The Ultimate Tennessee Road Trip for History Buffs

Step into the earliest days of statehood at Rocky Mount State Historic Site, one of the most important historic sites in Tennessee. Once the first capital of the Southwest Territory, this preserved frontier settlement offers insight into early governance and daily life in the late 1700s. Visitors explore the Cobb House and surrounding grounds while learning how settlers shaped what would become Tennessee.

• Historic significance: First capital of the Southwest Territory
• Special experiences: Costumed interpreters, blacksmith shop, heritage livestock
• Parking: Free on-site parking
• Accessibility: Museum areas accessible; some outdoor terrain uneven
   

In Nashville, Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage stands as one of the most visited Tennessee famous landmarks, offering an in-depth look at the life and legacy of the seventh president of the United States. Visitors can tour the mansion and grounds while exploring the award-winning “Born for a Storm” exhibit, which examines Jackson’s leadership, military career and political impact within the broader scope of American history.

• Historic significance: Home of the seventh U.S. president and a major site of early American political history
• Special experiences: Mansion tours, immersive exhibits, preserved grounds
• Parking: Free on-site parking available
• Accessibility: Golf cart transportation available, free wheelchairs offered, service animals permitted, visitor center and mansion accessible
   

Located in Columbia, the James K. Polk Home and Museum offers insight into the early life and post-presidency years of the 11th U.S. president. This well-preserved residence helps visitors understand Polk’s rise in politics and his role in shaping the nation during a period of significant territorial expansion.

• Historic significance: Home of the 11th U.S. president and key figure in U.S. expansion
• Special experiences: Guided house tours and rotating exhibits
• Parking: Free parking available near the site
• Accessibility: First-floor access available; accessibility varies by area
   

In Greeneville, the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site invites visitors to explore the life of the 17th president, who assumed office following Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. The site includes multiple historic structures that together provide context on Johnson’s presidency during the turbulent Reconstruction era.

• Historic significance: Home of the 17th U.S. president during Reconstruction
• Special experiences: Museum exhibits and preserved historic buildings
• Parking: On-site parking available
• Accessibility: Visitor center, museum, memorial building and restrooms ADA accessible; elevator access to first floor of the Early Home; service animals permitted
   

Located in Henning, the Alex Haley Museum and Interpretive Center honors the life and work of the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Roots. The site connects visitors to powerful stories of ancestry, identity and American history, highlighting Haley’s global impact on how family history and heritage are understood and preserved.

• Historic significance: Birthplace community of Alex Haley and the legacy of Roots
• Special experiences: Interpretive exhibits focused on ancestry, storytelling and cultural identity
• Parking: Free on-site parking available
   

At Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, visitors can tour the country music legend’s plantation home and her Butcher Holler Home Place, gaining insight into her upbringing and rise to stardom. The expansive property reflects the personal history and creative roots of one of country music’s most influential voices.

• Historic significance: Home and personal retreat of a country music icon
• Special experiences: Home tours, museum exhibits and scenic grounds
• Parking: Free on-site parking available
• Accessibility: Accessibility varies by area; some outdoor terrain
   

In Memphis, Graceland preserves the home and legacy of Elvis Presley, one of the most iconic entertainers in the world. Visitors can tour the mansion, view personal artifacts and explore exhibits that celebrate Presley’s music, cultural influence and enduring global impact.

• Historic significance: Home of Elvis Presley and a cornerstone of American music history
• Special experiences: Mansion tours, extensive exhibits and multimedia experiences
• Parking: Paid parking available on site
• Accessibility: ADA-accessible options available throughout the complex
   

Franklin preserves the story of the Battle of Franklin across several closely connected sites that together reveal the human cost of the conflict. Carnton served as a Confederate field hospital and remains a place of reflection, with a cemetery where more than 1,200 soldiers are buried. Nearby, Carter House sits at the center of the fighting, bearing visible evidence of the battle itself, while Lotz House shares the civilian experience and immediate aftermath through personal stories and preserved artifacts.

• Historic significance: Core sites of the Battle of Franklin representing military, medical and civilian perspectives
• Special experiences: Guided tours, preserved battle damage, adjacent battlefield access
• Parking: Free parking available at each property
   

Located in Spring Hill, Rippa Villa offers a quieter but no less meaningful perspective on the Civil War and 19th-century life in Middle Tennessee. Once a working plantation, the home became a headquarters for Confederate generals during the 1862 Battle of Thompson’s Station, with its grounds later serving as a field hospital. Today, the site interprets both wartime history and the lives of the enslaved people who lived and labored there.

• Historic significance: Civil War headquarters and plantation site connected to the Battle of Thompson’s Station
• Special experiences: Guided house tours, living history events, seasonal programs
• Parking: Free on-site parking available
   

At Fort Pillow State Historic Park, visitors explore a preserved Civil War fort overlooking the Mississippi River, highlighting both military strategy and difficult chapters of wartime history.

• Historic significance: Strategic Mississippi River fort
• Special experiences: River overlooks, interpretive signage
• Parking: On-site parking available
• Accessibility: Visitor areas accessible; terrain varies
   

Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park preserves some of the most decisive Civil War battles, offering sweeping views and deep historical context from Lookout Mountain.

• Historic significance: Pivotal Civil War campaigns
• Special experiences: Scenic viewpoints, driving tours
• Parking: Multiple parking areas
• Accessibility: Visitor centers accessible
   

Located near Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, the Tennessee State Museum offers a comprehensive look at the state’s past through engaging, family-friendly exhibits. Extensive collections trace Tennessee’s cultural, political and social history from its earliest days through the present.

• Historic significance: Statewide history spanning multiple eras
• Special experiences: Interactive exhibits designed for all ages
• Parking: Free parking available
• Accessibility: Fully ADA accessible
   

At the Sgt. Alvin C. York State Historic Park, visitors learn the story of one of America’s most celebrated World War I heroes. The park preserves York’s home and surroundings, offering insight into his life, values and extraordinary acts of bravery.

• Historic significance: Life and legacy of World War I Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. Alvin C. York
• Special experiences: Historic home tours and interpretive exhibits
• Parking: Free on-site parking available
• Accessibility: Visitor center accessible; outdoor terrain varies
   

The West Tennessee Agricultural Museum highlights the challenges early settlers faced as they established farms and communities in the region. Exhibits explore agricultural tools, daily life and innovation that shaped West Tennessee.

• Historic significance: Agricultural and settlement history of West Tennessee
• Special experiences: Guided tours and rotating exhibits
• Parking: Free on-site parking available
• Accessibility: ADA accessible
   

At the East Tennessee History Center, visitors explore the people, events and industries that shaped the region. Exhibits span early settlement through modern times, offering context for East Tennessee’s unique cultural identity.

• Historic significance: Regional history of East Tennessee
• Special experiences: Thoughtfully curated permanent and rotating exhibits
• Parking: Nearby public parking available
• Accessibility: ADA accessible
   

Located in Chattanooga, the National Medal of Honor Heritage Center tells the powerful stories of Medal of Honor recipients through interactive exhibits and oral histories. The city holds special significance as the site where the first Medal of Honor was awarded in the late 1800s.

• Historic significance: Honors Medal of Honor recipients and military valor
• Special experiences: Interactive exhibits, personal stories and multimedia displays
• Parking: Nearby paid parking available
• Accessibility: ADA accessible
   

The Pink Palace Museum at the Memphis Museums of Science & History features a wide range of exhibits, with its first floor devoted to the natural history of the Mid-South. Displays explore science, nature and regional history in engaging and approachable ways. Explore the other Memphis Museums of Science & History locations: Lichterman Nature Center, Mallory-Neely Historic Property and the Coon Creek Science Center.

• Historic significance: Natural and cultural history of the Mid-South
• Special experiences: Hands-on exhibits and immersive displays
• Parking: Free parking available
   

At Discovery Park of America, visitors journey through Tennessee’s natural, regional and military history alongside hands-on science exhibits. Highlights include fossilized prehistoric creatures, military vehicles and an immersive experience recreating the New Madrid earthquakes of 1811–1812.

• Historic significance: Natural history, regional stories and military heritage
• Special experiences: Earthquake simulation, walk-through exhibits and vehicles
• Parking: Free on-site parking available
• Accessibility: ADA accessible
   

Located along the Little Tennessee River, the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum shares the story of Sequoyah, creator of the Cherokee syllabary, and explores the broader history and culture of the Cherokee people. The surrounding landscape reflects why the region’s fertile land and sulfur licks made it an important gathering and hunting area for Native American tribes.

• Historic significance: Cherokee history and the legacy of Sequoyah
• Special experiences: Cultural exhibits, riverfront setting and interpretive displays
• Parking: Free on-site parking available
   

One of the most significant prehistoric Native American sites in the Southeast, Pinson Mounds State Archaeological Park preserves a large Middle Woodland–period ceremonial complex. Massive earthen mounds and interpretive exhibits offer insight into ancient engineering, spiritual life and community organization.

• Historic significance: Middle Woodland–period ceremonial and cultural site
• Special experiences: Archaeological mounds, museum exhibits and walking trails
• Parking: Free on-site parking available
• Accessibility: Visitor center accessible; outdoor trails and mound paths vary
   

Red Clay State Park preserves the last meeting place of the Cherokee national government before forced removal. The park’s exhibits and trails tell the story of Cherokee leadership, resilience and the events leading up to the Trail of Tears.

• Historic significance: Final seat of the Cherokee national government before removal
• Special experiences: Interpretive exhibits, memorials and walking trails
• Parking: Free on-site parking available
   

Overlooking the Tennessee River Gorge, Cherokee Removal Memorial Park is a stop along the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail and honors the Native Americans who were forced west during the Trail of Tears. The park includes a memorial wall, scenic overlook and interpretive visitor center designed for reflection and learning.

• Historic significance: Memorial honoring those affected by the Trail of Tears
• Special experiences: Memorial wall, scenic overlook and interpretive center
• Parking: Free on-site parking available
   

Tennessee has 17 stops on the U.S. Civil Rights Trail, part of a nationwide network of more than 100 sites across 15 states. Together, these places preserve pivotal moments, voices and movements that shaped the fight for Civil Rights in America.

Located at the historic Lorraine Motel, the National Civil Rights Museum offers powerful, interactive exhibits that trace the history of slavery, segregation, sit-in demonstrations and landmark moments of the Civil Rights Movement. Visitors can see Room 306, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stayed the night before his assassination, making the experience deeply rooted in place and history.

• Historic significance: Central site of the Civil Rights Movement and the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
• Special experiences: Interactive exhibits and access to Room 306
• Parking: Free parking is available for museum guests
• Accessibility: ADA accessible
   

The Beale Street Historic District reflects a long-standing hub of African American culture, business and community life. From its earliest days, Beale Street played a vital role in the social, musical and economic history of Memphis.

• Historic significance: A center of African American culture and commerce
• Special experiences: Historic streetscape, music venues and cultural landmarks
• Parking: Paid and street parking available nearby
   

In Nashville, Fisk University stands as a cornerstone of Black higher education and is the oldest university in Nashville. Founded in 1866, it was the first African American institution to receive accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. When the Fisk Jubilee Singers were invited to sing for Queen Victoria, their talent so impressed her she remarked Nashville must be a “music city.”

• Historic significance: Famous alumni include Ida B. Wells-Barnett and U.S. Representative John Lewis; the Fisk Jubilee Singers helped give Nashville it’s moniker of Music City
• Special experiences: Historic campus and guided tours
• Parking: On-campus and street parking available
• Accessibility: Campus buildings generally accessible
   

In Clinton, visitors can learn the story of the Clinton 12, the first African American students to integrate a public high school in the South. Their courage marked a major step forward in the struggle for equal education and Civil Rights nationwide.

• Historic significance: School integration milestone in the American South
• Special experiences: Interpretive exhibits and memorials
• Parking: Free parking available nearby
   

In 1920, Tennessee made history as the 36th state to ratify the 19th Amendment, securing women’s right to vote nationwide. From suffrage leaders who shaped that pivotal moment to women who later transformed education, sports, food and music, these sites help bring Tennessee’s legacy of women’s leadership to life.

The Tennessee State Capitol stands at the center of Tennessee’s role in women’s suffrage. It was here that lawmakers cast the deciding votes to ratify the 19th Amendment, following intense advocacy by suffragists including Ann Dallas Dudley, Sue Shelton White and Abby Crawford Milton.

• Historic significance: Site of Tennessee’s ratification of the 19th Amendment
• Special experiences: Guided tours and interpretive exhibits
• Parking: Metered street parking and nearby garages
   

In downtown Sevierville, the Dolly Parton Statue honors one of Tennessee’s most influential modern leaders. A global music icon and philanthropist, Dolly Parton’s work in literacy, education and community development has made a lasting impact well beyond the state.

• Historic significance: Celebrates the life and legacy of a Tennessee-born cultural leader
• Special experiences: Public art landmark and walkable downtown setting
• Parking: Free public parking nearby
• Accessibility: Fully accessible outdoor site
   

Located in Clarksville, the Pat Head Summitt Statue honors Pat Head Summitt, the legendary coach whose leadership reshaped women’s basketball and sports culture nationwide. A Clarksville native, Summitt is celebrated here for her record-setting career, fierce advocacy for women in athletics and lasting influence as a mentor and role model.

• Historic significance: Honors Pat Head Summitt’s legacy as a trailblazing coach and leader
• Special experiences: Public statue honoring a Clarksville native
• Parking: Free public parking available nearby
• Accessibility: Accessible outdoor site
   

Established in 1779, Jonesborough is Tennessee’s oldest town, founded 17 years before statehood. Its well-preserved Main Street reflects the earliest days of frontier settlement, where figures such as Daniel Boone, David Crockett, John Sevier and Andrew Jackson once walked and gathered.

• Historic significance: Oldest town in Tennessee and early center of frontier governance
• Special experiences: Walkable historic downtown and preserved architecture, downtown walking tours
• Parking: Free public parking available nearby
   

Located in Clinton, the Museum of Appalachia is a pioneer mountain farm village that preserves the stories of Southern Appalachia. The site is a Smithsonian affiliate and features more than 250,000 artifacts across multiple buildings, along with log cabins, farm animals, churches, schools and gardens that reflect daily life in the region.

• Historic significance: Appalachian pioneer life and culture
• Special experiences: Living history exhibits, historic buildings and artifacts
• Parking: Free on-site parking available
   

One of the most significant Civil War sites in Middle Tennessee, Stones River National Battlefield preserves the landscape of a hard-fought battle that helped shape control of the region. Walking trails and interpretive exhibits allow visitors to better understand the strategies, soldiers and consequences of the conflict.

• Historic significance: Major Union victory that strengthened control of Middle Tennessee
• Special experiences: Self-guided driving and walking tours, visitor center exhibits
• Parking: Free on-site parking available
   

At Shiloh National Military Park, visitors explore one of the bloodiest early battles of the Civil War. The expansive park preserves battlefields, monuments and historic roads, with annual reenactments in April that bring history vividly to life.

• Historic significance: Pivotal early Civil War battle with heavy casualties
• Special experiences: Battlefield driving tour, historic markers and annual reenactments
• Parking: Free parking available throughout the park
   

Located near the Cumberland River, Fort Donelson National Battlefield marks the site of a decisive Union victory and the famed Surrender House. The battle helped open the South to Union forces and significantly shifted the momentum of the war.

Historic significance: Site of a key Union victory and Confederate surrender

Special experiences: Historic fortifications, Surrender House and interpretive exhibits

Parking: Free on-site parking available
 

The Volunteer State is filled with history from every era. With plantations in Tennessee to museums, battlefields and memorials, the state offers countless ways to explore the past through meaningful travel experiences.