Knox Heritage

North Hills: An Early Knoxville Automobile Subdivision

THE NORTH HILLS neighborhood is located in North Knoxville and is roughly bounded by Washington Pike, Whittle Springs Road, Cecil Avenue, and Prosser Road. The houses in North Hills are mainly one and two story houses that feature brick, stucco, East Tennessee Marble, and Crab Orchard Stone exteriors. The neighborhood is a good example of a suburban middleclass residential district with a strong emphasis on early to mid-twentieth century revival residential architecture. Styles include English Cottage Revival, Tudor Revival, Colonial Revival, Spanish Colonial Revival, Ranch, and Minimal Traditional. The neighborhood retains its original topography of rolling hills, wide-tree-lined boulevards, and landscaping.

North Hills was developed as an automobile-accessible neighborhood in 1927 under the North Hills Corporation by brothers George, Hugh, and Carl Fielden. George wanted to create a new subdivision of custom-built homes and soon began to buy land and divide it into lots. It is said that George and his mother Florence named the area “North Hills” because it described the rolling hills of North Knoxville. In 1927, George laid out the first section of North Hills Boulevard (the 1900 block) and erected stone gateposts with marble plaques reading “North Hills” on each side of the Washington Pike entrance. The first house was built on a wooded lot on the west side of North Hills Boulevard next to the main entrance.

When development started in 1927, the neighborhood originally encompassed only 43 acres and three streets: North Hills Boulevard, Fountain Park Boulevard, and Kenilworth Lane. By 1928, more than 40 homes had been built. By 1935, 75 homes had been built and 175 lots were available to build on.

Restrictive covenants were adopted in 1928 to ensure that North Hills would remain a select neighborhood. The expiration of these covenants is supposed to be in 2027 (99 years from their development date). These guidelines provide interesting insight into the perspective of the developers and original residents regarding the important visual aspects of their neighborhood. In part, these restrictions provide guidance on placement of garages, construction cost, number of rooms, setbacks, exterior wall covering, roof and foundation material, and each house design had to be approved by two officials of the North Hills Corporation. The North Hills Garden Club was established in 1935 to promote the beautification of the neighborhood and to foster a community spirt through participation in civic, educational, and social activities. During the first year, the club had 50 members, and today the garden club is still a strong entity that is active in the neighborhood and surrounding community.

North Hills was an up-and-coming, middle-class suburb during the late 1920s, and it attracted many families. Residents included employees of the Tennessee Valley Authority, managers, presidents, or vice-presidents of local companies, business owners, attorneys, doctors, employees of Southern Railway, and professors at the University of Tennessee.

The North Hills Area Association was formed in 2000, and its mission is to promote security, beautification, and safety. The Association includes the historic area of the neighborhood, as well as the Plantation Hills subdivision that was developed in 1959 and spans roughly 75 acres southwest of the original 1927 development.

The original North Hills development was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008 for its strong association with community planning and residential development in Knoxville and for its rich architectural significance.

Numerous automobile subdivisions began cropping up during the early twentieth century in Knoxville, and North Hills was one of the first. With the presence of the boulevards, revival-style architecture, and heavy natural topography, the neighborhoods developed a uniform and elegant appearance that remains today. North Hills illustrated the trend that led away from busy downtown living, creating a dependence upon mass streetcar transportation and eventually toward dependence upon the automobile.

Knox Heritage preserves structures and places of historic or cultural significance for our community. Established in 1974 as a non-profit educational corporation, our organization works to protect and raise awareness of what is beautiful and irreplaceable in East Tennessee.

5 Reasons to Consider Home Video Surveillance

WE BELIEVE your home is where you should feel the most safe. Keeping an eye on your property can be a full-time job. Having a monitored home security system is an excellent way of protecting what matters most. To enhance your home security, the addition of a home surveillance system is an excellent start. There are many benefits of adding video surveillance to your property, and here are a few of the most important ones. 1. Crime Deterrent

Contrary to popular belief, most burglars are quite skilled and will spend time scouting a property to develop a plan. A burglar intends to break in with as little effort and risk as possible. One of the most effective ways to prevent a potential break-in is to have visible cameras placed around the home in addition to a sign indicating you have monitored security. 2. Checking in on Your Family

You can’t be everywhere at once, but a wireless video surveillance system allows you to check-in from your smartphone, tablet, or computer. Whether you want to see if your children have made it home from school safely via a motion-activated camera or check in on a sitter during your night out, a surveillance system can help bring you much-needed peace of mind. 3. Evidence for Apprehension

In the event that a burglary does occur, your monitored home security system will ensure the correct local authorities are notified quickly. A professionally installed video surveillance system will provide valuable evidence for the authorities. Whether it is a still-frame photo of the package thief or high-resolution video from an indoor camera, the authorities can use the evidence to apprehend the culprit, preventing future crime and increasing the odds of returning your stolen items. 4. Keeping Tabs on Your Pets

Ever wonder what your pets do while you’re away? A video surveillance system can help you see what you’ve been missing! Whether you’re at work or away on vacation, you can check in on your fur family through your smartphone to stream video, store recordings, or even take snapshots. 5. Insurance Benefits

During the aftermath of a home burglary, you will have to file an insurance claim. Having high-definition footage of the event will help you validate your insurance claim. Not to mention, you can receive up to 20% off your home insurance by having a monitored security system in place!

Keep an eye on what matters most. A video surveillance system installed by the professionals at Fleenor Security can help give you a much-needed extra set of eyes. Contact us today for a free system evaluation. .

Fleenor Security Systems

6700 Baum Drive, Ste. 22 Knoxville, TN 37919 865.544.9964 www.FleenorSecurity.com TN C-0239 VA 11-1901 NC 1721-CSA