Tennessee Historical Commission

10/07/2026

Last Saturday, Parkers Crossroads Battlefield hosted their Historic Lantern Walk Tour. Visitors enjoyed a guided tour recounting the haunting tales of the spirits at Parkers Crossroads, brought to life by the talented performers from the Lexington High School Beta Club.

The Battle of Parkers Crossroads occurred on December 31, 1862. Parkers Crossroads Battlefield is a State-owned site, operated under an agreement with the Tennessee Historical Commission and Tennessee Wars Commission. Today, more than 300 acres of battlefield have been preserved.

10/06/2026

Learn more about a recent archaeological study done at one of our State Historic Sites! Thank you to Dr. Paul Eubanks and Middle Tennessee State University's Department of Sociology and Anthropology for their hard work!

We are pleased to announce publication of a new article in the journal "Tennessee Archaeology (New Series)"!

In the article "A Resort, a Stone Feature, and a Portal to the World Beneath: An Archaeological Survey of Bledsoe’s Lick," Paul Eubanks and colleagues review archaeological work at Castalian Springs Mound Site and the Wynnewood State Historic Site to show that during the area's Mississippian occupation (ca. 1200–1350 CE), the springs formed part of a sacred landscape and may have been conceived of as a portal to the Beneath World.

You can read this free, open-access article on the journal's web page: https://www.tn.gov/environment/program-areas/archaeology/publications/journal/article-2.html

Please share this link with others interested in learning about Tennessee's unique archaeological heritage!

10/05/2026

Frontier Frights is right around the corner! Hang out all day on October 17th from 11am-4pm, with FREE admission, but make sure you don't miss out on our timed events!

At 12:15pm, join Mabry-Hazen House executive director Patrick Hollis for “Calling All Spirits: A Brief History of Spiritualism in America and Knoxville.” And at 2:45pm, join our own director, Kyle Dickson, for “Mysteries at Marble Springs: A Curator Talk" to learn about the spiritual past of Marble Springs.

Think your costume has what it takes? Enter our kids costume contest at 1:00pm for a chance to win some great prizes! We'll also have lots of fun things happening all day, including a scavenger hunt and Halloween crafts. Come join the fun!

09/29/2026

Join Parkers Crossroads this Saturday for their Lantern Walk!

Parkers Crossroads Battlefield is a State-owned site, operated under an agreement with the Tennessee Historical Commission and Tennessee Wars Commission.

09/28/2026

We had a successful cemetery workshop this past Saturday at the Moore Chapel Cemetery in Holladay. Former State Representative Steve McDaniel and his wife were present, amongst several others. The workshop was part of the Moore family reunion. Most of the cemetery’s dirty headstones were cleaned, with everyone learning proper cleaning techniques.

09/24/2026

This past weekend, the Tennessee Historical Commission hosted a successful cemetery preservation workshop at the Grizzard Family Cemetery in Goodlettsville, featuring cemetery preservation specialist Mike Alexander. Despite the heat, this workshop was well attended and Alexander taught skills including headstone cleaning, leveling, and marker repair to a group of eager participants.

Don’t forget to join us this Saturday, September 26th, for another free workshop at the Moore Chapel Cemetery (1025 Manleys Chapel Road Holladay, TN 38341) from 2:00 to 5:00 pm!

09/23/2026

Today is John Sevier's 281st birthday! We celebrated a bit early last weekend with a bang! Thank you to the Tennessee Arts Commission, to all of our partners and volunteers who helped make Sevier Day 281 a success, and to all of you for joining us! We're grateful you continue to help us keep history alive!

Happy birthday Governor Sevier!

09/21/2026

Tomorrow is Sevier Day 281!!

Marble Springs will come alive with the people, crafts, music, and stories that help us connect with Tennessee's past. Our final countdown spotlight is dedicated to our community, because Sevier Day is about the people and stories we share together! The best part of preserving history is getting to share it with the people who walk through our gates, so come learn something new, and create new memories with your family and neighbors. See you there!

09/18/2026

We had a successful State Review Board meeting last Friday, with all 11 nominations moving forward to the National Park Service for final review and approval for listing in the National Register of Historic Places!

09/17/2026

3 more days! Here's one more reason to join us for Sevier Day 281 on Saturday. Who were the Overmountain Men, and what role did they play in the American Revolution? At 2:45pm, head to the pavilion for a special presentation from Dr. Michael Lynch on the Overmountain Men and their involvement in the Southern Campaign!

The lecture is just one exciting piece of an entire day of fun! Sevier Day 281