Jonesborough, Tennessee
Encyclopedia
Jonesborough is a town in and the county seat
of Washington County, Tennessee
, in the southeastern United States
. The population was 4,168 at the 2000 census. It is Tennessee's oldest town.
Jonesborough is part of the Johnson City
Metropolitan Statistical Area
, which is a component of the Johnson City–Kingsport
–Bristol
, TN-VA
Combined Statistical Area
– commonly known as the "Tri-Cities
" region.
. It was named after North Carolina legislator, Willie Jones, who supported North Carolina's westward expansion over the Appalachian Mountains
.
The town was originally a part of North Carolina
. In 1784, Jonesborough was one of the towns that attempted to create a new state called the State of Franklin
, named after American founding father Benjamin Franklin
. The State of Franklin, however, was never recognized by Congress, and was re-claimed by North Carolina by 1788.
Jonesborough is often considered to be the center of the abolitionist movement within the states that would join the Confederacy
during the American Civil War
. Elihu Embree
printed his publication, The Emancipator, from the town of Jonesborough. Circulation began in 1820, making The Emancipator the first American periodical to be dedicated exclusively to the issue of the abolition of slavery
. While Tennessee would later join the Confederacy, most East Tennesseans had Union leanings.
In the 1840s, Jonesborough was home to the Jonesborough Whig, a polemical newspaper published by William G. "Parson" Brownlow
. Brownlow and rival editor Landon Carter Haynes
brawled in the streets of Jonesborough in May 1840, and over the next several years bashed one another in their respective papers, each managing at times to thwart one another's political ambitions. Haynes left the newspaper business in 1845, and Brownlow (who later served as governor) moved the Whig to Knoxville in 1849.
Today, Jonesborough draws a good deal of tourism because of its historical status as Tennessee's oldest town and its significant historic preservation
efforts. The town's museum describes local heritage of tobacco
farming. The historic Chester Inn, built in 1797, still stands in downtown Jonesborough. The Jonesborough Historic District
was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1969.
A local legend holds that the ghost
of Andrew Jackson
occasionally appears in the vicinity of a cabin in a town park. In 1788, future U.S. president Jackson spent several months in Jonesborough awaiting a caravan. During this time, he lodged in this cabin, which belonged to Major Christopher Taylor and was then located about a mile outside of town. In 1974, this cabin was removed from its original spot and reconstructed in the town's park. The ghost supposedly walks up to the front door and disappears into the building. The ghost has also been reportedly seen walking down the street, in the direction of the old courthouse.
Jonesborough is also the home to the International Storytelling Center, which holds the annual National Storytelling Festival
on the first full weekend in October. The Festival builds on the Appalachia
n cultural tradition of storytelling
and has been drawing people from around the world for more than 35 years to both tell and listen. Large tents are pitched in parks around town and storytellers sit on stages or at the head of the tent to perform. Occasionally performances are interrupted for a moment by a passing Norfolk Southern Railway
train. Past storytellers include Carmen Agra Deedy
, Syd Lieberman
, and Kathryn Tucker Windham
. The festival influenced the development of a successful storytelling graduate degree program at the nearby East Tennessee State University
.
meets the watershed of the Nolichucky River
. The Watauga passes approximately 10 miles (16.1 km) to the northeast of Jonesborough, and the Nolichucky passes roughly 10 miles (16.1 km) to the southwest. The town's principle stream, Little Limestone Creek, is part of the Nolichucky watershed.
Jonesborough is surrounded by low hills and elongated ridges that are characteristic of the Appalachian Ridge-and-Valley Province
. The main crest of the Appalachian Mountains
rises just a few miles southeast of Jonesborough.
Jonesborough is centered around the junction of Andrew Johnson Highway (which is part of both U.S. Route 321
and U.S. Route 11
), which connects the town to Greeneville to the southwest and Johnson City
to the northeast, and Tennessee State Route 81, which connects Jonesborough to Interstate 81
to the northwest and Interstate 26
at Erwin
to the southeast.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 4.3 square miles (11.1 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 4,168 people, 1,660 households, and 1,107 families residing in the town. The population density
was 963.2 people per square mile (371.7/km²). There were 1,771 housing units at an average density of 409.3 per square mile (157.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 93.43% White, 5.54% African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.19% from other races
, and 0.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.82% of the population.
There were 1,660 households out of which 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.3% were married couples
living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the town the population was spread out with 19.5% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 25.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 101.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $32,132, and the median income for a family was $44,167. Males had a median income of $28,906 versus $26,192 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $18,768. About 11.0% of families and 16.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.7% of those under age 18 and 22.5% of those age 65 or over.
.
The Jonesborough Repertory Theatre produces community theater and hosts educational workshops for aspiring actors. The current artistic director is Jonathan McCarter.
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Washington County, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, in the southeastern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 4,168 at the 2000 census. It is Tennessee's oldest town.
Jonesborough is part of the Johnson City
Johnson City, Tennessee
Johnson City is a city in Carter, Sullivan, and Washington counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, with most of the city being in Washington County...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Johnson City metropolitan area
The Johnson City Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of three counties in eastern Tennessee, anchored by the city of Johnson City...
, which is a component of the Johnson City–Kingsport
Kingsport, Tennessee
Kingsport is a city located mainly in Sullivan County with some western portions in Hawkins County in the US state of Tennessee. The majority of the city lies in Sullivan County...
–Bristol
Bristol, Tennessee
Bristol is a city in Sullivan County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 26,702 at the 2010 census. It is the twin city of Bristol, Virginia, which lies directly across the state line between Tennessee and Virginia. The boundaries of both cities run parallel to each other along State...
, TN-VA
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
Combined Statistical Area
Combined Statistical Area
The United States Office of Management and Budget defines micropolitan and metropolitan statistical areas. Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas consist of one or more counties...
– commonly known as the "Tri-Cities
Tri-Cities, Tennessee
In Tennessee and Virginia the name "Tri-Cities" refers to the region comprising the cities of Kingsport, Johnson City and Bristol and the surrounding smaller towns and communities in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia...
" region.
History
Jonesborough was founded in 1779, 17 years before Tennessee became a stateU.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
. It was named after North Carolina legislator, Willie Jones, who supported North Carolina's westward expansion over the Appalachian Mountains
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
.
The town was originally a part of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. In 1784, Jonesborough was one of the towns that attempted to create a new state called the State of Franklin
State of Franklin
The State of Franklin, known also as the Free Republic of Franklin or the State of Frankland , was an unrecognized autonomous United States territory created in 1784 from part of the territory west of the Appalachian Mountains that had been offered,...
, named after American founding father Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...
. The State of Franklin, however, was never recognized by Congress, and was re-claimed by North Carolina by 1788.
Jonesborough is often considered to be the center of the abolitionist movement within the states that would join the Confederacy
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Elihu Embree
Elihu Embree
Elihu Embree was an abolitionist and the publisher of the first newspaper in the United States devoted exclusively to the cause of abolishing slavery.-Early life:...
printed his publication, The Emancipator, from the town of Jonesborough. Circulation began in 1820, making The Emancipator the first American periodical to be dedicated exclusively to the issue of the abolition of slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
. While Tennessee would later join the Confederacy, most East Tennesseans had Union leanings.
In the 1840s, Jonesborough was home to the Jonesborough Whig, a polemical newspaper published by William G. "Parson" Brownlow
William Gannaway Brownlow
William Gannaway "Parson" Brownlow was an American newspaper editor, minister, and politician who served as Governor of the state of Tennessee from 1865 to 1869 and as a United States Senator from Tennessee from 1869 to 1875...
. Brownlow and rival editor Landon Carter Haynes
Landon Carter Haynes, Sr.
Landon Carter Haynes was a prominent Confederate politician during the American Civil War.-Biography:...
brawled in the streets of Jonesborough in May 1840, and over the next several years bashed one another in their respective papers, each managing at times to thwart one another's political ambitions. Haynes left the newspaper business in 1845, and Brownlow (who later served as governor) moved the Whig to Knoxville in 1849.
Today, Jonesborough draws a good deal of tourism because of its historical status as Tennessee's oldest town and its significant historic preservation
Historic preservation
Historic preservation is an endeavor that seeks to preserve, conserve and protect buildings, objects, landscapes or other artifacts of historical significance...
efforts. The town's museum describes local heritage of tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
farming. The historic Chester Inn, built in 1797, still stands in downtown Jonesborough. The Jonesborough Historic District
Jonesborough Historic District
The Jonesborough Historic District is a historic district in Jonesborough, Tennessee that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Jonesboro Historic District in 1969....
was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1969.
A local legend holds that the ghost
Ghost
In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to...
of Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
occasionally appears in the vicinity of a cabin in a town park. In 1788, future U.S. president Jackson spent several months in Jonesborough awaiting a caravan. During this time, he lodged in this cabin, which belonged to Major Christopher Taylor and was then located about a mile outside of town. In 1974, this cabin was removed from its original spot and reconstructed in the town's park. The ghost supposedly walks up to the front door and disappears into the building. The ghost has also been reportedly seen walking down the street, in the direction of the old courthouse.
Jonesborough is also the home to the International Storytelling Center, which holds the annual National Storytelling Festival
National Storytelling Festival
The National Storytelling Festival is held the first full weekend of October in Jonesborough, Tennessee at the International Storytelling Center. The National Storytelling Festival was founded by Jimmy Neil Smith, a high school journalism teacher in 1973...
on the first full weekend in October. The Festival builds on the Appalachia
Appalachia
Appalachia is a term used to describe a cultural region in the eastern United States that stretches from the Southern Tier of New York state to northern Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia. While the Appalachian Mountains stretch from Belle Isle in Canada to Cheaha Mountain in the U.S...
n cultural tradition of storytelling
Storytelling
Storytelling is the conveying of events in words, images and sounds, often by improvisation or embellishment. Stories or narratives have been shared in every culture as a means of entertainment, education, cultural preservation and in order to instill moral values...
and has been drawing people from around the world for more than 35 years to both tell and listen. Large tents are pitched in parks around town and storytellers sit on stages or at the head of the tent to perform. Occasionally performances are interrupted for a moment by a passing Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
train. Past storytellers include Carmen Agra Deedy
Carmen Agra Deedy
Carmen Agra Deedy is an internationally known, award winning author of children’s literature, storyteller and radio contributor. Born in Havana, Cuba, she immigrated to the United States with her family in 1963 after the Cuban Revolution...
, Syd Lieberman
Syd Lieberman
Syd Lieberman is a noted American storyteller who has been telling stories professionally since 1982.He is a frequent performer at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee...
, and Kathryn Tucker Windham
Kathryn Tucker Windham
Kathryn Tucker Windham was an American storyteller, author, photographer, and journalist. She was born in Selma, Alabama and grew up in nearby Thomasville....
. The festival influenced the development of a successful storytelling graduate degree program at the nearby East Tennessee State University
East Tennessee State University
East Tennessee State University is an accredited American university located in Johnson City, Tennessee. It is part of the Tennessee Board of Regents system of colleges and universities, the nation's sixth largest system of public education, and is the fourth largest university in the state...
.
Geography
Jonesborough is located at 36°17′39"N 82°28′21"W (36.294305, -82.472466). The town is situated in an area where the watershed of the Watauga RiverWatauga River
The Watauga River is a large stream of western North Carolina and East Tennessee. It is 60 miles long with its headwaters on the slopes of Grandfather Mountain and Peak Mountain in Watauga County, North Carolina.-Hydrography:...
meets the watershed of the Nolichucky River
Nolichucky River
The Nolichucky River is a major stream draining the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina and east Tennessee. The river is long.-Hydrography:...
. The Watauga passes approximately 10 miles (16.1 km) to the northeast of Jonesborough, and the Nolichucky passes roughly 10 miles (16.1 km) to the southwest. The town's principle stream, Little Limestone Creek, is part of the Nolichucky watershed.
Jonesborough is surrounded by low hills and elongated ridges that are characteristic of the Appalachian Ridge-and-Valley Province
Ridge-and-valley Appalachians
The Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, also called the Ridge and Valley Province or the Valley and Ridge Appalachians, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division and are also a belt within the Appalachian Mountains extending from southeastern New York through northwestern New...
. The main crest of the Appalachian Mountains
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
rises just a few miles southeast of Jonesborough.
Jonesborough is centered around the junction of Andrew Johnson Highway (which is part of both U.S. Route 321
U.S. Route 321
U.S. Route 321 is a spur of U.S. Route 21. It runs for 526 miles from South Carolina to Tennessee. The northern terminus of U.S. 321 is between Lenoir City and Oak Ridge, Tennessee, at Interstate 40 exit 364, which is about 4 miles west of Interstate 40's junction with Interstate 75...
and U.S. Route 11
U.S. Route 11
U.S. Route 11 is a north–south United States highway extending 1,645 miles across the eastern United States. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 90 in the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge in eastern New Orleans, Louisiana. The northern terminus is at the United...
), which connects the town to Greeneville to the southwest and Johnson City
Johnson City, Tennessee
Johnson City is a city in Carter, Sullivan, and Washington counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, with most of the city being in Washington County...
to the northeast, and Tennessee State Route 81, which connects Jonesborough to Interstate 81
Interstate 81
Interstate 81 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern part of the United States. Its southern terminus is at Interstate 40 in Dandridge, Tennessee; its northern terminus is on Wellesley Island at the Canadian border, where the Thousand Islands Bridge connects it to Highway 401, the main freeway...
to the northwest and Interstate 26
Interstate 26
Interstate 26 is a nominally east–west main route of the Interstate Highway System in the Southeastern United States. I-26 runs from the junction of U.S. Route 11W and U.S. Route 23 in Kingsport, Tennessee, generally southeastward to U.S. Route 17 in Charleston, South Carolina...
at Erwin
Erwin, Tennessee
Erwin is a town in and the county seat of Unicoi County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 5,610 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnson City Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a component of the Johnson City–Kingsport–Bristol, TN-VA Combined Statistical Area...
to the southeast.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 4.3 square miles (11.1 km²), all of it land.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 4,168 people, 1,660 households, and 1,107 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 963.2 people per square mile (371.7/km²). There were 1,771 housing units at an average density of 409.3 per square mile (157.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 93.43% White, 5.54% African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.19% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.82% of the population.
There were 1,660 households out of which 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the town the population was spread out with 19.5% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 25.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 101.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $32,132, and the median income for a family was $44,167. Males had a median income of $28,906 versus $26,192 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $18,768. About 11.0% of families and 16.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.7% of those under age 18 and 22.5% of those age 65 or over.
Recreation
Appalachian Ghost Walks, a ghost tour company that specializes in the "haunted" history of the Appalachian Mountains, has established a ghost tour of Jonesborough's downtown historic districtJonesborough Historic District
The Jonesborough Historic District is a historic district in Jonesborough, Tennessee that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Jonesboro Historic District in 1969....
.
The Jonesborough Repertory Theatre produces community theater and hosts educational workshops for aspiring actors. The current artistic director is Jonathan McCarter.
Notable residents
- Amy ColleyAmy ColleyAmy Estella Colley is a beauty queen from Jonesborough, Tennessee who has competed in the Miss USA pageant. She graduated from David Crockett High School in 2002....
-- 2005 Miss Tennessee USA - Alfred Eugene Jackson -- Farmer and merchant, and a founder of the East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad. Jackson served in the Confederate army during the American Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and was the only General on either side from Washington County. During the nearby battle at Limestone, TennesseeLimestone, TennesseeLimestone is an unincorporated community on the western border of Washington County and the eastern border of Greene County in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Tennessee. Its zip code is 37681...
, his troops captured approximately 300 soldiers from the 100th Ohio Infantry (US), along with their Enfield rifles and ammunition. The local chapter of the Sons of Confederate VeteransSons of Confederate VeteransSons of Confederate Veterans is an American national heritage organization with members in all fifty states and in almost a dozen countries in Europe, Australia and South America...
is named after General Jackson. - Andrew JacksonAndrew JacksonAndrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
-- Seventh President of the United States - Alfred Martin Ray, Buffalo Soldier, served in the U.S. Army from 1872 to 1903, planted the US flag on San Juan Hill on July 1, 1898.