Destiny Decisions

The Cherokee Indians who once hunted the grounds where the French Broad and Holston rivers meet to form the Tennessee River were the first to discover the plentiful bounty of the land that is now home to Knoxville, Tennessee. Later, when founder James White settled here, he may have envisioned a few stores and hoped for new settlers, but he would never recognize this city today, a modern metro magnet for technology, commerce, education, and tourism, yet still populated by those who open their arms to neighbors old and new. In 1791, this upstart city was named by William Blount aft er President George Washington's war secretary, Henry Knox. Descriptions of the area traveled so swift ly that this jewel was no longer a hidden treasure. By the time of the Civil War, Knoxville, blessed with proximity to rivers and railroads, became a coveted prize for both sides of the conflict. Even in the war-ravaged aftermath, the citizens of this region in the heart of the Tennessee Valley took heart, rising from distress by making the most of the natural resources of the land and the ingenuity of its people.