East Knoxville is a gumbo of parks, ethnic restaurants, historical sites, old architecture, rooted businesses and tributes to Knoxville’s African-American heritage.

The Knoxville Zoo perches near Chilhowee Park – longtime home of the Tennessee Valley Fair and a place with fond memories for generations of residents.

Magnolia Avenue, paralleling Chilhowee Park, is a nostalgic strip through East Knoxville. Ghosts of drive-in restaurants, Blue Circle, Krispy Kreme and roller coasters from the fairgrounds linger in the memory of Knoxvillians.

Before the population spread west, East Knoxville represented the American dream for many. Knoxville’s oldest Jewish and Catholic graveyards are here. So is Knoxville’s only Confederate graveyard.

Historic landmarks dot the community, from houses by Knoxville’s famous architect George Barber to the Mabry-Hazen House built in 1858.

The Beck Cultural Exchange Center is a museum that preserves African-American history and culture.

Graceful neighborhoods like Holston Hills have retained their charm throughout the years. The neighborhood’s golf course, built in 1927, was immediately recognized as one of the finest in the state.

Burlington, once one of Knoxville’s most thriving communities, is close to Holston Hills, as well as to Chilhowee Park. The Chilhowee Park area once housed many workers and middle managers at Standard Knitting Mill. An opera singer and Coca-Cola executives used to live in that part of East Knoxville.

The area may be on the verge of a rebirth, thanks to renewed community activism. Neighborhood organizations in the East City sector include:

• Burlington Business Association
• Burlington Homeowners and Residents Association
• Chilhowee Park Neighborhood Association
• Cold Springs Community Watch
• CSC Community Club
• East Knoxville Residential Advisory Board
• Five Points Beautification Club
• Five Points Neighborhood Watch
• Magnolia Area Merchants Association
• Park City Town Hall
• Town Hall East.