Knoxville was once known as the Underwear Capital of the world during the 1930's. This was due to more than 20 textile & clothing mills that operated in Knoxville.
Now why didn't they teach this in Tennessee history?
Mountain Dew was first marketed in Knoxville.
Mountain Dew had its beginning by two brothers, Barney and Ally Hartmen who ran a bottling plant in Knoxville, Tennessee during the early 1940's. They were bottling a lithiated-lemon ("7-up" flavor) drink as a personal mixer for hard-liquor. They jokingly called the drink "Mountain Dew" after Tennessee Mountain Moonshine.
One of Butch Cassidy's Wild Bunch Captured in Knoxville
In 1901, train robber Kid Curry who was a member of Butch Cassidy's Wild Bunch entered Ike Jones's pool hall in downtown KnoxvilIe and began gambling with 2 local men. He eventually lost his temper and accused one of the men of hustling which led to a fight. Two Knoxville officers, on patrol nearby, hurried to the scene of the disturbance. As the two policemen entered the pool hall, Kid Curry emptied his six-shooter into their bodies, killing both. He escaped to Jefferson City where he was recognized and captured two days later. 
As soon as the newspapers reported that Kid Curry had been apprehended, a crowd estimated at two-to-five thousand people gathered outside the Knoxville jail, hoping to get a glimpse of the famous western badman. To please the crowd, Sheriff James W. Fox gave consent for a line of visitors to file past the Kid's cell. Day after day, the lines continued. A Knoxville reporter, who observed this parade, noted that many visitors wanted to shake the outlaw's hand.
While in the Knoxville jail from Dec. 15, 1901 to June 27, 1903 the Kid mastered a plan to escape. He had taken a piece of wire from a broom he used to sweep his cell and attemped to strangle the guard. Upon seizing the keys to escape he made his way out of the jail and rode away on a horse stolen from a sheriff.
While in the Knoxville jail from Dec. 15, 1901 to June 27, 1903 the Kid mastered a plan to escape. He had taken a piece of wire from a broom he used to sweep his cell and attemped to strangle the guard. Upon seizing the keys to escape he made his way out of the jail and rode away on a horse stolen from a sheriff.
Knoxville Was Dubbed as the Ugliest City in America
John Gunther, author of Inside USA, dubbed Knoxville the "ugliest city" in America during the 1940's. Gunther's description jolted the city into enacting a series of beautification measures that helped improve the appearance of the Downtown area.
Ugliest city: Knoxville, "intense, concentrated, degrading ugliness, mixed with a backwoods piety that allows no hard liquor, no Sunday baseball, no Sunday movies."
Resource "INSIDE U.S.A." - John Gunther
How did Cumberland Avenue get the Nickname 'THE STRIP?'
FYI - Streaking was a favorite pastime during the 70's and for those younger, Walter Cronkite was renowned in T.V. broadcasting.
The Million Dollar Fire on Gay Street
In 1897 a small fire in Downtown Knoxville turned into a blazing inferno destroying most of Gay Street on the East side. In it's path it ruined a number of businesses which were valued at over one million dollars dubbing it as the "Million Dollar Fire." which consumed most of the 400 block of Gay Street
The Gay Street Bridge Ghost
Gay Street Bridge Haunted? Long ago the city use to hang criminals from the Gay Street Bridge over the Tennessee River. One man declared he was innocent and stated that the lamp from which he was about to hang from would never light again. For many years the third light from the bridge would not light. It was only after the reconstruction of Gay Street Bridge that this third light has no problems...could the curse be broke?