Bijou Theatre (formerly Lamar House Hotel & NRHP #75001763) - Knoxville, Tennessee

Located on the corner of Gay Street & Cumberland Avenue, the Lamar House Hotel / Bijou Theater is representative of early 19th century urban architecture of the residential type. Rich in historical association, owned by various individuals, the original building is listed as a hotel offering public accommodations circa 1823-1970. The Bijou Theater is one of the few surviving, legitimate theaters located in Tennessee.

The multi-story, brick building was constructed near the center of Knoxville's business district prior to 1816. Thomas Humes was a wealthy merchant prior to his death in 1816, and it is presumed the building was the Humes family residence originally. Prior to 1819, the building was listed as the Knoxville Hotel. Archibald Rhea was the hotel proprietor. In 1819, Mrs. Margaret Humes advertised the building for rent. It was described as a "large & elegant building of three stories and fifteen rooms." In 1823, the building was re-opened as the Knoxville Hotel under the management of Captain Joseph Jackson. During the 1880's, it was called Jackson's Hotel and Andrew Jackson was a frequent guest there. On one of these occasions, a large reception was planned for him there. On this occasion, Jackson had just vetoed the bill to re-charter the Bank of the United States. The hotel became known as the Pickett's City Hotel in 1837 with John Pickett as the new manager. At this time, the hotel became the scene of large parties, balls, & receptions to include those given by East Tennessee University. During the 1850's, the Pickett's City Hotel became the Coleman House. In 1856, Samson and Sterling Lanier (grandfather and uncle of Sidney Lanier) assumed the role of hotel managers. It was during this period that the name changed from Coleman to Lamar.

Colonel W. H. Sneed, owner of the adjacent property, bought the Lamar Hotel for $38,000 in 1857. The Sneed House and Lamar House Hotel were occupied by the military during the Civil War. General William P. Sanders died there from wounds received during the siege of Knoxville. Following the Civil War, the Lamar House continued to operate as one of the city's leading hotels. In September 1877, President Rutherford Hayes visited Knoxville and delivered a public speech from the second story portico balcony. Other famous guests at the old hotel included Presidents James K. Polk, Andrew Johnson, and Ulysses S. Grant.

As the north end of Gay Street began to develop, the center of commerce was relocated. The location of the new railroad stations was a primary factor for this shift in emphasis. As business fell off, the hotel began to decline. And around the turn of the century, the building was renovated. The brick walls were stuccoed and painted white. The hotel then became known as the "White House" Hotel. Then the building became the Wells Auditorium Hotel circa 1909 and it became the "finest" theater in Knoxville, featuring legitimate theater productions & concerts. Eventually the theater housed equipment for the moving picture theater and it became known more recently as the "Bijou Theater."

Given this rich and involved history in the commerce of Knoxville, Tennessee and its relationship to politics and entertainment (theatre), this magnificent old building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) on December 4, 1975. All the information above was found on the original documents submitted for listing consideration and can be viewed here: npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/AssetDetail/9790e9e9-e7be-4f55-98a...

Three bracketed photos were taken with a handheld Nikon D7200 and combined with Photomatix Pro to create this HDR image. Additional adjustments were made in Photoshop CS6.

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~Jeremiah 29:11

The best way to view my photostream is through Flickriver with the following link: www.flickriver.com/photos/photojourney57/

Taken in: United States / Tennessee / Knoxville (show map)

Taken on: February 18, 2023

Tags:

Bijou Theatre

Lamar House Hotel

Knoxville Hotel

Jackson's Hotel

Pickett's City Hotel

Coleman House

Lamar House

White House Hotel

Wells Auditorium Hotel

JLR Photography

Nikon D7200

Nikon

D7200

photography

Knoxville, TN

East Tennessee

Knox County

Tennessee

2023

Engineers with cameras

Photography for God

The South

Southern Photography

Scream of the Photographer

iBeauty

J.L. Ramsaur Photography

photograph

Knoxville

Tennessee Photographer

Knoxville, Tennessee

The Marble City

K-Town

Heart of the Valley

Scruffy City

Queen City of the Mountains

Gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains

Knoxvegas

Downtown Knoxville

Tennessee HDR

HDR

WORLDHDR

HDR Addicted

Photomatix

HDR Photomatix

HDR Village

HDR Worlds

HDR-Imaging

HDR.Right here right now

retro building

classic building

vintage building

old buildings

Structures of the South

National Register of Historic Places

NRHP

historic building

history

historic

Tennessee History

History is All Around Us

American Relics

Fading America

It's a Retro World After All

Old and Beautiful

sign

Signs, Signs

I see a sign

Sign City

I love old signs

old signage

vintage sign

retro sign « less

Sets appears in: • National Register of Historic Places • Theatres (Old, Small Town, Historic, etc.) more » • Knoxville, Tennessee • HDR • Sign/Signage - Vintage, Fading, or Rusty • Historic Buildings, Old Barns, and Other Things... « less

Groups appears in: • The Photographer's Club • Colors of the World more » • Nikon Digital • Architecture • Photography • Nikon • Southern Exposure • TENNESSEE • Buildings/Architecture • Color and Colors - No computer-generated posts. • Your Postcard Shot • !FlickrSoup for Soul • Amateurs • Americana • CHRISTIAN PHOTOGRAPHY • Travel Photography • HDR • Sign City • Nikon Digital Magic • Nikon Digital SLRs • Total Photography (No AI or SL) • Flickr USA • Nice pictures • 2016 International Beauty • ANYTHING ALLOWED!!!!!! • The American Roadside - Photos • Christian Photographer Fellowship • Nikon DSLR Users • Your photo goes here! no 30/60 • History is All Around Us • America the Beautiful • National Register of Historic Places • Nikonians • East Tennessee Outdoors • Photomatix • Just me and my camera ! • American Beauty • Knoxville, Tennessee • Tennessee Towns • my city • Quality HDR • Fading America • .Southern Photographers - Southern Images • Old Buildings & More..... • HDR Unlimited • Sign, sign, everywhere a sign.... • 10 Million Photos • Amatuer Photography • Tennessee Photographers • Movie Theaters & Drive Ins • Self Taught Photographers - LOOK AT DISCUSSIONS FIRST! • God Bless America • HDR ADDICTED • Old And Beautiful (buildings ,barns, shacks, and abandoned homes • Roadside America (Please read the Group Desc!) • USA - UNITED STATES OF AMERICA • I bring my camera everywhere (no 30/60 limit) • Tennessee Photographer • Beautiful Capture • Doors, Windows, and Steps • HDR Anything • **Explore Unexplored!** (10 Favs & No Explored) • * This Old House, Barn, Building! • Nikon Digital Learning Center • all skies and clouds • All Nikon Photographers New and Experienced • calatorind prin.... viatza ( Journey through..... life ) • Structures of the South • Historic Buildings of the United States • PSDTUTS • "Unlimited Photos: No Rules" • HDR-Imaging • Popular Photography Magazine • Cookeville, Tennessee • Sweet shot! New Contest: Coming Soon! • Spring and Summer Around the World ❀ • This is Why I Love Photography • Great Buildings • _The Best Of Nikon_ • Flickr's Biggest Group • ~Engineering is Art~ • Engineering as Art • Strictly GeoTagged (no 30/60 limit) • ONLY THE BEST, ONLY BY NIKON • HDR Photomatix • Photography for God • ***Flickr Global • ★★★Shutter Bug - Tips & Tricks★★★ • All Gone to Look for America (USA, United States of America) • In travel with my Nikon • Flickr Social Club • I see a sign • A Photographer [No AI or SL] • Just any group • PLANET EARTH BACK IN THE DAY • Geotagged: Tennessee • Nikon D3100,D3200, D3300,D5100,D5200,D5300,D7000,D7100 group • Beauty of the USA • Nikon DSLR Club • Eyes Of Nikon • BE FREE Photographer's Network • Photographer Universe • HDR.Right here right now. • IT'S A RETRO WORLD AFTER ALL • Anything Nikon!! • HDR Worlds • I know where you are • Sign of the Times (All Types of Signs) • Nikon D7100 / D7200/ D7500 CLUB • Perfect Beauty II • brilliant flickr • Nikon DSLR Photographers • Nikon Photographers • Sun | Sky | Cloud • Photographers from around the world • H-D-R The Best • Images About Almost Anything • Photography with a Story • We love cameras • Nikon D7200 • Share a mood! • This is Why I Bought A Camera • Today's Flickr • MONUMENT • Nikon D7200 Club • Nikon is my passion • Flickr Explore It • Nikon 7200 • Art of Exploration • Nikon D7200: From Snapshots to Great Shots • Nikon D7200ers • Show All Your Photos From Around The World. NO SL/AI • Group for all users of FLICKR - No 30/60 Groups Limit • City, Urban & Engineering Images • The best picture of the world • Life Through A Hole • !* THE NEW SOUTH ✧ Please, ONLY QUALITY IMAGES!✧ • Great workmanship - past & present • ALL AMERICAS • Slice of Southern Life • The best photographs from around the world. • Photo-Phactory • ALL THE THINGS! (no 30/60 limit) • Tennessee NRHP (National Register of Historic Places) • H D R C O L O R • Send Me A Sign • SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS Photos • Fans of Flickr • Civic Architecture • What is the Story? • Capturing Colors « less

Camera: Nikon D7200, f/3.8, 21mm, ISO 200 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Nikon D7200
Aperture:	f/3.8
Focal Length:	21mm
ISO:	200
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
Software:	Adobe Photoshop CS6 (Windows)
Show full info

Stats: 3,368 views / 3 comments