Downtown in Knoxville in Knox County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

St. James Hotel

— Cradle of Country Music Tour —

Photographed by Joel Seewald, May 30, 2018

1. St. James Hotel Marker

Inscription. The St. James Hotel located on Wall Avenue, off of Market Square, was the site of several significant recordings with the Brunswick-Balke-Collander Company in 1929 and 1930.

The Tennessee Ramblers, a family band from nearby Clinton, Tennessee, were among the musicians who recorded here. One of the band's members, Willie Sievers, was among the first professional female country music guitarists. (Marker Number 17.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Arts, Letters, Music. A significant historical year for this entry is 1929.

Location. 35° 57.97′ N, 83° 55.175′ W. Marker is in Knoxville, Tennessee, in Knox County. It is in Downtown. It is at the intersection of Wall Avenue and Strong Street, on the right when traveling west on Wall Avenue. Marker is at the southeast corner of the block with Tennessee Valley Authority headquaters building. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 402 Wall Ave, Knoxville TN 37902, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in East Tennessee.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Adolph Simon Ochs (a few steps from this marker); Elvis Presley (within shouting distance of this marker); Robert Birdwell (within shouting distance of this marker); Cormac McCarthy (within shouting distance of this marker); David Madden (within shouting distance of this marker); James Agee (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); a different marker also named Robert Birdwell (about 400 feet away); Knoxville's Market House (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Knoxville.

Also see . . .
1. Brunswick Records. (Submitted on June 9, 2018, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan.)
2. Tennessee Ramblers (Tennessee Band). (Submitted on June 9, 2018, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan.)

Photographed by Joel Seewald, May 30, 2018

2. St. James Hotel Marker

The Tennessee Valley Authority headquarters is in the background.

Hotel St. James image. Click for full size.

Postcard published by the Robert C. Manning Co., Knoxville (courtesy of the Boston Public Library), circa 1935

3. Hotel St. James

The above image, depicting the Hotel St. James, is actually only the left-most 40% of the postcard, as it also consisted of two other irrelevant images.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 9, 2018. It was originally submitted on June 9, 2018, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. This page has been viewed 735 times since then and 63 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 9, 2018, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. 3. submitted on June 9, 2018.