The Lonsdale Neighborhood
Lonsdale is a neighborhood in Knoxville, Tennessee located northwest of the city's downtown area. Established in the late 19th century as a land development project, Lonsdale incorporated as a separate city in 1907, and was then annexed by Knoxville in 1917. In the latter half of the 20th century, there was a major decline in the neighborhood.
Location
Lonsdale is located just a mile northwest of downtown Knoxville. Lonsdale is geographically isolated as Sharp's ridge rises to the north of Lonsdale, second creek and interstate 275 mark the eastern boundaries, another smaller ridge rises to the south, and western avenue binds the western perimeter.
Lonsdale is also one of four back to back neighborhoods either currently or historically containing government housing. From south to north the neighborhoods are as follows: Mechanicsville, Beaumont, Western Heights, and Lonsdale.
History
In the late 1800s Lonsdale was part of a 240-acre farm owned by William Ragsdale. Ragsdale sought to make some money out of his land by turning it into the Lonsdale Land Development Company. The name "Lonsdale" was coined by combining his own last name with his mother's maiden name "Lonas." The first venture was the Lonsdale Mill Company that produced flour and provided employment. As people worked in the mill, housing developed in the community. The streets were named for civil war generals and union states.
Late 1900s to now
In the latter half of the twentieth century, Lonsdale suffered from increased crime and blighted housing. With gang violence peaking in the 90s, and the fatal 2015 shooting of Zaevion Dobson, Lonsdale is an area of Knoxville needing peace.