Around Jonesborough

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The Duncan House is now home to the Heritage Alliance of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, located on Sabin Drive in Jonesborough. It is believed that John Naff built this home in the 1840’s. It was sold to Robert Mitchell Duncan in 1904.

Sister’s Row, built in 1821 by Samuel Jackson as homes for his three daughters.

The Washington County Public Library, located on Sabin Drive in Jonesborough.

The First Christian Church was completed in 1874, built by William Fleming, master carpenter. After the congregation moved into a new building and this building eventually became the Parson’s Table Restaurant. It is no longer in use.

Known as the Gammon – Hoss house, this home was built around 1848. William Gammon owned the property before selling it to John M. Hoss in 1863.

Looking west on Main Street, the Baptist Church is on the right and the courthouse clock tower can be seen on the left.

The Washington District marker, located on the courthouse grounds was erected in 1930 for the Jonesborough Sesquicennial.

The Banking and Trust Company, built in 1886, now private offices and a second floor apartment.

Sunrise over Jonesborough, February 13, 2019

Slemons House, built around 1860

Rocky Hill Cemetery

A. B. Cummings store is now more widely known as “the Mail Pouch building.” It was originally painted between 1892 – 1897 and was repainted in 1994. Jonesborough

William E. May built this home in 1904. The property was the site where the first abolitionist publications were printed in 1819 – 1820 by Elihu Embree.

The John Green house, built in 1825

Central Christian Church, built in 1881 was first a Presbyterian Church until the 1950’s, when it was purchased by the Christian Church.

Spring 2021, horse and rider

The Washington County Courthouse. The back portion of the building once housed the jail. It has now been renovated and is the “Archives Annex,” an area used to house county records.

The Christopher Taylor house, downtown Jonesborough, Dec. 1, 2020

The Shanks Oak is said to be “Jonesborough’s oldest resident,” and is estimated to be between 500 and 800 years old.

John W. Simpson house – Postcard, date unknown.

Academy Hill. In 1852, the Jonesborough Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows owned the property and operated a female high school and college on this site. This building was the Jonesborough High School from 1926 through 1971. It is now condominiums.

The cabin that sits next to the Chester Inn was built by Revolutionary War soldier, Christopher Taylor around 1778. Originally located about a mile southwest of Jonesborough, it is one of the oldest buildings in Washington County. It was moved to the present site in 1974.

The Washington County Courthouse on a snowy March morning. Photo by Pennie Clark.

Febuary Hill was built in 1832 by John Blair, congressman. It gets its name from Dr. W. S. Febuary, not the month of February.

“Moon Over Main,” taken August 23, 2021

Historic Chester Inn at dusk.

Fall morning, 2020

Booker T. Washington School was built in the late 1930’s and was closed in 1964 when the schools were integrated. It is now home to the McKinney Center and is a multi-use facility providing arts education through Jonesborough’s Mary B. Martin Program.

The Rhea – Hoss House was built in 1857 by Dr. Thomas Rhea. Late in 1865, Dr. Rhea moved his family to Kentucky and the home was sold to another physician, Dr. Henry Hoss.

The International Storytelling Center is located on Main Street and was dedicated in 2004.

The Eureka Inn, built before 1821 by Robert Mitchell.

Built by John W. Simpson around 1843, this was originally called the “John Simpson Hotel.” In 1853, Simpson advertised that he had a buggy for sale and asked interested persons to call on him at the “mansion House.” The building is still more commonly known as the “Mansion House.”

This building, now known as the “Lollipop Shop,” was built in 1905 by the Rhea Lodge # 47, Free and Accepted Masons.

Creeping Flox in the spring

The Reeves – Hankin house on College Street was built in 1877 by James H. Dosser.

Daniel Boone Trail Marker, on the Washington County Courthouse grounds.

Main Street looking east towards the Baptist Church

Rocky Hill Cemetery in the spring

The Jonesborough Visitors Center, located on Boone Street.

The Brownlow House was built in 1879 by Walter P. Brownlow, who owned the Jonesborough “Herald and Tribune”. He was a postmaster and was elected U. S. Congressman in 1897.

Built in 1854, by the Holston Association of Baptist Churches, this building housed the Holston Baptist Female Institute, Tadlock’s School for Boys and the Holston Male Institute. In 1876, Yardley Warner purchased the building and established Warner Institute to educate “colored persons and train colored teachers.”

Veterans Memorial at the Jonesborough Visitors Center

Known as the Blair-Moore House, this building was build around 1865. There have been several owners through the years and it now serves as a “Bed and Breakfast.”

The Oak Hill School was built in 1886 in the Knob Creek community. It was moved to Jonesborough and now sits behind the Heritage Alliance and the Visitors Center.

Hidden barn in downtown Jonesborough

Jonesborough, Tennessee

2020

Jacob Naff purchased this lot in 1836 and built this house located on Main Street.

Called Buckhorn, this home was built around 1800 by James Stuart and became one of the first inns in the area. It was later purchased by Judge T. A. R. Nelson.

Jonesborough United Methodist Church was organized in 1822 and work began on the building in 1845.

Saucer Magnolia – Spring 2021

Main Street, looking east toward the courthouse

The Washington County Courthouse at Christmas time

Chuckey Depot, South 2nd Avenue, Jonesborough

The Salt House was built in 1840 by businessman William Crouch. It was first used as a general store and wholesale grocery warehouse until the Civil War when it was used for storing salt.

The Jonesborough Presbyterian Church as founded in 1790. The present building was constructed on this site in 1847.

The Samuel B. Cunningham residence, located on the south side of West Main, was built circa 1840.

The Chester Inn was built in 1797 by William Chester and is now a owned by the state as a historic site. The building now houses a museum.

The Murphy – Sherfey home

The Baptist Church at sunrise

Jonesborough Senior Center

Jonesborough was a major stop on the Great Stage Road, which ran between Washington, D. C. and Memphis.

2020

The old Jonesborough Cemetery, also known as “Rocky Hill.”

his building used to be home to the Town Hall

Jonesborough at dusk from the balcony of the Storytelling Center.

Located on College Street in Jonesborough, this house was built in 1820 and later served as the home of the Jonesborough Female Academy. The building is now a private residence.

The Dosser – Moore House, built by James H. Dosser in 1877.

Upping block, used to get in and out of a stagecoach can be seen outside 119 East Main Street. This building was once a general store operated by W. E. May.