Downtown Island Airport was Knoxville's first commercial airport Dickinson Island - named for poet Emily Dickinson's cousin who purchased the plot in the 1800s - has seen a lot of history.

Contract says airport will 'forever' be 'McGhee Tyson' Bettie Tyson, a descendant of Knoxville's founder and the widow of U.S. Sen. and Brig. Gen. Lawrence Tyson, gave 20 acres of land to the city ...

In 1963, the city of Knoxville purchased the airport for $175,000 from Mary Ellen Wattenbarger, widow of Henry Wattenbarger, president of U.S. Flying Services and longtime owner of the island.