Just northeast of downtown, this marker offers a compact but surprisingly rich window into the…read moreearly story of Jonesboro, a place that has worn its age and significance with quiet confidence for well over two centuries. It stands along a calm stretch of road where the modern town gives way to older rhythms, and it rewards a short stop if you enjoy seeing how the earliest threads of Tennessee history were woven. It reads, "Jonesboro, Oldest Town in Tennessee. Formally established in 1779, by the General Assembly of North Carolina, as county seat of Washington County, first county west of the mountains. In 1784, the State of Franklin was organized here, with Jonesboro as its first capital." It is marker 1A-81 and it was erected by the Tennessee Historical Commission. If you're already exploring downtown or visiting the nearby courthouse, it's an easy and worthwhile detour, offering a moment to stand where some of the earliest chapters of Tennessee's civic life began. [Review 90 of 2026 - 593 in Tennessee - 25280 overall]

Just a few blocks from the center of Jonesborough, this marker offers a welcome shift from the…read moreusual Southern rhythm of Colonial and Civil War history that defines so much of Tennessee's oldest town. Instead of recounting a battle or an early settlement, it pauses to honor an individual whose life stretched from enslavement to distinguished military service, and whose story links this quiet corner of Washington County to events that shaped the nation far beyond it. The marker has the same text on both sides. It reads, "Alfred Martin Ray, Buffalo Soldier. circa 1849-1917. On July 1, 1898, Lt. Ray planted the United States flag on San Juan Hill, Cuba, amid a hail of enemy bullets during the Spanish-American War. For his heroic courage in action, Ray received a battlefield promotion. He served in the U.S. Army from 1872 to 1903, first in the Indian Wars as a Buffalo Soldier (10th U.S. Cavalry, Colored), later in Cuba and the Philippines. Born a slave on the Ray farm near Jonesboro, he purchased Woodrow Avenue property in 1904. Alfred M. Ray is buried in College Hill Cemetery." It is marker number 1A-109 and it was erected by the Tennessee Historical Commission. Standing here, the story feels more immediate than a line of text can suggest. Ray's life spanned Reconstruction, westward conflict, overseas war, and the long struggle for recognition that followed. Seeing his name in Jonesborough, not far from where he was born enslaved, underscores the distance he traveled in both geography and circumstance. Having visited the Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument in Wilberforce and spent time with the broader history of the regiment, this marker carries an added weight. It ties the national narrative back to a single Tennessean whose service and sacrifice deserve to be remembered in the very place his journey began. [Review 92 of 2026 - 595 in Tennessee - 25282 overall]

This marker is along Watauga and there is a spot to stop and read the marker. It is next to Carver…read morePark. It has the same text on both sides. The marker reads, "On September 2, 1811, James Nelson deeded to trustees William Nelson, William Duzan, James King, Jacob Hoss and John R. Boring, 4 acres and 8 poles to be used by the Methodist Episcopal Church for a house of worship. For many years a campground for religious meetings was maintained here with a central permanent tent and many family tents. During the Civil War Col. Robert Love's 62nd N.C. Regiment, CSA used the ground as a camp." It is marker number 1A-89 and it was erected by the Tennessee Historical Commission. It does not have a date for when it was installed but it is well faded. [Review 266 of 2025 - 570 in Tennessee - 23829 overall]

On my way through Johnson City and looking for a place to get a meal, I spotted this marker and…read morestopped to read the history of this small city. There is parking nearby and restaurants. The marker reads, "The town was formerly known as Green Meadows, Blue Plum, Johnson's Depot, Haynesville, then Johnson City. It is situated on land grants of 1782 to Robert and Joseph Young and in 1792 to Joseph Tipton. The town charter was repealed in 1879, but incorporated in 1885. The name honors Henry Johnson, prominent merchant and postmaster. As industrial and educational center, it is the home of Milligan College, East Tennessee State University, and Steed College." It is marker number 1A-93 and was erected by the Tennessee Historical Commission. [Review 20376 overall - 476 in Tennessee - 1354 of 2023.]

Set just a short walk from the Erwin Town Hall and the Unicoi County Courthouse, this marker gives…read morea clear, compact look at how both the county and the town took shape, and there is convenient parking nearby so you can step out and read it without any trouble. It feels like one of those spots where the civic heart of a place is still visible in the layout of the streets and the cluster of public buildings, and the marker ties that present-day setting back to the choices made during Reconstruction and the decades that followed The front reads, "Unicoi County. Unicoi County was formed during the Reconstruction era from parts of Washington and Carter counties on March 23, 1875. Representative Alfred A. Taylor introduced a bill in the Tennessee Legislature and insisted that the county's name come from a Cherokee word representing the fog-draped Unaka Mountains. The first meeting for the elected officials was January 3, 1876, at the Indian Creek Baptist Church. For the Centennial in 1975, the motto on the new seal of Unicoi County was "The Valley Beautiful."" And the reverse, "The Town Of Erwin. The town was laid out in March of 1876 on land donated by David J.N. Ervin, William Love, and G. Garland for the creation of a county seat. Vanderbilt was the town's first name. In 1879, the state approved a new name of Ervin, but a United States Post Office mix-up gave the town its lasting name of Erwin. Earlier postal designations of Greasy Cove, Unaka, and Longmire identified the area. In 1891, Erwin was incorporated and the Board of Mayor and Aldermen met in 1892." It is marker number 1A-130 and it was erected by the Tennessee Historical Commission. It is an easy and worthwhile stop if you're exploring the center of town. [Review 104 of 2026 - 602 in Tennessee - 25294 overall]

This marker on the side of the highway recalls a number of important local heroes. It reads, "Built…read moreabout 1818 by Mary ("Polly") Patton Taylor, widow of Gen. Nathaniel Taylor, of the War of 1812. Both are buried in the cemetery nearby. Among their great-grandsons were Governors Alfred A. and Robert L. Taylor, of Tennessee, and Nathaniel Harris, of Georgia." Online, there is more information. "Sabine Hill, also known as Happy Valley, Watauga Point, and the General Nathaniel Taylor House, is a historic house in Elizabethton, Tennessee. The two-story Federal style building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. It is an excellent example of federal architecture. It was threatened by demolition in 2007 when the owners sought to have the property rezoned for apartments. The rezoning request was denied and the home was bought by several preservation-minded locals who secured it until the State of Tennessee/Tennessee Historical Commission could purchase the museum-quality property. It is now restored and opened to the public on November 1, 2017 as a unit of Sycamore Shoals State Park. The property is operated by the Park under a memorandum of understanding with the Tennessee Historical Commission." "Brigadier General Nathaniel Taylor began building Sabine Hill between 1814 and 1816, after returning home to Elizabethton following the War of 1812. Taylor had been one of the earliest settlers in Elizabethton, having arrived as a boy around 1780 when his family migrated from Rockbridge County, Virginia to the settlement along the Watauga River." "The house is built on a two-story I-house plan with a five-bay front facade. It has a foundation of limestone quarried in the local area. The exterior walls are built from logs that are completely covered by clapboard siding. The floors are random-width pine laid over hand-hewn timber joists. There are brick chimneys on both ends of the structure." I did not have time today to visit the actual house, but it's bookmarked for a future visit to Eastern Tennessee. [Review 13449 overall, 768 of 2020.]

This marker is located along a quiet country road and points out some of the earliest colonial…read morehistory in the area. There is space to pull over. Of course, the marker is a ways from the actual site which is very well off the beaten track. The marker reads, "6.5 miles northwest, at the mouth of Brush Creek, is a mill built by Jeremiah Dungan in 1779, and continuously operated since then. East of it was a stone fort erected by pioneers of the Watauga Settlement. Dungan and other pioneers are buried in the vicinity." It is marker number 1A-17 and it was erected by the Tennessee Historical Commission. [Review 262 of 2025 - 568 in Tennessee - 23825 overall]

This marker is located in the Oak Hill Cemetery, near the grace of the flag designer…read more It reads, "In 1905 the Legislature adopted as the state flag one which was designed by Colonel Le Roy Reeves, a native and resident of Johnson City. The three stars represent the three grand divisions of Tennessee. The flag was first raised by Company F of the National Guard on October 10, 1911 during the dedication ceremonies of East Tennessee State Normal School." It is marker number 1A-86 and it was erected by the Tennessee Historical Commission. The three white stars represent the state's three grand divisions - East, Middle, and West Tennessee - but their arrangement is carefully regulated: no two stars may align parallel to the flag's edges, and the highest star must sit nearest the upper corner. This layout avoids rigid symmetry and instead suggests dynamic balance. The blue circle enclosing the stars symbolizes unity, binding the divisions into an indissoluble whole. The tri-star within the blue circle has become an unofficial logo for Tennessee. It appears in branding for state agencies, sports teams like the Tennessee Titans, and even private companies. [Review 1441 of 2025 - 579 in Tennessee - 24992 overall]