Lake, Litton’s top landmarks in friendly Fountain City

By cooper | 3:18 pm, 08/27/2007

A 2005 News Sentinel poll named Fountain City as Knoxville’s best neighborhood. Residents say it’s a comfortable place that just feels like home.

With its quiet neighborhoods, older houses and wide sidewalks, Fountain City even feels a little bit like Mayberry.

You notice the friendly, family atmosphere throughout Fountain City, whether at Fountain City Lake or Litton’s Market and Restaurant. Both are beloved landmarks.

Named for a large fountain at its center, the North Knoxville community has a population of about 20,000.

Fountain City was believed to be the largest unincorporated city in the United States until its annexation by Knoxville in 1962.

Interstate 640 marks the boundary between Fountain City and North Knoxville. Fountain City also is flanked by Halls Crossroads and Powell.
The community became Fountain City in 1890, when the name was changed from Fountain Head.

That was the same year a railway was built. Until then, the old Fountain Head Hotel would bring in guests by horse-drawn hack from the end of Knoxville’s horse-drawn streetcar line.

Over the years, Fountain City flourished with businesses like the Blue Circle Restaurant, Palace Theatre and Roller Rink and Tallent’s Drug Store.
Fountain Citians who made a difference in their community and the broader world have included these departed residents:

  • Country music star Roy Acuff, a member of the Grand Ole Opry for more than 50 years. He earned at least 12 letters as an athlete at Central High School.
  • Harvey Broome, a lawyer who loved nature. “When it came to writing about the outdoors and the wilderness, I always rated him along with Henry Thoreau and John Muir,” said U.S. Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas.
  • Carlos C. Campbell, author of “Birth of a National Park in the Great Smoky Mountains.”
  • Lucy Curtis Templeton, who wrote a popular column, “The Country Calendar,” for the Knoxville News-Sentinel for more than 50 years.

Fountain City Town Hall is a nonprofit community group designed to serve, protect, and assist in the community’s development. It works with Knoxville agencies, as well as with other community groups, as an advocate for sensible, effective legislation affecting Fountain City.

  • Town Hall coordinates Honor Fountain City Day, featuring music, food, games, rides, community awards, recognition of veterans, and appearances by elected officials. The festivities take place every Memorial Day at Fountain City Park.
  • Fountain City Park, 117 Hotel Road, features a natural spring, four shelters, picnic tables, a playground, basketball court and large open space. The Lion’s Club operates the park. To hold a meeting at the Lion’s Club Building, call 687-5191.
  • Fountain City Lake, affectionately known as the duck pond, is all that remains of the three-story Fountain Head Hotel, a once-grand resort. A large pond graced the front of the hotel.
  • Fountain City Ballpark, 3701 Ludo Road off Broadway, has six baseball/softball fields with lights and one tee-ball field. The park also has a batting cage, four tennis courts, playground and Fountain City Recreation Center.
  • Fountain City Recreation Center (687-0510) is adjacent to the ballpark and offers a gymnasium, indoor basketball court, playground, tennis court, softball field, picnic tables and meeting room.
  • The Fountain City Art Center opened in 2004 after the Fountain City Library moved to new digs and left the old building, a Barber & McMurry design at 213 Hotel Ave., vacant. The center holds art classes and exhibits. (357-2787, www.fountaincityart.org)
  • Adair Gardens has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places since 1994. Developed between 1920 and 1930, the neighborhood lies between several streets: Adair, Rose and Coile.

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