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.

Most Americans know Appalachia through stereotyped images: moonshine and handicrafts, poverty and illiteracy, rugged terrain and isolated mountaineers. Historian David Hsiung maintains that in order to understand the origins of such stereotypes, we must look critically at their underlying concepts, especially those of isolation and community. Hsiung focuses on the mountainous area of upper East Tennessee, tracing this area's development from the first settlementin the eighteenth century to the eve of the Civil War. Through his examination, he identifies the different ways in which the region's inhabitants were connected to or separated from other peoples and places. Using an interdisciplinary framework, he analyzes geographical and sociocultural isolation from a number of perspectives, including transportation networks, changing economy, population movement, and topography. This provocative work will stimulate future studies of early Appalachia and serve as a model for the analysis of regional cultures.

Every place has a story to tell, often found in historic sites or cultural traditions of the people who settled or currently live in a community, city, region or state. When these stories and places are shared with visitors, this activity becomes what is known as cultural heritage tourism. Success and sustainability in this growing industry segment requires careful planning and adequate resources. Cultural Heritage Tourism: Five Steps for Success and Sustainability provides detailed instruction through a proven five-step process to help planners, managers and community leaders attract visitors and their spending to your cultural heritage site, attraction, event or destination. Learn how to assess, plan for, develop, market, fund, manage, and measure cultural heritage for growth and sustainability. Refer to the best practices and case studies from across the country as examples for replication and reference. Use the sample documents and resource lists to jumpstart your cultural heritage tourism program, and monitor and measure the efforts. This book walks you through every step, from inception to evaluation.