Last Day in Bristol Area, Caching, History and Fire on the Mountain 5/8/2008

We got up this morning to the reports that there was a forest fire on Buffalo Mountain near Jonesborough, TN where we had planned to go caching and sightseeing. We decided to go anyway as they said the fire wasn't that big. So we hopped in the car with the GPS loaded with caches and many many historical sites to see in Jonesborough. There are so many things to do in this small town you really need a plan to get you started. Jonesborough is the oldest town in Tennessee; consequently, it draws people from all over the world. The town is known for its great amount of visitors during the story telling festival, Jonesborough Days, and during the fall, when some just like to roam the streets to check out the many interesting shops. Jonesborough is approximately three miles west from East Tennessee State University just off of Highway 11-E. We started caching on the way down and our first cache was a puzzle cache located at a large Baptist church. I had figured out the coords for the final cache location last night so we were able to find it quickly. Next cache was on a guardrail, one at Wendy's on a light pole, one at Cracker Barrel on an old washing machine, one at a church on a light pole, one in a small shopping center on a light pole, one on a guardrail on a country road, one in a small cemetery, one at a Jehovah's Witness Church, one behind a Sun Bank, one behind a gas station, one at Depot Park in Jonesborough, and one in a small park on Stage Rd which once was the main road through the town.
Next cache was at Oak Hill School Circa 1886. Oak Hill School, built in Washington County during the first wave of state-funded public schools, was home to first through eighth grade students in the Knob Creek Community, 7 miles from Jonesborough. When road construction threatened the structure, the Jonesborough/Washington County History Museum moved it to its present location behind the Historic Jonesborough Visitors Center. Thanks to the hard work of numerous community volunteers, the school was restored as much as possible to its 1880’s condition. Today, this wonderful structure is the home of The Oak Hill School Heritage Education program, helping students and teachers understand the heritage of our one-room school rural education. The Oak Hill School Heritage Education Program is a “living classroom” which allows a student to spend the day experiencing the life of a young person in 1892. Reading , Writing, Arithmetic, History, Geography, even the pledge…all as it was prior to the turn of the last century. Our curriculum is based on the detailed 1892-1893 diary of a Washington County TN School Superintendent. Students gain an understanding of the lives of their peers through this glimpse of a typical school day. Designed for a single classroom, a day at Oak Hill School is an experience the students will treasure! They even have an old outhouse out back of the school.
Then it was on to Old Jonesborough Cemetery for our last 2 caches of the day a traditional and a multi-cache. The Jonesboro Cemetery is located at the top of the hill off Main Street just east of downtown Jonesborough. It is fairly well cared for but with a number of unmarked graves and many markers in need of repair. The oldest grave dates from 1801, and most graves are from the 19th century. We found the regular cache first and then drove to the multi-cache. It took us awhile to find stage 1 in the woods but we finally located it and we were on to stage 2 which was a historical marker. After finding out what we need to know it was time to sightsee.
We drove into downtown first and walked both sides of the main street taking pictures and seeing many many historical buildings, homes and businesses. Then we got back in the car and drove around the outskirts and saw the rest of the town. We drove back to the RV and had lunch and Mom washed clothes and I showered and did our pictures and when Mom was done washing she did our cache logs. It started to rain about 5:00 and it is still raining now and is supposed to all night. We had dinner and I am doing the blog now and Mom is relaxing watching TV. Well time to say until tomorrow same time, same station but from Max Meadows, VA. We love you all and miss everybody.


Picture List:1-Mustard See Worship Church-these churches were established in 1927 by James and Lillian Dickson in Taiwan, 2-The Lollipop Shop-This store is quite unique because it offers over 400 different types of candy. The kinds of candy they offer are the old-fashion candy sticks, different flavored hard candies, several types of gummy candies, gum, and of course lollipops, 3-The Old Telephone Exchange Building Circa late 1800's is now a law office, 4-Old Masonic Hall Circa 1900-this building once housed the only lodge in America with its founding documents, its dispensation and its charter, signed by a United States president, Andrew Jackson. The ornaments over the windows and the entire cornice are built of galvanized sheet metal and is now a sweet shop, 5-Mansion House-May House Circa 1829-once an inn, this imposing brick structure was a popular stop for travelers on the Stage Road. The second and third floors were used for guests, and the basement housed the slaves' quarters. The dwelling was originally built in the formal but simple Federal style of architecture so prevalent during the early 1800s. The porch was added later and is typical of the Victorian style of a later period. According to Mrs. Caroline May, "The house was built in 1829 by a Mr. Simpson. The bricks were hand fired on the premises. The front porch was hand carved later by a Mr. Sprinkle who took four years to build it.
"The documents creating the East Tennessee and Virginia railroads were signed in the house when it was an inn, 6-The Banking & Trust Building Circa 1886, 7-Lamson Hall Circa 1873-Mr. John L. Lampson is credited for being the first merchant to bring ready-to-wear clothing to Jonesborough. The third floor of this building was used for town events such as plays and vaudeville shows. It also was used as a courtroom when the courthouse was under construction. It is now Cornbread's Coffeehouse & General Store, 8-Museum Warehouse which specializes in Native American and Indonesian crafts, 9-Naff-Henley House Circa 1840-Built by Jacob Naff, Jacob and his brother John had their tailor shop on the main level of this Federal style home, 10-Eureka Inn Circa 1797-in the spring of 1797 Robert Mitchell and his wife Harriett purchased from the town of Jonesborough lot #19 located at the corner of Main Street and First Avenue. The property was sold to him under the stipulation that a dwelling be constructed to meet the standards required for a property located on Main Street. This two story dwelling was built on a stone foundation. Logs were used for floor joist. The dwelling was of mortise and tennon frame. The interior surfaces were wide plank walls, floors, and ceilings. Four fireplaces provided heat. The exterior was covered with clapboard and the roof was shake shingles. In 1851 William Henry Maxwell purchased the property. He then added a two-story addition, consisting of one large room on each level. The room on the first level was built as an elegant parlor with an arched entrance on one end and a fireplace on the other. The room on the second floor, a very large bedroom, would later become famous in Jonesborough as the "Jury Room." The courthouse located at the other end of the block would use this room to sequester a jury of twelve men and a guard. This practice went on for a period of about fifty years. This took place during that period of history when only men could serve on a jury. In 1900 Peter Miller and his wife Harriett purchased this property. Mr. Miller was a man of vision. He appreciated the Greek Revival style of the building and he knew that it was the absolutely perfect location for a hotel, being in the center of everything. The Millers obviously put a great deal of thought into their plan for this hotel. The finished product was beautiful. They added two story additions to the east and south ends of the inn. They also added three beautiful porches on of which is a second story porch spanning the entire length of the front of the Inn. This porch covered the town's brick walkway passing below. A beautiful new standing seam metal roof was installed, replacing the wooden shingles on the old section and covering the new additions. In 1910 J.R. Russell purchased the beautiful Eureka Hotel from the Millers. He intended to make it an even finer hotel. He added three more rooms and the first bathtub with hot and cold running water. All the guests in the hotel had access to this bathtub. It was a claw-footed tub located behind a three-quarter wall. Everyone knew when someone else was using the tub. The sound of splashing water and occasional singing could be heard. Mr. Russell also added three dormer windows to the roof, which serve as skylights in two of the larger bedrooms on the second floor. In 1922 a local justice of the peace, H.M. Gresham, Sr., known as Squire Gresham, bought the hotel from J.R. Russell. He reopened for business as the Gresham Hotel. It would continue to operate under this name for the next forty years. During this time period the hotel gradually evolved into other types of businesses. In the 1950's, a restaurant, grocery store, and a taxi cab business had taken over the ground floor. In the 1960's through the 1990's the hotel gradually fell into a great state of disrepair and there was a real danger that this piece of history might be lost. In the spring of 1997 the hotel was purchased by a small group of folks in Jonesborough. These investors wanted to see this beautiful old hotel restored back to its days of glory. A great deal of time and expense went into the planning process. The challenge was to preserve the charm of this old hotel while blending in the amenities expected in the finest hotel of the new millennium. Three years and two and one half million dollars later, the Eureka reopened under the original name, offering the best of the past and the present. All fifteen guestrooms are decorated with a combination of period antiques and elegant reproductions., 11-Hawley House Bed and Breakfast Circa 1793-The Hawley House has the distinction of being the oldest house in Tennessee's oldest town. The main house was built in 1793 of dovetail chestnut logs on a limestone foundation and other additions have been included through the years, including a veranda which affords a view of the charming village. Innkeeper Marcy is an interior designor and restoration expert, and she and husband R.I.C. furnished the home with authenticity in mind. Colorful rooms feature traditional antique furnishings, quilts and American folk art. Winter guests enjoy a cup of hot cider as they warm up in front of a roaring fire in the Great Room. In the summertime, relaxing on the wraparound porch with a glass of lemonade is the perfect way to cap off the day., 12-Jack Moore, Esq. Looking Glass Maker Shop, 13-Alfred Martin Ray Buffalo Soldier Historic Marker, 14-Blair-Moore House Circa 1832-this two-story brick house was built in 1832. The unusual brick detail work and stepped gables were influenced by Greek revival architecture. The house contains solid brick walls and the original boot scrape is still located in the limestone front steps. Legend is that the property was originally owned by the Bean family. During the restoration/renovation 2 different old foundations from much earlier buildings were found (one under the present house and the other where the terrace is now located). Russell Bean was the first white child born in Tennessee. The Bean family is also noted for being the makers of the famous Bean rifles which are highly sought after today by collectors. The existing house was built in 1832 by John Blair who was a Congressman and an attorney in town. It remained a private residence until the 1920's when it was converted into apartments., 15-Carriage House Bed & Breakfast-this B&B offers many Appalachian Ghost Walks and Ghost Tours Haunted Vacation Packages such as "Spook and Slumber", "Spook and Splash", "Spook and Show", "Spook and Show", "Spook and Spelunk", and "Spook and Study". They will take you to explore the mysteries of our mountain heritage and their lantern-lit tours bring the region's Cherokee Indian, Frontier, Revolutionary and Civil War History to life for all ages., 16-First Baptist Church Circa 1840-the Baptists were the first to have a meeting house in Washington County, with the organizing of the Buffalo Ridge Church by Tidence Lane in 1779. However, it would be 1843 before the first permanent building was erected, a one story building on the north side of Spring Street at South Lincoln Avenue. The congregation quickly outgrew the first building, and in 1852 the existing church was built. For a time the church housed a school for girls, run by Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Keeling, and then later a separate building was erected for the school. Unfortunately, hard times during the Civil War caused the school to close. The Baptist Church was particularly hard-hit during the Cholera Epidemic of 1873, with Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Collins the first Jonesborough residents to be affected and died from the disease. Their pastor, Rev. G. C. Thrasher, stayed in Jonesborough to care for the sick and dying, while many citizens fled the town. He was the last of the congregation to die. This was a severe blow to the congregation, which took many years to recover. Built in the Greek Revival style of architecture. The sanctuary was remodeled in the 1890s, and the original slave gallery was removed., 17-Jonesborough Presbyterian Church Circa 1840-the origin of the Jonesborough Presbyterian Church is the founding of the Hebron Church in 1790 by Rev. Samuel Doak and Hezekiah Balch, and the first real meeting place was a log house built on the property of John McMahon. In 1816 the first permanent church building, a two story brick building which housed the Church and Martin Academy, was built on West Main Street, and from the beginning was too small to accomodate the growning needs of the congregation. In 1831 more land was aquired and a larger building erected, and was later replaced by the existing building in its present location. In 1834 the congregation totaled 96. In April 9, 1840 the name was changed to Jonesborough Presbyterian Church. The choir loft used to be a slave gallery., 18-The Parsons Table Banquet, Party and Reception facility Circa 1870-the Parson's Table, an 1870s gothic revival brick church, can accommodate 120 guests for a sit down event., 19,20-two old toys in front of an antique shop....do you remember them?, 21-Thomas Emmerson Historic marker, 22,23-Christopher Taylor House Circa 1778-This two story log house is considered the oldest structure in Jonesborough. It was moved a field outside town and restored. This two story log house is considered the oldest structure in Jonesborough. It was moved a field outside town and restored., 24-First Abolition Publications Historical marker, 25,25-Sister's Row Circa 1820-After losing his Pennsylvania mercantile fortune through his involvement with financier Robert Morris, in 1801 Mr. Samuel D. Jackson purchased large parcels of land and moved his to east Tennessee. In the 1820's Mr. Jackson built Sisters' Row for his daughters, Susan, Eliza, Caroline and Harriett. It was designed as a Philadelphia style row house containing three separate units, with Elijah Embree as general contractor and John Smith, subcontractor. The porches were added in the 1880s. The family is said to be related to Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, and during the Civil War Alfred Jackson was called "Mudwall Jackson" by the Union soldiers as a sign of grudging admiration for his perseverance., 26-Warner Institute Histroical marker, 27,28-Chester Inn Circa 1797-The Chester Inn, built in 1797 by Dr. William P. Chester of Berlin, Pennsylvania, has earned a reputation as the first boarding house in eastern Tennessee. As the stage coach line developed, the inn was enlarged. The porch and front facade were rebuilt in 1883 in the Italianate style, and the structure has been continuously occupied as an inn, a hotel, and an apartment building. Many famous people have stayed at the inn, including United States Presidents Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk, and Andrew Johnson, and John Sevier, governor of the state of Franklin and Tennessee’s first governor. President Jackson held a reception for his friends on the porch of the inn during the summer of 1832, the year he was elected president for a second term. The Chester Inn is considered the oldest frame structure in Jonesborough. It was here that Andrew Jackson was threatened with tar and feathering.,29-The Salt House Circa 1840's-During the Civil War salt was in short supply in East Tennessee and was rationed. In January 1864 the Washington County Court authorized Jenry Hoss to purchae $4,500 worth of salt with county funds. The salt was stored in the brick warehouse of W.H. Crouch, which was known as the "Salt House" for many years after the war. It is currently being used as a gift shop., 30-Washington County Courthouse Circa 1913-The existing courthouse sits on the site of five previous courthouses. The first meeting place was a log cabin built in 1779 to serve the North Carolina settlements of Nolichucky and Watauga. It was on this site that the pioneers, led by General John Sevier, began to form was has become known as "The Lost State of Franklin." The first larger, more permanent wooden building was completed in the 1780s to house the Court and Jail, replaced in the 1790s by another wooden structure. In 1820 the first brick courthouse was built on the site, but it burned in 1839. Although a new jail was built immediately, the court occupied several rented offices until 1846 when a new courthouse was built- a large, three story brick building with Jonesborough's typical stepped gables and a dome-shaped cupola with a clock face. This building was later town down to make room for the existing Courthouse, built in 1913.,31-The Stocks olden days form of punishment at the Courthouse, 32-Boone Trail Highway marker-between 1913 and 1938 Joesph Hampton Rich a resident of Mocksville, North Carolina, USA took it upon himself to keep the memory of Daniel Boone and his travels alive. He did this by placing 358 metal tablets between Virginia Beach, VA and San Francisco, CA. Interestingly enough, the markers also have a link to more recent history. Supposedly, the tablets were (at least partially) constructed from metal salvaged from the battleship USS Maine, which was sunk during Spanish-American War in 1898. Typically, the tablets were located near schools, government buildings or along old highway routes. Over the years many of the markers have been lost to highway construction and general urban sprawl. In the late-1990s, a group of descendants of Daniel Boone established the Boone Trail Highway & Memorial Re-Association with the intent of locating the markers which remained. Approximately 60 tablets have been located thus far and this is one of the 60 tablets., 33,34,35-Oak Hill School which is mentioned in the blog above....picture 35 is the old outhouse behind the school.