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Jonesboro High School Class (undated, but early 1920’s
Scott Birthday Dinner, May 14, 1908
Lamar High School, 1912
Lamar High School, undated
The Byrd Brown house, located on Taylor Bridge Road near the Nolichucky River. Photo is undated, but shows the home in it’s “glory days.”
The First National Bank of Jonesborough was built in 1915, and later was known as the First People’s Bank. It was renovated in 2015-16 for the county archives, and the building now houses the oldest public records in Tennessee.
Elizabeth Dunkin grave
Chester Inn, Main Street in Jonesborough, was built in 1797 and was known as the finest inn on the Tennessee frontier. Three United States presidents – Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk and Andrew Johnson stayed at the inn.
Downtown Jonesboro after a fire on December 31, 1873 destroyed many buildings.
The Boone Tree – Daniel Boone carved, “D. Boon CillED A. BAr on tree in the YEAR 1760.” In 1920, the tree came down during a storm. In 1924, the D.A.R. erected a monument on the site. The gentleman in the photo is John Allison.
The DeVault Tavern, built in 1821, is located on Old Stagecoach Road, Leesburg.
Jesse Dunkin grave
Early Jonesborough, showing the Baptist Church and Boone Street.
Washington County Courthouse, built in 1847. This photo is undated but was taken prior to 1910.
Langston High School, built in 1893, was the first African-American public high school in Johnson City.
Undated photo of the N. T. Jackson residence, located on a hill, south of Jonesborough. The home was built before 1850.
Unidentified gentleman, unidentified location. If you can identify him, please contact the archives office.
Embreeville area in Washington County, note the Iron Furnace on the right.
Boones Creek Waterfalls are said to be the falls under which Daniel Boone hid from hostile Indians. Photo undated.
Main Street, Jonesborough, following the “Great Blizzard” of 1886.
Washington County Courthouse during the prohibition election in 1887.
The “Manumission Intelligencer” and “The Emancipator” building, located on Main Street in Jonesborough. These two newspapers were the first abolition publications in America and were published in this building by Elihu Embree, beginning in 1819.
The Iron Blast Furnace in the Embreeville area was built in the early 1800’s and was destroyed in the “great flood” of May 1901.
Laying the cornerstone for the new courthouse, August 15, 1912.
The Gillespie Stone House was built in 1792 for George Gillespie. An early fort originally stood on the site. The house has been preserved by descendants of Jacob Klepper.
Nolichucky River ferry, unidentified gentleman
Eastern Star Church, undated photo
Sulphur Springs High School, ca 1908
Jonesboro High School, around 1890 – the front portion was built around 1845 and the back part of the building was added in 1885. The building was torn down in 1925.
Looking east on Main Street, Jonesborough, circa 1890. On the right is the Methodist Church, built in 1845 and Sisters Row, built around 1820 by Samuel Jackson.
The Christopher Taylor cabin was moved from its original site in 1974 and now sits across the street from the archives in downtown Jonesborough.
The Iron Blast Furnace after it was destroyed in a flood, May 1901.
General A. E. Jackson in uniform, later in his life, undated.
“The Cottages” was the country home of J. Franklin Deadrick and was located on Knob Creek. It was built around 1828 and torn down around 1930.
The two panoramic photos below were taken circa 1909 by local photographer, O. L. Hensley. The first photo is a bit deceiving, as the town of Jonesborough did not have a street that ran behind the courthouse, as the one that is pictured. Apparently, Mr. Hensley took a series of photos and then put them together.
The photo above is a “birds-eye view” of downtown Jonesborough and is used as the header on our home page.
Washington County, Tennessee Department of Records Management and Archives 