1945-1946 Douglass High School Football Team

Train Depot, 1915

A group of unidentified men stand in front of the old train depot on Main Street. This photograph was taken on December 4, 1915. Posted on the building is the Carolina, Clinchfield, and Ohio Railroad Train Bulletin that displayed the schedule for the day. Prior to this depot, the first railroad offices were located in an old box car on Main Street.

Committee of Northern Men,1905

George L. Carter, most known for his building of the Clinchfield Railroad, was instrumental in bringing the railroad to Kingsport and laying the groundwork for modern Kingsport. Carter was also one of the first to envision a new industrial community at Kingsport. Facing financial concerns, Carter had to seek financial assistance and backers to complete the railroad. John B. Dennis, of New York, entered into the picture and became in many ways the financier of Kingsport. Dennis and other northern investors met in 1905. From left to right: George L. Carter, Isaac T. Mann, George Kent, John B. Dennis, William Ritter, Norman Ream, Thomas Ryan, James Blair, Henry Ray Dennis, unknown, and James Hamill.

Images of America Downtown Kingsport-Available July 11

I am happy to announce that the new book, Images of America Downtown Kingsport will be available a week earlier than planned! The new publication date is July 11, 2011.

History of Downtown Kingsport Told Through Photographs Local author pens new book The newest addition to Arcadia Publishing’s popular Images of America series is Downtown Kingsport from local author Brianne Wright. The book boasts more than 200 vintage images and memories of days gone by. Kingsport, the “Model City,” was the first American city in the 20th century that was privately financed and professionally planned. Chartered in 1917, it was also the first city in Tennessee to adopt a city manager form of government. Kingsport’s location on the Clinchfield Railroad played a significant role in the development of the city, but it was the early visionaries and leaders who embraced the city’s potential and transformed it. City planner John Nolen, expanding on existing city plans, created a unique physical design and layout with areas zoned specifically for industrial, residential, commercial, and spiritual development. Downtown Kingsport, anchored by the iconic Church Circle on one end and the historic train depot on the other, was the heart of industrial and economic growth. Take a cruise down Broad Street from its early beginnings to the modern era. Downtown Kingsport showcases images from the Archives of the City of Kingsport. The Archives, opened in 1994, is the first municipal archive in Tennessee. Wright, a graduate of the University of Tennessee and East Tennessee State University, is employed as the archivist for the City of Kingsport. Highlights of Downtown Kingsport: All profits from the sale of the book will benefit the Friends of the Archives. Many of the images used have never before been published. Several of the photographs were taken by local, professional photographers like David Pierce and Thomas McNeer, Jr, whose collections are now housed in the archives. Available at area bookstores, independent retailers, and online retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing at www.arcadiapublishing.com or (888)-313-2665. Arcadia Publishing is the leading publisher of local and regional history in the United States.  Our mission is to make history accessible and meaningful through the publication of books on the heritage of America’s people and places.  Have we done a book on your town?  Visit http://www.arcadiapublishing.com.