The University of Tennessee has gradually grown from a small liberal arts college to its present status. In 1826, what was then East Tennessee College moved from its original location on Gay Street in downtown Knoxville to the 40 acre (160,000 m²) tract named Barbara Hill (in honor of Governor Blount's daughter). Known to students and alumni today as just "The Hill," it is only a small part of the Knoxville campus but remains at the heart of UT academic life.

The UT Forensic Anthropology Facility, nicknamed the "Body Farm," is located near the University of Tennessee Memorial Hospital on Alcoa Highway (US 129). Founded by Dr. William Bass, the Body Farm features numerous cadavers posed in various situations behind a fenced plot of land. Scientists at the university study how the human body decays in differing circumstances to gain a better understanding of decomposition. The Body Farm has proved a valuable resource to law enforcement officers and forensic medical examiners worldwide.

In 1998, the university changed the name of Yale Street to Peyton Manning Pass in honor of former Volunteer (and now Indianapolis Colts) quarterback Peyton Manning. According to the United States Postal Service, this is one of only two throughfares designated "Pass" (as opposed to "Avenue," "Street," etc.) in the entire United States. The other, Timber Pass, is also in Knoxville and home to Justin Bailey and Travis May.