4 Historic Sites in Kingsport That Shouldn’t be Missed

The area that is now Kingsport, Tennessee, sits where the North and South Forks of the Holston River join. First settled in the 1700s, early settlers used the area as a staging ground for pioneers who were traveling over the Wilderness Road to Kentucky. It is the home of the Battle of Kingsport during the Civil War, and later, was one of the first municipalities to use a city-manager form of government. Because it has such an interesting history, there are many historic sights to see in the area. Here are some that shouldn’t be missed.

Exchange Place

Exchange Place is a living history farm in Kingsport. It was once a self-supporting plantation, along with a Post Office for Eden’s Ridge, and the Old State Road relay station. This farm recaptures life in the 1800s when people exchanged horses instead of money. Buildings on site include The School House, the Cooks Cabin, the Blacksmith Forge, and the Gaine’s Store. The animals on the farm represent what was on a farm in 1850. You can see milking shorthorn cattle, Suffolk horses, pigs, and Dominique chicken. All of the animals played a part in providing the farm and the people with what they needed from food to shelter and clothing.

Christopher Taylor House

The Christopher Taylor House is a home built in 1778. It is a log home that shows how the early settlers lived. It purposely contains no glass windows so the Indians couldn’t see in or get in. Christopher Taylor, who fought in both the French-Indian War and in the American Revolution built the home in 1777, and Andrew Jackson also lived here for some time while he practiced law in Jonesborough.

Fort Watauga

Fort Watauga in nearby Elizabethton, Tennessee, was a fort in the American Revolutionary War, and initially stood at the Sycamore Shoals of the Watauga River. Originally built in 1775 by the frontier government, the Watauga settlers used it to defend themselves from Cherokee Indian attacks. It was initially called Fort Caswall after the North Carolina Governor Richard Caswell. It now sits in Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park. Admission is free to view and visit the fort, and you can also tour the visitors center.

The Appalachian Caverns

Just a few miles away in Blountville, Tennessee, the Appalachian Taverns are well worth a visit. In 2006, archeologists released information about the caves showing that Early Woodland Native Americans used them over 1300 years ago. Some discoveries include burned firewood in a fire pit from 675 A.D., along with pottery, and arrowheads. The log cabin on the site is from 1777, and documents show that this cabin along with the caverns was a stopover point for travelers making their way west. You can take a guided tour of the caverns, and also go prospecting in the Gem Mine.

These are a few of the historic sites worth seeing in and around the Kingsport area. Make a day of it or even pack up for a weekend of discovering the history of Tennessee.

Image by Tentes from Pixabay 

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