Developed in the late 19th century, the park is home to the Tennessee Valley Fair and hosts several dozen expositions annually.

The land that became Chilhowee Park was initially part of a dairy farm purchased by Professor Fernando Cortes Beaman (1836–1911) in 1875.

In 1890, William Gibbs McAdoo extended trolley tracks along Magnolia Avenue all the way to the park, connecting it with Downtown Knoxville.

[1] The expositions saw the first airplane and zeppelin flights in East Tennessee,[1] and helped boost the careers of local artists Lloyd Branson and Catherine Wiley.

In the early part of the 20th century, August 8 of each year was the only day Black people in Knoxville were allowed to visit the park.