 address, including the following : a live entertainment venue, the Columbia Theater, in 1909 ; the Empire Theater, showing silent movies, in 1910 ; Weaver's Dairy Lunch, in 1925 ; Hale's Drug Store in 1940 ; and Thom McAn Shoe Store in 1948. The Home Credit Company occupied this address by 1969, when Thom McAn's shoe store had moved into a larger building in the block north of Clinch. In 1980, a jewelry store called Custom Crafted Jewelry was in business at this address.

The second story above the 609 address, number 609 ½, was the location of the

McCloud Billiard Hal in 1925. That location was vacant in 1940. By 1948 it was the location of Comer's Sport Center. Comer's continued at the site in 1969, and it was actually located in both sections of the building, above numbers 607 and 609. The entrance to Comer's was a narrow stairway between Thom McCan's at 609 and the Krystal at 611, and the sport center and pool hall occupied both sections of the second story above those stores in this building. Pool tables and the counter were in the south section and their small eatery - where a full sized hamburger for fifteen cents, or a full sized plate lunch, including drink, for twenty-five cents - were available. By 1980, a club called the C & C Club was in operation on the second floor, but in 1987 Comer's is again shown in business at the location. That same year, Mister Yogert's was at the 609 address.

611 GAY

A. A. Akers, an attorney, operated the Akers Auction House at the 611 address from 1886 until at least 1910. By 1925, Harry Ritter had moved his cigar store from the Fouche building to this address. The site was vacant in 1940, and by 1948 the Krystal kitchen was peddling their small hamburgers - - priced seven cents each - - at this location. It continued at this same location in 1969.

J. D. McDonald Gymnasium was at 611 ½ South Gay (the second floor above 611- 613) in 1925. That was the forerunner of Joe McDonald's Sport Center and pool hall. The Skeet Tallent photographic studio was at the 611 ½ address in 1948.

613 GAY

The S.B. Luttrell Hardware Company was at this address from 1884 and at least until 1910. In 1925, C. C. Rhodus Potato Chip Mfg. Co was here. The Tennessee Hat Works occupied the building in 1940. That year, Joe McDonald's Sport Center and pool hall was on the second floor, and on the third floor was a place called the M & M Club. The city directories make it difficult to determine precisely which businesses were located on the upper floors, sometimes showing those addresses as 613 ½, but other times showing them with no number, only as being located on the upper floors. Examples of businesses shown here at the 613 ½ address were the Sidney Berly Soft Drink Company in 1925, and A. Nash Tailors in 1940. In 1948, McDonalds pool room continued on the second floor above 611-613, and the Ledgerwood Dance Studio occupied the third floor. By 1969, a cleaning business, the One Hour Valet, was in business at this address, and McDonald's continued in business on the upper level. By 1980, the city directory shows no numbers at 613, 615 or 617 South Gay Street. Apparently the building had been demolished by that time.

615 GAY

Merchant L. C. Hoss operated at this address in 1869. In 1884, McGrath and Hanifin Boots, Shoes and dry goods was in business here. The D. R. Mayo Seed Company was in business at the address from 1895 until at least 1910. A tailor, Jacob Roos, was in business on the second floor of this building during some of those years. By 1925, the B. W. Akers jewelry store was here - -likely a relative of attorney A. A. Akers, who had operated his auction house for many years earlier at the 611 address, a couple of doors to the north. By 1940, Bert Thompson's downtown camera a photographic store, the Snap Shop, was in operation here. It continued at this address in 1969.

617 GAY

Gilbert & Bros. Groceries and dry goods was located at 617 South Gay in 1869. By 1884, J .J. Condon & Co. was selling china and glassware at the location. In 1895, J. E. Barry & Co. Confections, Fruits and Toys occupied the address. By 1900, the Home Steam Laundry was here, and a dealer in fruits, Z. P. Hale, was also listed in business at 617 - - probably on the second floor. The S. B. Newman printing company, originally in business some blocks to the north on the east side of South Gay - - where their store had been severely damages during the great downtown fire of 1897 - - was at this address by 1910, and continued in operation at the 617 address for many years afterwards. In 1969, this address was vacant.

619 GAY

The Peoples Bank of Knoxville was at 619 Gay in1869 and continued at the same address in 1884. The Covenant Building and Loan Association was here in 1895, and a tailor, Douglass Moore, was located on the second floor. The offices of the Knoxville Water Company took over the premises in 1900, where it continued in 1910 as the Knoxville Water Commission. Oddly, the 1925 city directory does not show the 619 address. By 1940, Weaver's Cafeteria, according to the city directory listings earlier in operation a few doors to the north at 609, had moved to the 619 address. The Singer Sewing Machine company was in business here in 1969. Number 619 was still in existence in 1980, when this address is shown as vacant, and architect Eugene Barr was in business on the second floor. By 1987, the city directory shows no businesses on the west side of South Gay Street from this address south to the corner address at number 631. Those buildings had been demolished by then.

621 Gay

W. F. Cummins, an insurance agent who also dealt in music and musical merchandise, was at 621 Gay in 1884. By 1886, J. A. Gilbert was in business here, selling pianos and organs. In 1895, the B. H. Sprankle and Stouffer Company was selling men's and boy's clothes here, and the E. M. Craig Company's shoe factory was on the second floor. In 1900, the S. B. Luttrell Hardware Company, in business to the north at 613 Gay, was using this address and the 623 address next door as a storage facility. The Manhattan Café - - the name of another restaurant that opened many years later on Central, in what now is known as the "Old City" - - was in business in Knoxville in 1910. It was not in that section of town, but was here at 621 South Gay Street. As in the case of the next door 619 address, this 621 address is not listed in the 1925 city directory. Beck's Optical and Jewelry Company was at this address in 1941. The name had changed to the Shaw Jewelry Company by 1947. In 1969, the Garden Restaurant was in business at the 621 address. The Knoxville Optical Company was at this address in 1980.

623 - 631 Mercantile building (earlier, other buildings)

The numbers of early businesses in this block between number 621 and the corner location at Church Avenue changed over the years. Originally, the number at the northeast corner was 107 Gay. By the time the mercantile building was constructed, the new system numbering addresses from north to south was being used and the address at the northeast corner was 631 South Gay.

In 1859, the T. G. Rawlins. Hardware and Saddlery Company was located at the "Northwest corner Church and Gay". By 1869, the Hodge and McCorkle. Provision store was at that corner location. Boyd and Caswell, furnishings, carpets and furniture manufacturers, were here in 1886. In 1890, the Masonic Hall was located on the third floor at this address. The Allen and Stephenson Furniture and Carpet Company was at 623-625 South Gay in 1896.

The Past Time Bowling Alley was at number 623 in 1900. In 1910, the S. B. Newman Company was using that address as their warehouse. W. Kennedy Cigar Company was at the same address in 1925, and by 1940 Tabe's Candy and Nut Company was in operation at the 623 address. Tabe's had vacated the address by 1969, and Myers Camera Shop was in operation here. In 1980, the Avco Finance Service was in business at number 623.

The 623 ½ address was the Gay Street entrance to the upper floors of the Mercantile Building, a stairway that led to numerous business and lawyer's offices that were located on the upper floors of that building by 1940.

At 625 South Gay, Nuttall's Furniture and Music Company was in business in 1900. In 1910, the C. S. Rosenback Company was at that address. The address is listed as vacant in the 1925 city directory.

627 was the location of the E. B. Mann Mortuary Company from 1895 until at least 1900. By 1910, the location was vacant. In 1925, the United Shoe Hospital was at this address. The National Optical Store was as the address in 1940.

Baum's Home of Flowers occupied the street level space at the corner, and city directories show their address as 631 South Gay. Thereafter, the addresses 625 and 629 were no longer shown, the flower shop then occupying what previously had been those numbers. Baum's was still in operation at this address in 1980.

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