150 Years | Tennessee Civil War Sesquicentennial
Attractions
Tennessee Civil War Attractions
Use the tabs above to learn more about trails, markers and other interpretive sites; battlefields, and the many Civil War-related museums and other attractions designed to help travelers understand the legacy of the war in Tennessee.
Tennessee's Civil War history is a study in contrasts: a secessionist state with staunch Union loyalties, divided cities held by both Union and Confederate troops, constant danger and hardship, and nagging uncertainty about friends, neighbors and families, about who was friend or foe.
Tennessee's Civil War tale is one of divided loyalties, crucial battles, and the wide-reaching devastation of "total war." People throughout the state were completely immersed in the economic, social, and physical effects of the conflict, subject to violence and terror, disease and malnutrition, heartbreak and loss, and military rule by both sides. The stories of the Underground Railroad and Emancipation bring out the other side of war in the African American struggle for freedom and citizenship. Many grim reminders of the war—as well as hopeful symbols of heroism and kindness—stand today as testament to how the war transformed Tennessee.
The Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area
Partners with organizations and individuals across the state to tell the whole story of America's greatest challenge, ...more
Region: Nashville & Surrounding Areas
City: Murfreesboro, TN
Phone:
Tipton-Haynes State Historic Site
Historic Tipton home, archaeological remains of early Woodland Indians, 1788 battle site and more. The Museum and Education Center includes changing exhibits in the temporary gallery. Special events on selected Saturdays throughout the year.
Home of Landon Carter Haynes from 1839 until the Civil War. He was an attorney, newspaper editor and Confederate senator. There are 10 original and restored buildings, dating from 1783-1870, gardens, cave, and nature ...more
Region: Northeast
City: Johnson City, TN
Phone:
Top Secret Trail
Top Secret is waiting for you: a trail of secrets hidden among the scenic wilds of the Upper Cumberland Plateau. Immerse yourself in early Knoxville history by touring Blount Mansion, James White Fort and Bleak House, General Longstreet’s 1863 Battle of Knoxville headquarters. You’ll surely find the perfect souvenir at one of the many antique galleries along Kingston Pike and the perfect bite to eat at one of the many pedestrian friendly restaurants located along Market Square. From Knoxville, travel to the “Secret City” of Oak Ridge, the historic site of the Manhattan Project. While in Oak Ridge, be sure ...more
Region:
City: , TN
Phone:
Town of Granville
A riverboat town with a strong history located on Cordell Hull Lake. Town includes historic buildings, museum, park, marina and much more.
This Cumberland River port was a contested area throughout the Civil ...more
Region: Upper Cumberland
City: Granville, TN
Phone:
Travellers Rest Plantation & Museum
The plantation home of John Overton, Travelers Rest preserves 200 years of Nashville's historic past, from frontier to Civil War to ...more
Region: Nashville & Surrounding Areas
City: Nashville, TN
Phone:
Trousdale Place
This historic home of former Tennessee Governor William Trousdale was built around 1813 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The house contains original Trousdale furniture and a small Confederate ...more
Region: Nashville & Surrounding Areas
City: Gallatin, TN
Phone:
U.S. Custom House & Museum
<p>Now home to the East Tennessee Historical Society, the old Custom House was finished as a major federal office building in ...more
Region: Knoxville & Middle East
City: Knoxville, TN
Phone:
Union Monument
<p>On the grounds of the courthouse is a marker signifying that here was the location of the Unionist Convention, which opposed joining the Confederacy and advocated the creation of a new Unionist ...more
Region: Northeast
City: Greeneville, TN
Phone:
Veteran's National Cemetery
Established immediately after the siege of Knoxville, this cemetery contains Federal casualties from the Battle of Fort Sanders and members of 1st Heavy Artillery, USCT. Open ...more
Region: Knoxville & Middle East
City: Knoxville, TN
Phone:
Vonore Heritage Museum
On display are artifacts used by the people of Vonore from the late 1800s through the 1950s. Artifacts include Civil War pieces; WWI and WWII uniforms; trophies; plaques; and pictures from the now-closed Vonore High ...more
Region: Knoxville & Middle East
City: Vonore, TN
Phone:
White Lightning Trail
The White Lightning Trail is waiting for you: a picturesque drive through the fertile valleys and rustic charm of the Tennessee hills. After leaving the city limits, you’ll pass through the Great Smoky Mountains into historic country music — Maynardville — home to country music greats like Chet Atkins and Roy Acuff. Heading north, you’ll travel along the same route that rebel bootleggers used to transport their forbidden whisky. Imagine the thrill of the bootleggers’ chase, careening through the jagged mountains of the Upper Cumberland Region while outmaneuvering the long arm of the law.
After winding through ranges, roads and ...more
Region:
City: , TN
Phone:
Williamson County Convention & Visitor Bureau
Named to Southern Living's "Best Small Town" top ten list, Franklin is a charming suburb of Nashville, Tennessee. Experience a beautiful blend of upscale urban development and cultural history rich with hip places to shop and eat as well as historic attractions that tell the story of the Civil War's Battle of ...more
Region: Nashville & Surrounding Areas
City: Franklin, TN
Phone:
Winchester, Dechard and Estell Springs
At Estell Springs (Allisonia during the war) there is a railroad bridge which was the site of the crossing of some of the Army of Tennessee. Also located there is a historical marker for the Camp Harris site, a Confederate training camp named after Tennessee’s wartime governor, Isham G. Harris a Franklin County native.
Decherd is the site of the engagement between Forrest and Wilder, which is now entirely covered by the town of Decherd.
Winchester - The house located at 309 1st Avenue was the headquarters for General Rosecrans during July of 1863. The duplex apartment locate at 206 3rd Avenue ...more
Region: Middle Tennessee
City: , TN
Phone:
Winstead Hill
General Hood's troops formed on Winstead Hill before their great charge at the Battle of Franklin. A memorial to the Army of Tennessee stands on the hill today. The overlook features a large military map and memorials to the Confederate generals who died in this ...more
Region: Nashville & Surrounding Areas
City: Franklin, TN
Phone:
