Follow The Yellow Brick Road: October

 I have to say that this month was hard. The other projects were really easy and manageable. This one was hard because I was really insanely busy all month long. To be honest, while writing this I realized that I was not able to get all of the stuff done for this discovery and I need to finish it. However, I think I am going to do it and tack it to this month. it will be way more manageable. 

Fist lest talk about a truly bad movie...  Material Girls

Two young women, of wealthy means, find that they are on the brink of going broke the world drastically hits them in the face. They have to work hard and investigate not only what is happening in the company that their father left them, but also learn that there are other people in the world other than them. 

Why in the world am I reviewing this movie? Well because on small part of the movie there is a reporter who is out to find people that are ripping people off and exposing them. This character is named Ned Nakamori who is played by Knoxville's own comedian Henry Cho!

Henry Cho was born in Knoxville, Tennessee in December of 1962. He attended West High School, and went to UT for a short time. He dropped out of College after he went to a Comedy club new West Knoxville and did stand up for the very first time. He was offered a job that night and dropped out of school by the end of the same week. He has lived in California and has had a very successful career. He has been on several Siris Radio Comedian stations and has worked with many other great comedians. I was actually very fortunate to see him Live and the Bijou Theatre on the 1st of October. 

I loved his whole set! I thought he was so funny and I will be going to be to see him when he is in town again! I will be taking Nikki Day with me too cause  I have found out this year that she like comedy shows too!

So, let's talk about the part of Knoxville I grew up in, West Knoxville. 

West View Cemetery

There are several Cemeteries that follow Keith Avenue. This one, doesn't really have a name (that I saw) but it's a very small and quiet place. It's a little run down but does seem like someone is caring for it. In of the these smaller cemeteries is an author and civil-rights advocate Charles W. Cansler. 

New Gray Cemetery 

New Gray is a beautiful place. It spacious, and has lot of beautiful trees around. As modern as it look it's been around for a number or years. There are both side of the civil war buried here. There are also a number of Victorian stones. Two notable people here are Ida Cox, and blue and jazz singer who wrote "Wild women Don't have the Blue". The other is a young man by the name of Zaevion Dobson, who saved his friend by protecting them during a drive by shooting. 

New Jewish Cemetery

The New Jewish Cemetery has been around since at least World War II. There are several notable Knoxvillians here. Some were successful sellers in Market Square, some are councilmen, and all are people that are still cared about today. The Cemetery is still active and there are pebbles placed on the headstones were people have visited. 

Racheff Gardens

I was not able to go into the park, I think I will try to because it looks nice. It's a small garden that is only opened Monday thru Friday from 9am-3pm. It's also closed when it's raining.... that 0 for 2 for me. I went on a Sunday when it was raining. It's not a very super well known park. Steel foundry executive Ivan Racheff had a dream of having a beautiful place next to something that isn't known for it's beauty the steel industry. The Garden is right next to Tennessee's only steel mill. The entrance the the GPS will give you makes it look like you are about to go into the steel mill. I have to turn around a time or two to find the entrance. It, again, didn't help that I went on a day that the gates were closed so it's blends in very well. Mr. Rancheff was said to enjoy the view of his garden from his second story window from the house on the property. 

Crescent Bend 

This historic home overlooks the Tennessee Rivers. Built in 1834 by Drury Paine Armstrong, this house has been a staple in Knoxville for some time. The house was used a headquarters for Confederate Gen. Joseph Kershaw during the siege of Fort Sanders. The house has been bought and sold several times, however, in 1976 the house was opened to the public as a museum. 

Tyson Park

Tyson Park was named for the family who donated the property, The Tyson Family. The park was originally used as gold course for a group of their friends. It's more than likely the first known area golf course in Knoxville. If the Tyson name rings a bell it will be because the airport near Knoxville is called Tyson McGhee. McGhee is the name of the son the Tyson's lost in World War I. One of the contingencies for the Tyson's to donate the property was they wanted to airport named after their son. It no longer has a gold course but there are some walking trails, a playground, tennis courts, and it currently the only skateboard park that we have. 

Bleak House

The Bleak House was built by the son of Mr. Armstrong, Robert Houston Armstrong. He named the house after a Charles Dickens Novel. This house had a similar history in the Civil Was as Crescent Bend did. It was also used as headquarters for Gen. Longstreet, and Gen Lafayette McLawas. The home was bought by the Daughters of the Confederacy in 1959. It has been turned into a venue for weddings, tours, and meetings. 

Westwood 

When I tell you that I have passed this house and have just never seen it you would be shocked. This is the house that I want to get into. However, it's been a little iffy is COVID. Also, most of these homes are closed to the public during the winter months. Anyways. this is another Armstrong house.. kindof. The Daughter of Robert Armstrong, Adelia, married John Lutz and Lutz and her father got together to build her this beautiful house. Adelia was an artists who learned art in New York, Philadelphia, and Paris. Not wanting to take her away from her art, her father and husband created the house to have lots of natural light so she could paint while she ran the house and took take of her two children. It's Knoxville's best preserved Victoria style home. 

Sequoyah Hills Park

This park has been here since the 1920s. The TVA came in a cleaned it up a bit and made it less prone to flooding in the 40s. There are some intriguing things about this park. There is an Indian Mound here however, there are two different signs that talk about it but they conflict each other. There is a rumor that there used to be a Polo Field here but the stories are very vague. 

Third Creek Greenway

Now, I know it's not the best picture but this Greenway is important. It's the first time that the Knoxville was connected to the smokies with a bikeway, and it's Knoxville first greenway. It was completed in 1974 and was the only bike trail Knoxville had until the 90s. 

Highland Memorial 

Now, this picture does not do justice but I think this is the prettiest cemetery, that's not meant for our armed forces, in Knoxville. Now, I still have some to visit in the next two months, but it's gonna be hard to top this one. The hills, the headstone, and grand burial spots are beautiful. I didn't have as much time I would have liked to explore here, I might do that when I get a free moment again. However, the place is huge! I didn't get to go that far in but there are several people that are buried here that are note worthy. UT Basket ball coach Ray Mers, Sen John Knight Sheilds, Harry Ijams (you'll remember him from from visiting Ijams Nature Center), and Medal of Honor Recipient Alexander Bonnyman Jr.. 

West Hills/ John Bynon Park

This park is what most people refer to as the YMCA Park. I know that the book doesn't say that. However, whenever I have told people to meet at the park I have always said the YMCA. The one really amazing structure that is here is the Memorial for the victims of the Holocaust. The stone was placed at the park in 2005 on Holocaust Remembrance Day. 

Girl Scout Museum at Daisy's Place

This museum holds a history of the Girl Scouts of the Southern Appalachians. It has news articles and vintage girl scout clothing since the early 1900s. 

Kennedy-Baker House

Owed by a doctor in the Civil War this is not a fitness office facility. 

Baker-Peter House 

Now, I know the Baker-Peter House very well. I have lived in the neighborhood behind this lovely building for over 20 years. My family still live behind it. The houses were owned by Doctors with the last name Baker. Doctor Harvey Baker lived at this house and was killed there when a union solider. It's said that the bullet holes from the attack are still there. However, I have not seen them yet. This house is a dentist office in the lower lever. Over the years the place has changed from a Jazz Club to what is now Finn's Restaurant. An Irish inspired eatery that is SO GOOD! My family is there all of the time, and they have some really amazing food!

Now, due to life.... There were several places that I could not visit (not because I didn't get to them). Some are private residence, or they are private offices that are not open to the public. Those would be the Knollwood and Statesview. I have passed Stateview almost every day growing up wanting to go behind the beautiful brick wall. However, that has not happened. I would like to think one day may, but I a not going to hold my breathe on that. 

The Arnstein Jewish Community Center does seem, according to the book, to have some great stuff happening with it. However, it's a pre-school.... I am not taking pictures of a pre-school, especially not during school hours. So, I drove by but did nothing. 

Now I was in Fort Sanders area when I was driving around but there is no "one place" that the battle to take place, that I could safely get to. So, I skipped that one. 

The two parks that I skipped were the James Agee Park and Lakeshore Park. James Agee was so small and parking was so crowded that there was no way that I could stop by. Lakeshore is currently going under some construction. It's not totally closed but it's a bit hard to get in. So, we are going to make life simple and skip them for the time being. 

Thankfully, this is the last insanely long list of exploring Knoxville that I have. The other two are really very short. Which is great because with the holidays it's crazy. However, I am looking forward to visiting!