Stories of the Strip: Share how you experienced Cumberland Avenue at UT (past and present)

Ryan Wilusz, Knoxville News Sentinel
·1 min read

Death, taxes and college kids will party.

For decades, "the Strip" on Cumberland Avenue has been the epicenter of dancing, drinking and general college debauchery for University of Tennessee at Knoxville students. It's a place where bartenders deserve praise and street sweepers deserve a raise for keeping the area presentable when parents roll into town − even though we all know parents partied too.

They also studied at quaint coffee shops and, if they attended UT in the '80s, caught punk rock concerts at a family deli of all places. These are the stories Knox News wants to hear.

Adrian Fryxell and Brad Thomas, left to right, have drinks at The Half Barrel in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Dec. 22, 2010. While this bar remains open today, Cumberland Avenue is changing, and Knox News wants to document how students past and present experienced "the Strip" while attending the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
Adrian Fryxell and Brad Thomas, left to right, have drinks at The Half Barrel in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Dec. 22, 2010. While this bar remains open today, Cumberland Avenue is changing, and Knox News wants to document how students past and present experienced "the Strip" while attending the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.

The character of Cumberland Avenue is changing, and the value of those changes is up for debate depending on who you ask. But there's no denying current students' time on "the Strip" is vastly different than generations before them.

Knox News plans to present the Cumberland Avenue college experience through the eyes of students both present and past, but we need your help to execute this fun project.

Current and former students: Email to ryan.wilusz@knoxnews.com to share what it was like strolling down "the Strip" on a Friday night − or a weekday morning − during your time at UT. Remember, we all have a story to tell!

Ryan Wilusz, downtown reporter and urban explorer for Knox News, can be reached at 865-317-5138 or by email at ryan.wilusz@knoxnews.com. Follow Ryan's work on Instagram @KnoxScruff, and sign up for the free, weekly Urban Knoxville newsletter. Unlock premium perks and support strong local journalism at knoxnews.com/subscribe.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: The Strip on Cumberland Avenue has college stories waiting to be told