Heritage Alliance

06/05/2026

Hello Everyone!!!!
Welcome to the first post of our new summer series: Intern Takeover. My name is Nathan Starnes, and I am an intern here at Heritage Alliance for the summer. I am very excited to be doing this series and be working for the Heritage Alliance. I'll be here working with our normal staff and volunteers all throughout June and July, especially during Heritage Fair/Jonesborough Days (which all of you should definitely attend, it's going to be so much fun!) So if you recognize me from my posts, please say hello. I'd love to meet you!

Before I get into what all of my pictures are about, I'd like to introduce myself to you all! I am a rising Sophomore at Berea College in Berea, Kentucky, and am working with Heritage Alliance through their Off-Campus Work-Learning Service Program. I am a history major (undeclared minor), and my favorite class I took last year was called Medieval Animals. Even though I go to college in Kentucky, I am from Johnson City, so I'm pretty local to Jonesborough. This series is to show you all what I am working on throughout the weeks. Expect some goofy additions here and there, as I am very serious about being silly because it makes life fun.

Anywho, I am going to go through the pictures I've added and add a bit of description to each of them below this. If you all have any questions or comments about me, my work, or anything, please comment! I'd love to hear from you all!

Photo 1: Cover photo I made for the Intern Takeover series
Photo 2: Me (on the left, slightly taller than the children, in Heritage Alliance shirt) giving a textiles tour to kids during our weaving event. P.S. This happened on my second day of work.
Photo 3: At my desk (it has the best view in Duncan House, don't let anyone else tell you any different), working on some signage for Jonesborough Days (please come, I promise it'll be fun)
Photo 4: A video taken before the Statehood Day celebration as people began gathering as music played
Photo 5: Picture of the courthouse as Statehood Day services began
Photo 6: The Jonesborough Washington County Visitor's Center Museum as we are currently working to put up the new exhibit (Grand opening July 3rd, during Jonesborough Days, museum currently closed to the public)
Photo 7: Our current desk set up as we research for the new exhibit and look through relevant materials we have in our collection.
Photo 8: An empty display case that will eventually hold some of our exhibit items
Photo 9: The backroom of our archives where we keep the documents like newspapers and photos
Photo 10: A shelf in our objects archive room, there are plenty more shelves besides this one too
Photo 11: Jonesborough Washington County Visitor's Center Museum catalogue of all the objects and documents in our possession; I spent most of this week in the areas of photos 9, 10, and 11, finding and pulling relevant items for our new exhibit.
Photo 12: The old Andrew Jackson tavern sign in our warehouse, which town celebrity, Gordon (everyone knows that man), took me to look around in
Photo 13: My wonderful boss posing with her favorite item from the textiles exhibit we took town this week. (P.S. I'm not just saying she's wonderful because she approves my timesheets, I couldn't ask for a better boss!)

If you're still here after reading all of that, I hope you enjoyed and I'll talk to you all next week for Week 3!

06/05/2026

We had a wonderful time celebrating statehood day (Tennssee turned 230 on Monday) with our town and county!

The Washington County quilt is up in the courthouse, the SAR did a beautiful display with the Pledge of Allegiance, and our friends at both the Washington County Archives aand the Town of Jonesborough worked hard to make this possible! Our volunteer, Paul Harris, gave a great speech on this history of this region, as did former director, Anne Mason,, and the much loved Judge Kiener. Our county Mayor gave some inspiring remarks on how special it is to be a part of this community.

It's our honor at the Heritage Alliance to continue sharing history and getting to be a part of these events!

06/04/2026

We are so excited to be at the Statehood Day celebrations tomorrow. Please join us and the Washington County Archives as we celebrate with the county and the town! After the event, you can check out the quilt and the Chester Inn State Historic Site & Museum across the road for more info on Washington County and Jonesborough history!

❤️🇺🇸💙
Please join us tomorrow (Friday) at noon for a celebration on the steps of the historic courthouse in Jonesborough. We are celebrating Tennessee Statehood (June 1), America's 250th birthday (July 4), and the "Washingtons Unite" quilt on display inside the courthouse! The event will likely last under an hour, and someone will be inside with the quilt until 3:00 p.m. to answer any questions. It's sure to be a good day!

06/03/2026

Hang out with us at the Washington County Public Libraries from 6:00 to 7:30 in Jonesborough tomorrow evening for an all ages trivia to help them kick off their summer reading program!

If you like reading, history, and having fun, then this program is for you! You can email [email protected] for more information or to register!

05/29/2026

Next month, the Heritage Alliance is partnering with the Washington County Public Libraries to host two FREE summer programs at Old Jonesborough Cemetery!

June 11th at 2:00 PM will be the children's cemetery tour and scavenger hunt. This program will last about an hour, and you can register by calling (423)477-2027 or emailing [email protected].

June 24th at 2:00 PM will be the adult cemetery tour. This program will last about an hour, and you can register by calling (423)753-1800 or in person at the Jonesborough library front desk.

05/28/2026

History Happy Hour ft Tipton Haynes

05/28/2026

We hope to see you at tonight's History Happy Hour!

Chester Inn Museum Board Room at 6PM

This month's History Happy Hour will be on Thursday, May 28th at the Chester Inn Board Room from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM! Our speaker will be Hannah Decker from Tipton-Haynes State Historic Site.

"Hannah Decker is a recent graduate of Milligan University where she received her Master’s in Education. She joined the staff at Tipton-Haynes as an interpreter in May 2025 after completing her Bachelor’s in Music Education, also at Milligan. Her future plan is to become a music teacher at the elementary or middle school level.

The history of Tipton-Haynes spans back to the Ice Age with the formation of our naturally formed limestone cave. The grounds also contain a buffalo trace, which are indentions left in the ground by buffalo hoofs. The first inhabitant of our site, Colonel John Tipton, moved to the area (then North Carolina) in 1783. Tipton was a politician and recruiting officer in the militia during the Revolutionary War (1776-1783). He would become most well-known for his opposition to the State of Franklin, an illegal state fighting for influence over North Carolina, led by John Sevier. Ultimately, Sevier and Tipton would battle at our site in late February 1788 after Tipton order the local sheriff to seize Sevier’s property for owed taxes. Tipton proved successful and Sevier’s loss essentially ended Franklin’s time as a state. After John Tipton’s death, his son John Tipton Jr. moved into the home and began making improvements on his father’s one and half story log cabin, turning into a two story, Federal-style farmhouse. Tipton Jr. lived in the home until his death in 1831 and his children held on to the property until 1837 at which point David Haynes purchased it. Two years later, David gifted the property to his oldest son, Landon Carter Haynes, as a gift for him and his new bride, Eleanor. Landon would be a politician, lawyer, newspaper editor, and Confederate senator. Landon would also make additions to the home, including the ‘ell’ porch containing a dining room and kitchen. The Haynes family would maintain ownership of the property until the end of the Civil War at which point it was seized by the federal government. Eventually, the home went to Landon’s niece, Sarah Simerly, and her two sons, Samuel and Lawson. Sarah lived in the home until her death in 1935, while her two sons remained there until their deaths in 1962."

05/27/2026

Facts, Fiction & Footnotes, our history book club, will meet soon! Join us at 12:30PM at the Chester Inn Museum Board Room (located behind the museum) for a fun history chat on Miracle at Philadelphia by Catherine Drinker Bowen. You don't have to had read the book to come hang out and enjoy lunch with us!

05/18/2026

There are a few spots still available in the Hands on History Weaving Workshop in partnership with the Heritage Alliance for 3rd-5th grade!
Students will explore history in a creative and hands-on way with a special textiles and weaving workshop inspired by the “Stories by the Stitch” exhibit at the Jonesborough Washington County History Museum.
Taking place on Thursday, May 28th, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM, this free workshop will begin with the Heritage Alliance team sharing examples of regional textiles, discussing the history and importance of textile creation, and offering students the chance to handle real artifacts. Following the historical lesson, the McKinney Center team will lead a weaving workshop.
Students will work on small frame looms, learning basic weaving vocabulary and applying what they learned to their weaving projects.
Students will be encouraged to experiment with different types of yarn to create their own unique woven piece to take home.
Materials will be provided. Space is limited to 16 students. This workshop will take place at the Jonesborough Washington County History Museum, located in the Jonesborough Visitors Center.
Event Details:
📍 Location: Drop off and pick up at the Jonesborough Visitor Center
🕰 Time: 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
🎟 Cost: Free
👧 Ages: Grades 3 through 5
🔗 Register: https://tinyurl.com/22zrvhhp

05/18/2026

With America 250 coming up, it's the perfect time to read about the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and the creation of the Constitution of the United States! We'll be discussing Miracle at Philadelphia by Catherine Drinker Bowen on Wednesday, May 27th at 12:30 PM inside the Chester Inn Museum Board Room.