The historic district established by the City of Morristown to safeguard, preserve, and protect unique and historically significant structures in the city's downtown area. It comprises of mostly commercial buildings along Main Street, and on Henry and Cumberland Streets, which intersect Main Street. The Henry Street Post Office is a contributing property to the district, and is a individually listed National Historic Landmark. The historic district is administered by the City of Morristown and the Crossroads Downtown Partnership, 501 non-profit organization dedicated towards the redevelopment of downtown Morristown.
History
Morristown's Main Street area, measuring approximately, arose from the intersection of two railroad lines since the late 19th century. In 1962, Turkey Creek, which bisects the street, flooded and damaged the downtown commercial district. A suburban shopping mall on the city's west side also jeopardized businesses downtown, and the city developed a plan to modernize Main Street by creating an "overhead sidewalk", enabling businesses to form on the second floor of existing buildings while serving as a canopy for passage below. Building owners spent nearly $2 million upgrading their properties and linking them to ramps, while the government contributed over $5 million to build the elevated walkways. The underground channel for Turkey Creek was also enlarged and rerouted. The project was completed in 1967; however, the Skymart has served as little more than a roof over the sidewalk and a remnant of the idealism of 1960s urban renewal projects. Despite the aftermath of the project, the overhead sidewalk system still stands in the downtown area, and is the only walkway system of its kind remaining in the United States. On March 22, 2016, Main Street and the rest of Morristown's downtown district was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places as historic district after approval from the Tennessee Historical Commission and the National Park Service. Morristown is embarking on a resurrection of the Skymart as a social and commercial hub. It has been made a key element in a greenway master plan for the region. In an effort to renew public interest, city officials, the Crossroads Downtown Partnership, and the Morristown Area Chamber of Commerce hold events in the city's downtown or the "Skymart District" throughout the year, mainly during the warmer months of May to September.
