A surprisingly well-executed ensemble, the museum and coal mine tour (most recommended) manage to…read morerecreate much of the history and feel of what it was like to live in the unimaginably cloistered world of a coal mine and camp. The museum has several fine displays, including a re-creation of a typical coal miner's home, an excellent collection of the equipment miners used, to maps, knick-knacks, and memorials. The upper floor's ode to Loretta Lynn is a disjointed effort that is heavy on schmaltz. Skip it. Stick with the lower two floors to optimize your visit. The real star of the show is the trip inside the mountain via Portal 31 aboard a small mine train. Note: If you are even the slightest bit claustrophobic, you may want to reconsider this part of the visit, as the tour goes approximately 3/4 of a mile inside the mountain through dark tunnels. Even of you are a native of SE Kentucky, there is no shame in feeling at least somewhat nervous about entering a mine. However, the tour is safe, well led, and there are quality animatronics, TV screens, and audio sections that keep you connected to civilization. Keep in mind that the size of the mine tunnel is much, much larger than the ones miners generally entered. Relatively speaking, this trip is a breeze. Do not skip the delicious coffee shop across the street from Portal 31 in Lynch. The quality is terrific and the owners are very knowledgable about the history of Lynch.

I'm not from Harlan County but in my time living here I have come to see how much mining and the…read morehistory of mining is deeply woven into the fabric of this region. So I knew at some point I had to check out this museum. My mother came along with me and we enjoyed each of the little vignette-type displays representing mining life. As much as this is a museum of coal mining and the coal mining culture, it is also a flashback to earlier American culture. I enjoyed the recreations of the old 1940s kitchens and the display of the old physician's equipment. It's also important that the museum showcases the x-rays depicting the Black Lung that now is just as representative of the coal life as anything else. In a region where coal is still King, this museum was a great way to look back at how far it's come and see how much has been lost.

My husband and I came here and I am so happy we did ! They charged a small fee to get in - I think…read morewe paid 6.00 ! The museum was so informative and so very interesting to us both ! It gave a lot of history if you take the time to read the writings - lots of photos as well ! It is on the beautiful grounds of LMU! I highly recommend this amazing museum .

I've been meaning to post this review for awhile. The museum is undergoing some renovations. It…read morewas enlightening to learn about more of the local history. We enjoyed a self guided tour of the home and a trip to the gift shop. General Longstreet was an excellent tactician with a heart for his men. It was interesting to learn that he was often in disagreement with General Lee, especially over Gettysburg and Pickett's Charge. After the War, he supported his longtime friend and once adversary, President Grant. He was also in support of Reconstruction and healing a nation. Glad to have this museum and the very helpful curator in our community.

Mr. William Nenney's house is probably not much to look at on the outside. It's not ostentatious…read more It's really rather simple. But the hard wood floors creak with charm and the small handful of Nenney family historical pieces bring it to life. Overall, it's very well preserved and chock-full of archives from the Civil War. Beyond showcasing Longstreet, actually the interior is full of information, anecdotes and historical tidbits about East Tennessee's fascinating role during several campaigns. And since I'm particularly intrigued with both those things this visit was a real treat for me! I told my tour guide that I was just passing through and that we needed to be quick. She understood and made accommodations. She was so sweet and just let me tour around the house at my pace while she stood nearby to answer questions. You can tell she really loved giving tours, especially to the school kids as she tells me. She says, "You realize, you are walking around the same place where Longstreet marched around in his boots. Right?" Well, yeah. When you put it that way it makes this house really cool. If you want you can time your visit around a reenactment which they host seasonally. Besides that, there's no blood or gore or big elaborate exhibit at this museum. Mainly just a select few artifacts and the rest is knowledge and oral storytelling and trinkets passed down from nearby families. At the adjacent visitor center you can pull out a read from one of the dozens of notebooks, binders, and archives of paper, print and historical record. It's really great preservation work. You'll just have to visit the Nenney house to see for yourself. There's lots to learn.

We had some time in Downtown Knoxville and decided to check out the mansion. The staff are super…read morenice, and we enjoyed talking with them. We were given a tour with just our family which was really cool. We all really loved the tour. It was great for our son who could touch a lot of objects. They also had a table to try and write with a quill. I would recommend the mansion if you love history.

This is a very well landscaped and very well preserved mansion, that was Built-in 1792. Governor…read moreWilliam Blount and his family resided here.The mansion sits up on a Hill overlooking the Tennessee river. There are some very old antiques inside the mansion and most of the mansion is all original. All of the rooms were pretty large and had high ceilings about 10 ft. There are beautiful gardens out side and around the building. This mansion is located downtown Knoxville and the courthouse is right down the street. It was very cool to see how they lived way back then with no electric. They had candlelight chandeliers and wood burning stove. All their equipment they used to make their clothes and their food was all original as far as I know. There was 3 or 4 outside buildings as well that was used for their equipment and their work.

Fantastic museum, be sure to leave plenty of time when you visit!…read more We arrived late in the day and had to speed through the full area, but Jana was great and told us which of the buildings were don't-miss. We could've easily spent a second hour just in the museum buildings, let alone the preserved cabins and houses - and then we were cornered by the peacocks near the end of the route! The gift shop is excellent too, although it is a little weird to see things from 1982 in a museum. Staff were all super friendly and the site was easy enough to get in and out, just make sure to bring your walking shoes!

Surprised at how well exhibited the museum is! It's a fairly large outdoor exhibit. If you're a…read moresenior, you might want to ho when it's cooler out. Highly recommended!

Such a cute little stop. Expect to spend 5-20 mins here. The museum is just one room and has a…read moreguestbook you can sign.

Awesome museum! Great stop! Free of charge. Stopped in after hiking the Tri-state peak trail. It's…read morenot big, but it is air conditioned. It won't take you long to go through it, but it's worth your time if you are in the area.

Currently open on the first Saturday of the month, 10 to 2, for those interested in seeing inside…read morewhat provided travel across America for fifty years before aviation travel. See also how employees rode in the now defunct cabooses

The docents at the museum are very friendly and helpful! When I called prior to our visit, they…read morelet me know that putting in a slightly different address would be more helpful for navigation. Unfortunately, our appointment was after dark and the parking area is not lit, but we were still able to find it easily. The tour was fascinating and proceeded at a good pace. The docents being in period costumes was fun. The details and stories were fascinating! Highly recommend the tour!

The history in Knoxville Tenn. and these houses that tell a tale or more!…read more There is actually a passport you can purchase which gives a history and listing of all the homes to see. A $40.00 price which turns out to be about half of what you'd pay if you choose to see all theses homes!! Great deal Our guide was a historian and if he had been my history teacher I would have gotten all A's in history!! The story behind all who dwelt in this home.. oh my... and the money and the purchasing of slaves History and hardship and quite a harlequin tale on top of it all.. and the diet Miss ALICE complied to to keep that figure. She died of starvation! Quite a tale... house number one and the rest to come.. enjoy history and information the grounds and the education!!! Great experience !! Another must do... for y'all!!