Developed primarily as an agrarian community in the 19th century, this neighborhood now lies at the heart of one of Knoxville's major commercial corridors.

What is now Bearden began as a small community that developed around a fortified house, which was probably located somewhere near the modern junction of Kingston Pike and Northshore Drive.

[3] In 1838, Knoxville businessmen Marcus De Lafayette Bearden (1799–1854) and Gideon Hazen established a paper mill along Third Creek in the Middlebrook area.

[10] In 1817, an Irish immigrant named John Reynolds purchased what is now Bearden Hill from Knoxville founder James White.

[5] In 1900, Bearden remained a largely rural community concentrated around a railroad depot, a post office, a gristmill, and two stores.

[9] In subsequent years, dozens of filling stations, motels and restaurants sprang up catering to the Dixie-Lee Highway tourist traffic.

[11] In recent years, Knoxville and the Bearden community have taken steps to create a more pedestrian-friendly "village" atmosphere, mainly through the construction of greenways and sidewalks, and the revision of zoning laws to allow a mix of residential, commercial, and office uses.