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Tennessee Heritage

Tennesseans appreciate their history and heritage, from the music that moves us to the movers and shakers who changed history.

Explore the many historic homes and heritage towns, like the utopian village of Rugby, and museums that stand as reminders of Tennessee's rich past. Learn about the U.S. Presidents that called Tennessee home; visit Andrew Jackson's Hermitage, the only surviving residence of James K. Polk, and the Andrew Johnson Historic Site. Put yourself in the shoes of frontiersman David Crockett or learn about music pioneers like Elvis Presley and W.C. Handy, the father of the blues.

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The Garst/Carter House

City:  Johnson City, TN

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The Gordon House
"Built around 1817 - 1818 by Captain John Gordon. His acclaim as a fearless fighter and spy was acknowledged from Nashville to Natchez, ...more

City:  Shady Grove, TN
Phone:  931-729-5774

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The Hermitage: Home of President Andrew Jackson
"The Hermitage, Home of President Andrew Jackson, is one of the largest, most visited presidential homes in the United States. Fiery and daring, Andrew Jackson was Tennessee’s first homegrown president, born to Irish immigrants. He was nicknamed "Old Hickory" for his rough and tough behavior. In the 1790s, he led negotiations with the Chickasaw for the Jackson Purchase, an agreement ...more

City:  Nashville, TN
Phone:  615-889-2941

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The Homeplace Living History Farm
"Offering visitors a glimpse into the lives of a 19th-century farm family. Originally part of a Revolutionary War land grant, comprised of 16 original and restored log structures. Living history events are held throughout the year. Located in the Tennessee portion of Land Between The Lakes, a 170,000-acre peninsula nestled between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley. Open March - ...more

City:  Golden Pond, TN
Phone:  800-LBL7077

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The John & Landon Carter Mansion
"Built between 1775 and 1780 on land bought from the Cherokee. The oldest frame house in Tennessee reveals a finely detailed ...more

City:  Elizabethton, TN
Phone:  423-543-5808

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The Museum Shop at Belle Meade Plantation
"Visit the Museum Shop at Belle Meade Plantation. Located on the lower level of the Visitor’s Center, the Belle Meade Plantation Museum Shop offers a variety of everyday gifts and souvenirs for all ages. Whether you’re seeking the perfect wedding gift, the right horse statue or simply a jar of Honey Jelly to say “thanks for watching my ...more

City:  Nashville, TN
Phone:  800-270-3991

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The Old Natchez House
"Note the Victorian-style architecture of the 1890 J.T. Sparkman home and step inside to see works of art and crafts by local artisans with a focus on equestrian, western and ...more

City:  Leipers Fork, TN
Phone:  615-491-3668

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The Pillars
"The Pillars, built circa 1828, is now an Association for the Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities property. John Houston Bills bought this impressive home in 1837 and began enlarging and refining the property. According to his diary, while living in Bolivar, the Bills family hosted notable guests such as Andrew Jackson, Congressman Adam Huntsman, Sam Houston, Rt. Rev. Leonidas Polk, ...more

City:  Bolivar, TN
Phone:  731-518-7148

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The Polk Presidential Hall
" The Polk Presidential Hall is housed in a restored 1882 vernacular Gothic Christian Church building. Here you will see more  personal artifacts from Polk’s life, and from time to time, traveling exhibits from the Smithsonian ...more

City:  Columbia, TN

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The Rhea-Mims Hotel
"The Rhea-Mims Hotel was built in 1925 out of native stone and restored in 2000. It now serves as a home for senior ...more

City:  Newport, TN

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The Shoppes at Roper Mansion
"The Shoppes at Roper Mansion offer a unique shopping experience as well as the chance to tour the carefully restored Federal home. Built in 1820, Roper Mansion today houses an array of antiques, collectibles, gifts, home decor, vintage jewelry and even a pet boutique. The graceful ballroom is now an art gallery featuring original oils from the 19th ...more

City:  Dandridge, TN
Phone:  (865) 484-1237

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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

City:  Murfreesboro, TN
Phone:  615-898-2947

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The Timothy Demonbreun House

City:  Nashville, TN
Phone:  615-383-0426

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The Worley/Range/Young House
"A private residence, this Federal-style historic home was built in 1844. The original property was 1,200+ acres surrounded by hand-constructed stone ...more

City:  Johnson City, TN

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Thomas Amis Inn & Home
"Early settler and Revolutionary War hero Colonel Thomas Amis established this 1781 home and inn on the Great Indian Warpath Trail, later called the Great Stage Road. The inn grew to anchor the community of Amis, the principal settlement for the area. Some of inn’s most famous guests included Daniel Boone, Andrew Jackson, John Sevier and Bishop Francis Asbury, founder ...more

City:  Rogersville, TN
Phone:  (719) 322-2755

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Shiloh Guide Services
"Step on guide service and guide referral for personally guided tours of the Shiloh battlefield and nearby Civil War ...more

City:  Savannah, TN
Phone:  731-925-6410

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Shiloh National Military Park
"Established in 1894 to preserve the scene of the first major battle in the Western theater of the Civil War, Shiloh is considered one of the best preserved battlefields in the Nation. Besides preserving the site of the bloody April 1862 battle in Tennessee, the park commemorates the subsequent siege, battle, and occupation of the key railroad junction at nearby ...more

City:  Shiloh, TN
Phone:  731-689-5696

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Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum (Burkle Estate)
"A white clapboard house built in 1849 by Jacob Burkle is rumored to have served as a way station on the Underground Railroad for runaway slaves. A tour of the house includes a visit to a small cellar where slaves waited to ...more

City:  Memphis, TN
Phone:  901-527-3427

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Sleepy John Estes House
"This is the house where blues legend John Adam Estes resided at the time of his death in 1977. Photographs and biographies are ...more

City:  Brownsville, TN
Phone:  731-779-9000

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Smith County Heritage Museum
"The Smith County Heritage Museum is located in Carthage, in the former W.E. Stephen's Building, one of the first manufacturing companies in ...more

City:  Carthage, TN
Phone:  615-735-1104

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Smoky Mountain Heritage Driving Tour
"Travel at your own pace while seeking out landmarks, rich mountain heritage, neighborhood charm and Smoky Mountain history on a self-guided auto ...more

City:  Newport, TN
Phone:  423-625-9675

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Soldier in Grey
"Dedicated on April 6, 1905, on the 43rd anniversary of the Battle of Shiloh. The hand-chiseled granite monument stands guard on the courthouse lawn at the center of Historic Court ...more

City:  Dyersburg, TN
Phone:  731-286-7800

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Somerville Historic Courthouse Square
"The cornerstone for the Somerville-Fayette Courthouse was laid in October, 1925. Top is covered in copper with a four-sided clock that chimes on the ...more

City:  Somerville, TN
Phone:  901-465-8690

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South Cumberland Recreational Area State Park
"South Cumberland lies atop the Cumberland Plateau in four different counties protecting 25,000 acres of land, 90 miles of hiking trails and both natural and historic treasures. It includes seven unique sites. Grundy Lakes State Park is historically significant for its coal mining past, with abandoned coke ovens left to tell the tale of the coal mines that brought prosperity, violence ...more

City:  Monteagle, TN
Phone:  (931) 924-2980

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South Jackson Civic Center & Mitchell Museum
"The South Jackson Civic Center entertains and educates, with a variety of programs: music, theater, festivals and historical displays happening throughout the year under the management of the civic association and the resident community ...more

City:  Tullahoma, TN
Phone:  931-455-5321

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South Main Historic Art District
"This artsy little district has been described by locals as "a bite of the Big Apple with a dash of Southern hospitality." In recent years, it has become one of the hottest neighborhoods in Memphis for its attractive loft-style living and its many shops and restaurants. The shops and galleries offer art, objects and apparel from local craftspeople and designers as ...more

City:  Memphis, TN

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Southeast Tennessee Civil War Trail
"Southeast Tennessee's Civil War Trails, Fighting for the Rails brochure provides a designated path for southeast Tennessee travelers to follow as they explore sites associated with the American Civil War in Tennessee. The brochure has 47 sites and covers 10 counties. Southeast Tennessee Tourism Association (SETTA) worked in conjunction with Middle Tennessee State University's Center for Historic Preservation and ...more

City:  Chattanooga, TN
Phone:  (423) 424-4267

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Spring Hill Battlefield
"Interpretative walking trail at site of one of the most controversial events of the Civil ...more

City:  Spring Hill, TN
Phone:  888-852-1860

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Standing Stone Historical Association
"Robert "Redhawk" Eldridge is president. Phone: 865-360-4359 Email: robertredhawk@charter.net ...more

City:  Monterey, TN
Phone:  (931) 303-5156

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Standing Stone Monument
"A unique monument in Whitaker Park, believed to be built by Cherokee Indians. A festival held on the second Sat. of Oct. to honor the ...more

City:  Monterey, TN
Phone:  (931) 839-3770

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Help Preserve America

Upcoming events

Date: May 17, 2013 - May 18, 2013
Bloomin' Barbecue & Bluegrass Festival
Location: Sevierville, TN

Date: May 18, 2013
Dartin' Downtown 5K Run/Walk
Location: Paris, TN

Date: May 18, 2013
Free Day in May
Location: Smyrna, TN

See more May events »

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