Been driving through this part of Tennessee for the last 10 years or so and have been wanting to…read morevisit here that whole time. Finally made it. I've have visited 3 other shuttered prisons over the years and they all are pretty neat. This one was physically the smallest but was very impressive. We did like most folks and did the self guided tour. Took us about 2 hours and I think we visited everything that was open. They claimed that former staff or guides would be around to answer questions- sadly I never seen anyone. Now reasoning for my rating was based on not seeing staff for questions as well as the price. I know it's a neat historic place but $25 a person was a bit high. They did offer a small discount for military but again a self guided tour for $25 was a bit much. So I do recommend this historic place. But be aware of the cost and that your questions might not be answered.

What a cool stop!! Soooo much to see! The Jail, the offices, a dog rescue building and all the…read moregrounds with the original items. Not too far off the beaten path for driving and a beautiful area!

Very very interesting! We stumbled upon this special birthplace and the rich history surrounding…read moreit. Cordell Hull had a fascinating life and among others positions, was the Secretary of State. A TN native, Cordell do so very much for our state. I would have liked to have seen more of his archives, sadly the door for more viewing was locked and there never was a Ranger on site. Walking through the humble beginnings of his father & mother 'a share cropper's family was fascinating.

Cordell Hull was the Secretary of State under president Franklin D. Roosevelt, and helped to create…read morethe United Nations and received a Nobel Peace Prize for it. . He was born on this property in 1871 here in Byrdstown, Tennessee. The 58 acres was purchased by Tennessee in the 1960s, and for a couple of decades, it was managed by neighboring state parks. It was formally established as its own thing in 1997. Today, it hosts a museum, the Cordell Hull collection of effects and archives, a replica cabin, picnic sites, and a 2.5 mile hiking loop to a cave.

Enjoyed this tour with Roger and we learned many things about William Blount. Once you step inside…read morethe house you're truly stepping back in time, the smell included, not a bad smell at all, but the scent of what a centuries old house would bring to mind. The original hardwood floor is what you notice first and the rest is just awe-inspiring as well. Please see it!

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.

My nephew and I recently toured Falcon Rest Mansion & Gardens. Our tour guide George was very…read moreknowledgeable and an awesome tour guide. We got to see the room where my sister and I were born when it was a hospital. The house has been beautifully restored. I would highly recommend anyone to take a tour of this historical Mansion.

Hubby & I enjoyed our day at Falcon Rest! George & Charlene has single handedly renovated this…read morebeautiful home and grounds for decades. That sweet couple saw an abandoned place (a land mark community hone) and knew they could fix it to nearly the original splendor. It is soooo worth spending the day there, and take advantage of the sweet little cafe. We just loved our lunch. The home was built with all the modern conveniences when indoor plumbing or electric were unheard of! It saw many different owners, including a doctor who turned the home into a hospital! It was even where the first hip surgery was ever done in the county. A must see!!!

Very cool historical pit stop! This is Fort Williams in the city of Glasgow. This was a union troop…read morefort during the civil war. Confederate troops attacked this fort. The site is nice and clean and kept up. You have a 360 view of the area. It is in the middle of a cemetery. You can also find historical graves. The signs give some info on the site and there's a cool cannon. Nice break to take to check out a historical civil war fort. You don't need much time here, maybe 10 minutes to enjoy the view and sites

Today was amazing! We went to see a castle right here in Tennessee! Floyd "Junior" Banks built the…read morecastle out in Loudon County TN called the Greenback Castle or Fortress of Faith. He dedicated this castle to the Lord and encourages everyone to come out and see it for themselves. He never charges a fee to visit, but donations are very much appreciated. He was excited to meet us and take us for a tour. He is a fascinating gentleman with some really interesting stories. He built the castle himself with donated items over the past 30 years and still works on it. Junior told us he never used a level or measuring device, God guides him. He lives in a house nearby on the many acres of property. I highly recommend touring this incredible castle (AT YOUR OWN RISK) and spending some time listening to Junior. I immediately went on Amazon and bought 2 of his books because he was so intriguing. Fortress of Faith: Art, Science, and Divine Intervention at the Greenback Castle What In Another World Is Going On At The Greenback Castle?

(Not a restaurant) If you love the bizarre and unique visit…read morethe Greenback Castle. A retired old gentleman built this "art project " over 30+ years. And loves to greet people and explain the (mostly religious) meaning of all displays. Fun, weird, unique!

I love the history behind tiny cemeteries like this one inside Great Smokey Mountain National Park…read more Old Elkmont Cemetery is a bear to find because there is no internet connectivity within the area. But we found it on a side road by a stroke of luck. Elkmont was a small logging and tourist town established in the late 1800's. A train travelled between the town and Knoxville. The town slowly met its demise after the automobile replaced train travel and the region became part of the GSMNP. Today, the town is referred to as a ghost town. I did not see any evidence of buildings, but I have read that the land the town covered is now a Park campground. The cemetery is marked by a wooden sign hanging between two posts. A short walk leads to the gate of the cemetery, which is easy to open. The cemetery has over 100 markers dating from late 1800's to recent times. Many of the headstones mark infants and young children. Carved stone lambs top many of the children's headstones. The cemetery is beautiful and peaceful surrounded by dense forest. The cemetery is maintained with evidence of frequent visitors to these pioneers of the region. There is a nearby area to park in a large circle.

A bit off the beaten path but well worth the adventure, Absolutely stunning. The gate has a latch…read morebut it's open all the time. Absolutely beautiful and a great source of the local history. The masonary work is outstanding and so beautiful, the drive to the area is also very scenic in the great smoky mountains.

We saw the Tempest here at the outdoor theater. It's honestly a hidden gem. Tucker away from the…read moreheart of the downtown Mufreesboro off the beaten path. It has mature trees, hidden theatre, beautiful flowers, and a picture book surroundings.

If you're into history and into old homes- this is a must! Such an incredible place with so much…read morehistory. We had a self guided tour however James was so epic and told us so many incredible facts, filled with knowledge and very friendly! We then walked around the mansion and explored/ read a lot about the home and its occupants. It took us about 2 hours. There was more to explore and we were on a time crunch but couldn't stayed longer. Such a great place for an incredible ticket price. Happy to comeback here soon. Thank you to the staff who were all friendly (:

I'm always all in when it comes to historic bridges especially when I can experience them first…read morehand and if I can walk across them then that's gets it to a entirely different level. I actually found this foot bridge by happenstance, I was driving down the highway and saw it connecting the two sides of the river, which is the intended purpose. Getting to this little gems is quite tricky and as you approach it on the residential side of the river you may be a little hesitant to pull into the narrow lane that sits between two homes but trust me the neighbors know what they have on the backside of their riverfront property - one friendly owner was outside and invited me in to check it out. These bridges are so cool but they were simply constructed to provide a solution which was "to get to the other side" I'm sure there is some correlation to "why did the chicken cross the road" but I'm not certain. The water below was running at a good pace and is very shallow you definitely wouldn't want to jump from or fall from this bridge the rocks would break you fall immediately after the splash. You could probably see everything you want to see here in about 10 minutes I stayed about 20 minutes - besides the bridge being super cool and the fact that it is historic there is more to it, the "love lock" phenomenon which symbolizes "unbreakable love" has attached itself to the structure. The love padlock phenomenon is like a weird alien growth that just won't die so think about this before placing your lock...

A little awkward to find but so beautiful!! It's lovely and well worth the hunt. Lots of fun. We…read morealso saw turtles near the creek below

I will have to go back again to see the gorgeous sights of the Yahoo Falls. However the sun was…read moregetting close to setting so myself and my hiking buddy (aka my dog) we went the overlook and what a gorgeous site that is to see. That overlook area is to the left of the hiking trail and just for a minute you get to take in the beauty that nature gives us and forget everything else. I hope to visit again in the spring with the pupper to see the magnificent sight of the Yahoo Falls and Arch

Very pretty dog friendly hike. Luckily it was a rainy day so the waterfall was flowing. It's the…read moretallest waterfall in Kentucky.