Charles McGhee Tyson: The Story Behind the Name of the Knoxville Airport

Knoxville Chronicles • January 28, 2026

Guests

Guest Role Confidence Extraction Method Actions
Charles McGhee Tyson Guest 85% RULES Login to Follow

Description

When checking the status of a flight or whether you are heading out of town or waiting on a family member or friend to arrive, it’s handy to know the three-digit code for the Knoxville airport. Those three letters—T Y S —stand for Tyson, or more specifically, McGhee Tyson, for whom the airport is named. Even though it’s not even located in Knox County—and most people have no idea why the Knoxville airport has that unusual name. Its story weaves together the family history of the promine...

Audio