Lonsdale, Knoxville, Tennessee

From April - October, on the second Saturday of each month, you can find a culturally rich and delicious open air market under the pavilion in Lonsdale Park.

Noting the success of the nearby Knoxville Iron Company and its housing developments in Mechanicsville, Ragsdale decided to embark upon a similar venture for his property.

This company erected a four-story mill that produced 200 barrells of flour per day, which it marketed under the brands "White Rose" and "Sunrise.

"[4] Early Lonsdale developed in a manner similar to nearby late-19th century neighborhoods such as Lincoln Park and Old North Knoxville.

[5] These new industries, along with existing companies such as Brookside Mills, whose factory stood along Second Creek just southeast of Lonsdale,[6] provided steady employment for the neighborhood's residents.

[5] Honky-tonks and dance halls, with names like the "Twilight Zone," the "Hound Dog," and "Sugar Hill," sprang up throughout the neighborhood.

[5] After World War II, many of Lonsdale's long-time residents moved away, leading to a large number of absentee owners, and many of the neighborhood's houses began to deteriorate.

In the 1990s and 2000s, Lonsdale United for Change, the Knoxville Community Development Corporation, and the Knoxville-Knox County Metropolitan Planning Commission initiated a series of efforts aimed at revitalizing the neighborhood.

[3] Several companies have recently opened stores or warehouses in the area, most notably SYSCO Food Services's 350,000-square-foot (33,000 m2) distribution center.