The Department of Records Management and Archives preserves the oldest public records of Tennessee in the state’s oldest town, Jonesborough. Located at 103 West Main Street in a yellow-brick, former bank built in 1915, the archive houses records to aid in researching family, local, and regional history.
Ned Irwin and Donna Briggs placing Deed Book A into the vault in the County Archives.
See other photos here: Celebration June 1, 2021
The county’s first deed book is home!
Deed Book A is home. Containing the earliest land records for what became Tennessee, it lies on a special shelf in the archives’ bank vault. The book’s return coincided with the 225th anniversary of Tennessee’s statehood. It seems appropriate and a little ironic that the two events occurred together. Deed Book A was sent to Nashville as part of the county’s display at the celebration of Tennessee’s centennial. Now 125 years later, it came home as part of the celebration of the state’s 225th anniversary.
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The deed book will be on display and viewable by the public in the archives’ Reading Room on a temporary basis from June 2nd-June 18th. News & Events | Washington County, Tennessee Department of Records Management and Archives (wctnarchives.org)
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The Watauga Purchase Indenture – The first four pages of Deed Book A, is the indenture between the settlers of the area and the Cherokee.
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An Index has been added which contains the names from Deed Book A. This is not a complete index, it simply contains the names taken from an earlier index.
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The Judicial Court Case files have now been updated, adding case files up through 1899! Discover these files here: Judicial Court Case Files
County Archivist Ned Irwin with the paintings prior to their being
hung in the Reading Room.
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News and Events: Paintings Installed in Archives Reading Room
