Rocky Mount State Historic Site

If you want to take a step back in time (to the year 1791 to be exact) and experience Tennessee’s history in a gorgeous and peaceful setting, then visit Rocky Mount State Historic Site in Piney Flats, TN. It’s home of the famous Cobb house and other historic structures. In the late 1700s, it was the first territorial capital of the Southwest Territory.

On Rocky Mount’s 40 acres you’ll also find a flock of authentic Cotswold sheep, a blacksmith shop, and gardens maintained by master gardeners. You’ll be greeted by period-appropriate clothed interpreters, educators, museum guides and many volunteers who will share their expertise of the history of Northeast Tennessee and the state. The museum is filled with 18th and 19th century artifacts and valuable historical information. Rocky Mount also offers many programs. 

Tipton-Haynes State Historic Site

At this historic site you can learn the fascinating history of Northeast Tennessee and several families that lived here. The site includes 45 acres, 11 historic buildings, the Tipton/Gifford/Simerly cemetery, a limestone cave, a natural spring, a buffalo trace, a nature trail, and a visitor center. In the latter you’ll find a permanent exhibit, museum store, educational spaces, a library, and archives.

The Tipton-Haynes site represents various periods of Tennessee history, from pre-colonial times to reconstruction. An ancient buffalo trail ran near the site of the "bold spring," and the grounds were frequented successively by the Woodland Indians, the Cherokees, and European explorers and traders.

Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park

This historic park protects the land where several important late 18th century historical events occurred. Leaving the English colonies in search of a new life, settlers began arriving along the Watauga Old Fields — on what was then Cherokee land. In the late 1770s, John Carter — one of the primary political, military and business leaders of this era — and his son Landon built the Carter Mansion. It was three miles from Sycamore Shoals.

This structure is currently the oldest standing frame house in Tennessee.

ETSU Gray Fossil Site & Museum

By partnering with the Hands On! Discovery Center, this museum has become a dynamic hub for science and education in northeastern Tennessee. It offers a world-class paleontological site that preserves a one-of-a-kind window into what the Appalachian Highlands was like some five million years ago.

Here you’ll discover, preserve, and interpret the fossil record of the region while fostering an appreciation and understanding of natural science through research, education, and interactive experiences. With its relevant exhibits and educational programs that are creative, appealing and interactive, this museum is an invaluable resource for paleontology research and education. 

Historic Jonesborough

This 18th century town, established in 1779, is still as beautiful as ever. Due to restoration and preservation efforts during the 1970s, many of the older buildings are still standing today. Jonesborough was the first Tennessee Town to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Historic Jonesborough is also the “Storytelling Capital of the World.” Every October it hosts the world-renowned National Storytelling Festival. It also serves as the home of the International Storytelling Center, where story listeners and tellers nationwide gather to share tales both big and small through the Teller-in-Residence program and the Storytellers Guild.

As you walk through the town and down Main Street, you’ll step where Daniel Boone, Andrew Jackson, David Crockett, John Sevier and many other notable individuals have stood. This quaint, old town is the perfect place to celebrate culture, heritage and history through education, events, and preserved architecture.