If you are in Tennessee looking for history, Jonesborough is a good place to start. Jonesborough is the oldest city in the state, founded in 1779, and was originally the seat of Washington County in North Carolina. When Tennessee became the 16th state in 1796, Jonesborough became a part of the new state. Much of the historic buildings were restored in the 1970s, like the Chester Inn that was frequented by notable figures like Andrew Jackson.
Not a conventional city, Collinsville is a living history site restored to reflect the period from 1830 to 1870. There are various restored historic buildings on the site, such as log houses, a church and an one-room schoolhouse. Costumed actors conduct tours and interpret life during this time period. Every building on the site has been carefully restored and furnished with authentic furniture and fixtures. The land itself is historically significant. Formerly the homeland of several indigenous Native groups, the site is also 45 miles northwest of Fort Donelson National Battlefield.
Memphis is a city that continues to celebrate its rich history in a number of ways. The city's history can be traced back to indigenous settlements that came into contact with the Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto as early as 1541. The French and British also explored, settled and built on the area for the next few centuries. The city of Memphis was officially founded on May 22, 1819. In 1852, with a population of almost 10,000, Memphis was recognized as a major port city. Annual Mardis Gras festivals have been taking place since 1862, and a restored and redeveloped Beale Street opened as a tourist attraction in 1983.
Rugby was founded in 1880 by British author and social justice advocate Thomas Hughes. The city was founded as a communal agricultural co-operative that would be free of class distinctions. The colony was a success at first, attracting settlers that sympathized with Hughes' vision, and at its peak had 300 residents that inhabited 70 Victorian-styles homes and buildings. A typhoid epidemic and credit problems took their toll in the next few years, and by 1900 many of the original settlers had left. The town was never abandoned, however, and much of the original buildings and farmsteads survived to be seen today.
