Ghost Walking the Streets of Knoxville: The Dr. John Mason Boyd Memorial Arch on Gay Street

The steps of the Dr. John Mason Boyd memorial arch, located on the southwest corner of Gay Street at Main, offer a fine perch to ponder bygone times in this old section of downtown. Dr. Boyd enjoyed a long and respectable career here, known in his early days as a “horse and buggy” doctor, and before the Civil War, he began to specialize in the field of obstetrics.  Today, the memorial arch stands as a permanent memorial to Dr. Boyd, but it also serves as portal to heart of the old town during the early decades of the 1800s. It’s a place that has so much history to it, and yet, despite the many decades that have passed since young John played here in an open field, for us, here in the 21st century, it’s hardly changed at all. Written and read by Paul James.  Special thanks to producer Pete Carty. Knoxville Chronicles is brought to you by the nonprofit Knoxville History Project.Funding for this episode has been kindly provided by the City of Knoxville and Friends of the Knoxville History Project as well as donors from National Giving Day 2025, including: Gary Balltrip, Theresa Lee and Jacob Love, John and Lillian Mashburn, Susan Davenport, Katharine Capito Torbett & Howard Capito, Anne Young, and Christopher Manning.Learn more at KnoxvilleHistoryProject.org