Transportation and Transformations: An Archaeological and Historical Study of the McBrearty Site (40KN270) and Carriage Houses in the North Knoxville Area

The McBrearty site is located on the northeast corner of West Glenwood and East Scott Avenues in Old North Knoxville, an area of the city that developed as part of the incorporated city of North Knoxville in 1889. Situated on the site is the McBrearty home, a Victorian Queen Anne Cottage built in 1892, and the architectural remains of a carriage house located at the rear of the property. While the McBrearty house has undergone few architectural changes since its construction, all that remains of the carriage house are thirteen brick piers protruding from the earth in the rear yard. These footers attest to the presence of the structure perhaps as early as the late 19^th century.

Prior to this investigation, no research was done on carriage houses in the urban Knoxville area. For this reason, archaeological and historical investigations of the McBrearty site were aimed at determining when the carriage house was built, what materials were used in its construction, what original purpose the structure served, and how this function changed over time in relation to shifting transportation practices in Knoxville. Archaeological investigations were undertaken in an area to the rear of the property based on visible features and historic maps. This thesis represents the results of the historical research combined with an interpretation of the archaeological data recovered. As many original carriage houses in Historic Old North Knoxville no longer exist, it is hoped that this research will demonstrate the historical importance of these structures, and reemphasize the importance of preserving these valuable elements of the past for future generations to enjoy.