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On Monday night, a devastating fire engulfed an abandoned building at Knoxville College, reducing it to ashes for the second time in its storied history and throwing another obstacle in the path of school leaders working to academically and physically restore the college.

Originally built in 1893 as a girl’s dormitory, Elnathan Hall later served as an administration building and classroom facility. It first burned down on the campus of East Tennessee’s only historically Black college 126 years ago, in 1896, before being rebuilt in 1898.

Frank Shanklin, a member of Knoxville College’s Board of Trustees, said that Elnathan Hall was included among several campus buildings that were boarded up and had not been occupied for more than 40 years. He said the fire is another step backward for the institution as it continues to seek accreditation.

“Despite efforts by someone to destroy this building, we remain positive about the future of Knoxville College and have committed to keeping the campus safe and have been working with the city to make sure these buildings are secure,” said Shanklin.

Not the first fire

According to Knoxville Fire Department spokesperson Mark Wilbanks, fires have been an ongoing occurrence on campus over the years and the structure was demolished Tuesday morning for safety reasons. An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the blaze.

“It is highly likely this was a set fire and that this was not accidental,” said Wilbanks.

Wilbanks reported that the fire department has responded to eight fire-related calls on the campus in 2024, surpassing the five calls they received in 2023 and 2024.

A spokesman for the Knox County Fire Department says the fire that destroyed Knoxville College's Elnathan Hall was almost certainly deliberately set. (Photo: Angela Dennis)

Fire trucks water the smoldering ashes of Elnathan Hall on the campus of Knoxville College in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo: Knox County Fire Department)

Future hinges on accreditation, and addressing compliance violations

The private, historically Black institution, founded in 1875 by the Presbyterian Church, has faced significant challenges in recent years, with reaccreditation being a crucial goal for securing the college’s future.

The loss of national accreditation in 1997 dealt a heavy blow to Knoxville College, accelerating a decline in student enrollment and intensifying its financial struggles. Without accreditation, students became ineligible for federal financial aid, making it difficult for the college to attract students and retain faculty.

Classes have not been held on campus since 2017 due to concerns about building safety. Currently, the college offers all of its courses online. Several of the buildings remain unused and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

School leaders submitted their application for accreditation in August to the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS).

According to records, TRACS has provided the school with a list of 23 compliance violations that must be addressed in order to meet Institutional Eligibility Requirements (IERs) for accreditation. The items include addressing issues related to leadership clarity, financial stability and reporting accurate enrollment numbers.

Shanklin said that the school is working to address those issues so that they can continue with the application process.

“Our application has been turned in but this is going to be a long process,” he said. “ We were in a good enough state that we were invited to be at (a recent) TRACS conference so we sent our team down (to the conference in Florida.)”

Knoxville College’s latest Form 990, filed with the IRS for tax-exempt entities, shows that the school is $1.8 million in debt. Additionally, the city of Knoxville’s property tax records indicate the college owes over $28,000 in unpaid property taxes.

Following submission of application, the college will embark on a self-assessment, evaluating its organizational structure, effectiveness, and areas for potential growth. Following this, a TRACS evaluation team conducts an on-site visit.

If the institution meets the necessary standards, representatives appear before the Accreditation Commission, which may grant candidacy status. To achieve candidacy status, institutions must demonstrate sound planning processes, have the resources to operate, and be able to achieve accredited status within five years.

Institutions that don’t achieve accredited status within five years are removed from candidacy and must wait at least one year before reapplying.

Leaders say community support vital for the success of the struggling HBCU

Renee Kesler, president of the Beck Cultural Exchange Center, a Knoxville museum dedicated to the history and culture of Black East Tennesseans, said she was overwhelmed by a rush of emotions when she heard about the blaze on campus. The destruction is not simply about losing a building but its connection to the past, she said.

“The pictures of flames billowing from Elnathan Hall, a beloved place, evoked a deep sense of the erasure of history. Preserving history is paramount to the mission of the Beck Cultural Exchange Center,” said Kesler.

State Rep. Sam Mckenzie of Knoxville said he community must come together and rally behind the school at a critical time.

“There remains a mission for KC to survive and thrive for the benefit of the underserved and underrepresented,” said McKenzie “They remain on the path of regaining certification which will allow them to restart bachelor’s programs in this city. So I encourage everyone in our community to gather around KC by giving their time, talents and treasures.”

The pictures of flames billowing from Elnathan Hall, a beloved place, evoked a deep sense of the erasure of history.

– Renee Kesler, Beck Cultural Exchange Center

After Monday’s fire, college officials remain hopeful that community members and city leaders will remain committed to helping to assure the college’s success, by not only providing financial support in order to bring students back to campus, but also by being intentional in recognizing the significant history the college has had in producing successful African American professionals throughout its149 year history.

“The community needs to become a stakeholder in this institution. This college carries the name of Knoxville and has done a great job of producing graduates who have stayed in Knoxville and who have been productive in building up this community,” Shanklin said. “We also want to be intentional about who we work with and make sure these are people and organizations committed to this college and who have its best interest at heart.”

Presidential search underway

In August, the board of trustees appointed Harris to serve as interim President, according to Shanklin.

Harris previously worked for HBCU Clark Atlanta University where she served as Associate Vice President of Internal Audit Grants and Contracts Accounting.

In June, former President Leonard Adams announced his resignation. He became interim President in 2021, before taking on the full role in 2022.

School officials initially laid out a timeline for Knoxville College’s presidential search, beginning on June 10, with recruitment and screening to continue through July 15. The plan included virtual candidate interviews in late July, followed by on-campus meetings with semifinalists in early August, giving them a chance to connect with the campus community. By mid-August, the search committee was scheduled to recommend finalists to the board of trustees, who would then make a selection and extend an offer by late August.

But Shanklin said that the process has taken longer than expected and that the school is on track to name a new president in December.

In a statement on the college’s Facebook page, Harris expressed her gratitude to the community for its support in the aftermath of the fire.

“Are our hearts broken, absolutely. Is our resilience broken? Absolutely not,” Harris wrote. “We are asking the community to join us in taking a deep breath, grieving and moving on. In the tradition of our ancestors we have built from ashes before, and we will build from ashes again.”

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A Tennessee fan has created UT-themed canes to help Vol Nation celebrate in style. Dave Conklin teamed up with Bacon and Co. to design medical-grade canes.

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A Vols fan from East Tennessee is helping Vol Nation show off its pride, no matter the age or ability. Dave Conklin, a diehard supporter of the University of Tennessee, has designed medical-grade canes that allow fans to cheer on the team while showcasing their Volunteer spirit.

Conklin grew up rooting for the Vols and said his passion for the team inspired him to create the unique product.

“I followed UT for years. Just a rabid fan, I guess, because I go out of town for games and everything,” Conklin said.

The idea came when Conklin’s brother in New Jersey asked him to find a UT-branded walking cane. After searching local stores, Conklin came up empty-handed.

“My brother Jim, who lives up on Long Island, called me and said, ‘I’m getting a little bit older, and I want a cane. I’m using one, but it’s a plain cane. I want a UT cane.’ So I started looking and looking, and I couldn’t find a cane anywhere. None,” Conklin said.

Instead of giving up, Conklin decided to make one himself. The handmade cane was just the beginning of what turned into a collaborative project with Bacon and Co., UT’s oldest licensed retailer.

“We’ve been selling UT products for forever, so to speak,” said Jed Dance, president of Bacon and Co. “It’s amazing that we hadn’t had a cane yet.”

Conklin’s efforts quickly gained attention.

“Two ladies at church saw it and said, ‘Oh, I would like to get one for my husband for Christmas,’ because it was late November. So I did, I made two more,” Conklin said. “It was after that I thought, ‘Why aren’t there canes out there? We need UT canes.’”

Together, Conklin and worked to design canes that meet strict collegiate licensing standards. Then, Conklin created a company, Collegiate Canes, to market the product.

“Being a UT fan, you know, we knew it had to be orange and white, which it is, and everything matches their specifications because we can’t put those on—those are all trademarked," Conklin said.

“The color has to be exact,” Dance said. “It can’t be a shade off. So it does take a little bit to make sure you get the right color and artwork on the cane.”

Now that the design has come to life, both men said they're glad it's come to fruition.

“Dave had a great vision, and he worked with our team, and they came up with what I think is a really unique and cool design,” he said. “That’s shown in the sales since we kicked it off.”

After 18 months of development, the canes are now available in a classic checkerboard pattern and a Summitt Blue option, a nod to Lady Vols legend Pat Summitt. Fans can find the canes at local stores like the VolShop.

Tommi Grubbs, marketing manager at the store, said the canes have been a hit.

“We’re really excited about how everyone is loving the canes and shopping for them,” Grubbs said.

Grubbs also said the proceeds earned through sales at the store benefit the campus through student scholarships, campus building projects and community outreach.

“We are so proud to be able to offer things that are created right here in Knoxville and from people that are local,” she said. “All of our proceeds stay right here on campus.”

For Conklin, the project is about more than sales. It’s a way to embody the Volunteer spirit and give back to the community.

“It’s just nice to see it come to fruition—it’s really here,” Conklin said. “UT likes to be number one in football, baseball, and all ... and now we’re number one in canes because nobody else has them. So it’s unique with UT.”

While Conklin’s loyalty lies with Tennessee, he said he’s hoping to design canes for other colleges in the future.

Canes are available in Knoxville at Alumni Hall, VolShop, Hound Dogs, Visit Knoxville, Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame and Orange Mountain Designs. They're also available on CollegiateCanes.com.

Elnathan Hall at Knoxville College, the only historically Black college in East Tennessee and one of the oldest historically Black colleges in the state, was destroyed in a fire on Nov. 4.

The unused building was ruled a total loss.

Knoxville College is a small unaccredited HBCU campus in the Mechanicsville neighborhood, near downtown Knoxville. After struggling for decades with debt, loss of accreditation, low enrollment and aging buildings, the college now only offers online classes. The campus is vacant, though several of its buildings, including Elnathan Hall, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

This fire is the latest trial for Knoxville College, which has faced significant challenges in recent years and is searching for a new president and trying to regain accreditation.

Here's what to know about the fire that burned down Elnathan Hall.

When did Knoxville College's Elnathan Hall burn down?

The massive fire was reported to 911 around 8:30 p.m. Nov. 4, according to a Knoxville Fire Department news release. The flames could be seen as far away as downtown.

Roughly 40 KFD firefighters were on the scene from 8:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. that night. Four firefighters with two trucks were there early Nov. 5, pouring water on hotspots in the rubble.

What was the cause of the Knoxville College fire?

As of Nov. 7, investigators think the fire was set.

A "set fire" means that the purpose of the fire could have been for cooking or warming, or even arson. The intention behind the fire at Elnathan Hall is unknown, Knoxville Fire Department Assistant Chief Mark Wilbanks told Knox News.

"Nothing new as far as any suspects or anything like that. We do believe it was a set fire. We don't have any leads at this time, but the investigators were told a few people's names. They are still looking into that," Wilbanks said Nov. 7.

Why did Knoxville College shut down?

Knoxville College has a complicated past. The school lost its Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accreditation in 1997 due to a combination of financial difficulties, declining enrollment and administrative challenges.

In 2015, the college suspended classes when it lost state accreditation as well. Knoxville College began to offer online classes in 2018.

When was Knoxville College founded?

Knoxville College was founded in 1875 as part of the missionary effort of the United Presbyterian Church of North America.

It is one of seven historically Black colleges and universities in Tennessee, and the only historically Black college in East Tennessee.

What was the first Black college in Tennessee?

Fisk University, located in Nashville, is the oldest HBCU in Tennessee. The college was established shortly after the Civil War in 1866, according to the school's website.

Today, Fisk continues to operate with more than 1,000 students enrolled.

A long-shuttered administration building at struggling Knoxville College, a historically Black institution, was destroyed in a fire Monday night, officials said.

There were no injuries in the blaze, which erupted at around 8:30 p.m. ET on the campus in Knoxville, Tennessee, which has had its buildings boarded up to prevent break-ins and fires, Knoxville Assistant Fire Chief Mark Wilbanks said.

“This building’s probably in excess of 100 years old. It has completely collapsed and is a total loss,” Wilbanks said at the scene of the fire, video from NBC affiliate WBIR of Knoxville showed.

The cause of the fire was not known Monday night, he said.

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Knoxville College is a small HBCU, or historically Black college or university, founded in 1875.

It lost its national accreditation in 1997 as enrollment slumped. The state allowed it to resume courses in 2018, but they have been online, the Knoxville News Sentinel newspaper reported in July, as the college seeks to regain its accreditation.

Buildings on the campus have been boarded up, including the former administration building that burned Monday, and there has been a history of break-ins and fires on campus, Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon said at the scene.

"It's just a sad day for our city," Kincannon said.

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Frank Shanklin Jr., a member of Knoxville College's Board of Trustees, told WBIR that the former administration building has not been used in the last 40 or 50 years.

"We're going to keep fighting for Knoxville College," Shanklin said, adding that he hopes the city, the county and people in the region keep it in their prayers. "We're going to fight to reopen the college back up."

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com