KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — At the non-profit Knoxville History Project (KHP), Paul James works to paint a more complete portrait of the city's past. He thinks missing pieces of the puzzle can be found at your home.
"We are looking for old photos, drawings, postcards, brochures, and maps of Knoxville. We want to scan copies of them. There are so many gems out there that are either in boxes under people's beds or in closets that have not been shared," said James.
In its quest for old items often stashed away in boxes, KHP created the Knoxville Shoebox project. The personal mementos collecting dust in your closet could be historical treasures.
"Those are pictures and items that don't exist anywhere else. And the pictures people took themselves can show the history of almost every street and neighborhood in the city. It is a way to build up new histories of different communities and buildings," said James.
You can arrange to bring your items to KHP. But James also makes house-calls.
"Very often, I will take my laptop and a scanner to someone's home and do it right on-site. Many people do not want to hand over their treasures to someone else. We are not asking people to give up their treasures, just to share them and let us make copies," said James.
High-resolution scans have uncovered history you might not see at first glance.
"We scanned some old photographs that are small. When we zoomed in, we could see the word Bearden. There is signage pointing to Highland Cemetery. You can see numbers on houses and names on mailboxes," said James.
The shoebox expedition has already found some explosive gems from the past, including rare photographs of a Louie Armstrong concert in 1957 when someone set off a stick of dynamite outside Chilhowee Park.
"These are photographs that we believe have really never been seen publicly before," said James.
James also encourages people to reconsider what is historic. The items do not have to be from the 19th century. KHP wants items up to the year 2000.
"Many archives are lacking when it comes to pictures from the 1950s, '60s, and '70s. Someone had fliers for concerts in the 1980s and 1990s with musical acts like R.E.M. and the Stray Cats. All of this helps tell the history of Knoxville's culture," said James.
KHP's aim is not to build up its own enormous shoebox of mementos to bury them in a closet. The items you share will then be used to educate others.
"We also want to share them back. And the way we do that is through talks, presentations, in books, and in documentaries. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. People love to see old pictures of Knoxville and to bring those stories alive," said James.
Another group often interested in the history of neighborhoods are homeowners. The shoebox project can help show how houses have changed.
"If people want to know the history of their street or neighborhood, we would love to hear from these people," said James.
Your old postcards and pictures can develop into a new look at history that helps the future of Knoxville.
"We encourage people that have old treasures to share it with us. Because they're not doing anything if they're in boxes under people's beds or in closets. Help Knoxville become a better place by understanding where it has come from," said James.
If you would like to let KHP scan your historical collection, call the office at 865-337-7723 or email paul@knoxhistoryproject.org for more information.