Rich’s Department Store

Knoxville, Tennessee – Then and Now

Rich’s Department Store and Hotel Arnold – Henley Street

This blue glazed brick building is now the UT Convention Center. The Hotel Arnold no longer exists and the white building in the background is the Medical Arts Building. The car pulling out looks late 40’s to early 50’s.

The overhang is there recently to get you to the hotel from the 1982 World’s Fair in the rain. I would never have noticed these street lights unless I had that postcard.

An old Hotel Arnold postcard. I like the view. They just made the street huge to forget anything else was near it.

On this side of the building the beautiful glazed brick really show. This is the south side. It has held up to the direct sun incredibly.

Here is the front of the building. I am used to this side and thought the card was taken here. I never realized both sides of the building look the same. Here you see those lights again.

UPDATE: Jack Neely adds a link and news to an article for Library of Congress images of this award winning building designed by Garrett Eckbo and Raymond Loewry.