Beginning with a chapter entitled “Prehistory,” this volume goes on to chronicle the Indian troubles and other hardships suffered by those settling the frontier, their early government, development of trade and commerce, travel and the coming of the railroad, growth of churches and religion, as well as education and publications, finally recording several pages of leftover bits of information under “Miscellany.” This history of the oldest town in Tennessee was written in 1972, with financial aid through a Federal grant, and covers approximately the same period then under study for Jonesborough's preservation and restoration plans. The revised edition includes more than 100 newly added photographs and a complete index.

Originally established in 1779 as the seat of Washington County, North Carolina, Jonesborough is the oldest incorporated town in Tennessee. Early pioneers were given land grants to settle west of the mountains, but by 1784, they no longer trusted their political leaders in North Carolina. They created their own local government and established the state of Franklin, naming Jonesborough the original capital of the "lost" 14th state. Never recognized by Congress, Franklin eventually fizzled out and Tennessee was formed. Although Tennessee was a slave-holding state prior to the Civil War, Jonesborough produced the earliest regularly published periodical devoted to abolishing slavery. Today, Jonesborough is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with many buildings fully restored. In this volume, readers will see the Christopher Taylor House, which was built about 1778, and the Chester Inn, which hosted many famous guests in its original days, including Presidents Andrew Jackson, Andrew Johnson, and James K. Polk.

Revealing that historic Jonesborough is rich in both traditions and ghosts, this book of folklore claims that nearly every historic house in this oldest Tennessee town boasts at least one resident spook.

Pioneers came to the Jonesboro area, originally known as Leaksville, following the Treaty of Indian Springs with the Creek Indians. In 1845, the Macon and Western Railroad was completed, and the town was renamed in honor of engineer Samuel Jones. It was designated the county seat when Clayton County was formed in 1859 and was soon a commercial center for the surrounding area. Jonesboro was developed around the railroad, and these rails brought the Yankees here for the last and decisive battle of the Atlanta Campaign during the Civil War, which destroyed much of the town. Turmoil followed with Reconstruction, but by the 1880s, the economy had been revitalized. When a journalist visited her grandparents, local residents shared their memories of war experiences with her. Their stories and Margaret Mitchell's imagination produced the masterpiece Gone with the Wind. Tourists from around the world still come looking for Tara and the old South. They may not find Tara, but Jonesboro still offers true Southern charm. Catch a glimpse of Jonesboro from the early days through its centennial celebration.

When Union soldiers returned North after the Civil War, they brought home stories of a sparsely populated area with bountiful timber and potential for homes and farms. Over the next 50 years, first by wagon train and then by railroads, settlers came to build not only homes and farms but also thriving communities in the Clay, Greene, and Craighead counties of northeastern Arkansas. Today, visitors and residents of the area see the bustle of Jonesboro and the thriving Arkansas State University. Readers of Jonesboro and Arkansas' Historic Northeast Corner will discover Jonesboro as it lived a century ago, a promising town of 7,000 citizens. As the 20th Century opened, modern and attractive towns such as Corning, Piggott, Rector, and Paragould began to thrive. The evolution of these historic areas-from slow-paced villages with dirt roads and horse-drawn wagons to the bustling towns of the late 20th century-is chronicled in this Images of America edition.