KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WOKI) – As Knoxville prepares for another Fourth of July celebration, city leaders and historians are highlighting a tradition that stretches back more than two centuries.
Local historian Jack Neely says Knoxville has been celebrating Independence Day since at least 1793, making it the city’s oldest documented holiday.
In the early years, the holiday carried deep meaning for residents, many of whom had lived through the Revolutionary War or knew those who had.
Celebrations at the time often included formal toasts honoring founding figures such as George Washington, James Madison, and the Marquis de Lafayette.
Neely notes that even after the Civil War, when many Southern communities stopped observing the Fourth of July, Knoxville maintained the tradition.
Today, that legacy continues with large community gatherings and celebrations across the city.
Retired Air National Guard member Troy Long says those observances serve as an important reminder of the freedoms Americans enjoy.
This year’s celebration is expected to be especially significant, marking the nation’s 250th anniversary of independence. Visit Knoxville estimates attendance could surpass last year’s crowd of 10,000 to 12,000 people.
Neely says the endurance of the tradition is remarkable, noting that in some ways, Knoxville still celebrates the Fourth much like it did more than 200 years ago.
July 4th Knoxville (WVLT)
