Check out this incredible, amazing house that’s just gone up for sale on our street. Our little corner of the ‘hood is full of more good and wonderful neighbors than you can shake a stick at. It’s a great place to live, and this house is a terrific bargain that hasn’t been on the market for decades. Some lucky family is going to get a real deal on a 130 year old house, mere steps away from a city park and greenway, and with a fascinating history.

The house is located in a neighborhood full of mature trees and real sidewalks, and within walking distance of things like Three Rivers Market and everything that’s happening these days in the rapidly redeveloping wonderful Downtown North Arts District, including the Glowing Body Yoga Studio and Cafe, and Magpies Bakery (who wouldn’t want to be able to walk to Magpies?). Our street is also only about 1.5 miles (maybe less than that) from Market Square.

As I have said many times since we moved here three years ago, living in a half-revitalized, truly urban neighborhood isn’t for everyone. A lot of folks would hate it, actually, and I know of at least two young families who have moved or are trying to move from our neighborhood because they found it wasn’t the right fit for them, and they didn’t want to deal with the issues specific to an inner city neighborhood like this. But I can honestly say that our street is improving all the time since we moved in (now if I could only say the same for our actual house, which needs A LOT of work that we seem to have trouble finding time and money to get accomplished, but that’s a whole ‘nother story.)

So if you are the urban pioneer type, and you like the idea of being part of a community of progressive neighbors who like old houses, city living and each other, I think our street is one of the undiscovered gems of Knoxville’s historic neighborhoods; we probably fly under the radar somewhat because our sub-neighborhood is technically part of Old North Knoxville, but the rest of ONK is on the other side of Broadway. We are actually much closer to 4th and Gill, but they don’t claim us.

If the house that was just listed doesn’t interest you, there are actually several others for sale on our street right now as well, and they are all at quite attractive prices because the market is so slow. So your historic bargain and friendly neighbors await!

Today J did her history’s class’s living history project at Old Gray Cemetery, which happens to be right up the street from our house.

She portrayed Susan Dickinson, wife of Perez Dickinson, one of Knoxville’s more fascinating historical characters – and one I’d never heard of until J read her monologue to me. Perez was the cousin of Emily Dickinson, and some Dickinson historians believe she wrote some of her poetry while visiting his Knoxville home.

J did a great job.

In my neighborhood these days, it’s less likely to be a front-porch-panhandler.