The Heritage Alliance and the Chester Inn State Historic Site and Museum received two Awards of Distinction from the East Tennessee Historical Society at their Annual Meeting on May 1 in Knoxville. The East Tennessee Historical Society’s Awards of Excellence program annually recognizes individuals and organizations for significant contributions to the preservation, promotion, and interpretation of the region’s history.
The Heritage Alliance won a 2018 Award of Distinction for the interactive, murder mystery Legs In a Barrel. The play, which was based on an actual murder that took place in Jonesborough, was a fundraiser for the Heritage Alliance’s educational programs. Legs In a Barrel was the first murder mystery put on by the Alliance, and it is another example of the organization’s commitment to sharing history in a variety of ways.
The Chester Inn Museum received a 2018 Award of Distinction for History Happy Hour. Launched in 2017, History Happy Hour offers insightful history to the public, fosters a collaborative relationship with various individuals and organizations, and increases the role of the Chester Inn State Historic Site and Museum as a community meeting place. History Happy Hours are scheduled for the third Thursday of every month through November at 6:30.
The Award of Distinction is the second accolade that the Chester Inn Museum has received for History Happy Hour. The program also won an Award of Excellence from the Tennessee Association of Museums at their annual conference in March. Programs like History Happy Hour and Legs In a Barrel share local history in unique ways and connect us to our past. According to Executive Director Deborah Montanti, “We are extremely fortunate to have creative and talented staff. Anne G’Fellers Mason, who researched and wrote Legs In a Barrel, and Joe Spiker, who created and manages History Happy Hour, work hard to make our history more accessible and keep it relevant. We congratulate them both on these honors.”
The Heritage Alliance is always working on new and exciting programs. Interested public can stay up to date on Heritage Alliance programs by visiting our website (www.heritageall.org) and liking us on Facebook!
The Heritage Alliance is dedicated to the preservation of the architectural, historical, and cultural heritage of our region and to providing educational experiences related to history and heritage for a wide range of audiences. The Chester Inn Museum is a State Owned Historic Site operated by the Heritage Alliance. The operation of the Chester Inn is partially funded under an agreement with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and the Tennessee Historical Commission. For more information, please call our office at 423.753.9580, or contact the organization via email at info@heritageall.org. Additional information can also be found online at http://www.heritageall.org/.
Tickets On Sale for With These Hands
The Heritage Alliance and The McKinney Center at Booker T. Washington School are joining together to produce the original, history based play, With These Hands. This full length “dramadey” will be a joint fundraiser for the Heritage Alliance and the McKinney Center. For the low cost of $20.00 per ticket, you will be supporting the educational programs of both organizations. To purchase tickets, please call the Jonesborough Visitor’s Center at 423.753.1010. Tickets can also be purchased online at jonesborough.com/tickets.
This production, written by G’Fellers-Mason and directed by Jules Corriere, highlights significant moments in the history of Jonesborough and Washington County. It also features some of Jonesborough’s best-known residents, including town historians Paul Fink and Miriam Fink-Dulaney, Angelina Mason and Charlotte Dilworth, and many others, some whose legacy is found in street names and buildings, and others, in the work they built with their own hands that still stand today- the railroad, the courthouse, the steps leading to the Old Mill Spring.
These are the stories of real people and real families through history, meeting at crisis points, and finding ways past them. “Their struggles in the past inform us of how we can move forward when we face these same kinds of obstacles. History is cyclical, but we can learn from it. Anne’s play is very timely. There are lessons inside. The Masons and the Dillworths bridged gaps over great divides, it was difficult, but they found a way, and we can aspire to their example,” says Corriere.
The play may hold answers, but it asks even more questions- something that a good work of art always does. Can two families keep their friendship intact even though they find themselves on opposing sides of the Civil War? Can a former Southern Belle allow herself to accept help from a Freedman after emancipation? And the burning question- What is historic spit and what does it have to do with the Washington County Courthouse? These scenes and more will be brought to life on stage for one weekend only, in a multi-media production which will infuse historic archival photos, connecting the past to the present.
Pitchforks to Chairs: 18th and 19th Century Woodworking Tools with Curtis Buchanan
“It takes ten generations to learn something, and one generation to forget it.”
This quote is applicable to many things, but chairmaker Curtis Buchanan applies it specifically to woodworking tools and techniques. Curtis will be speaking about 18th and 19th century woodworking tools and techniques and the utilitarian items they produced at History Happy Hour’s program on Thursday, July 19th at 6:30 pm. The program is usually held at the Chester Inn Museum, but this program will be held next door at the Christopher Taylor House, weather permitting. The program is free and open to the public.
Curtis is a world renowned chairmaker with a shop in Jonesborough, TN. For over 30 years Curtis has produced chairs that have been displayed in the Chester Inn, the Tennessee State Museum, the Tennessee Governor’s Mansion, and Monticello, among other places. He also offers classes, instructional videos, and has made numerous contributions to the field of chairmaking. More info about Curtis and his workshop can be found on his website at https://www.curtisbuchananchairmaker.com/
History Happy Hour is a collaborative program that features speakers and researchers from various local organizations, museums, and schools. Presenters for 2018 include independent researchers, National Park Service rangers, professors, and museum professionals from across the region. The programs are on the 3rd Thursday each month at 6:30 pm.
For more information on the Chester Inn Museum, History Happy Hour, or the Heritage Alliance please call our office at 423.753.9580 or the Chester Inn Museum at 423.753.4580. You can also contact the organization via email at info@heritageall.org. Additional information about the Heritage Alliance and its mission can be found online at http://www.heritageall.org/. Be sure to follow the Chester Inn and Heritage Alliance Facebook pages for updates about events at the Chester Inn and other Heritage Alliance programs.
Homeschool Day Aug 10 Registration Open!
To register, click HERE to access the registration form.
The Heritage Alliance will host its second Homeschool Day on Friday, August 10. History and heritage based activities are planned from 9:00am – 3:30pm that day and will offer a wide variety of experiences for multiple ages. Students from first grade through senior year of high school are encouraged to come and experience history with their families in Tennessee’s Oldest Town.
Activities that day include lessons in Oak Hill School, a one room schoolhouse restored to the year 1892, Town Tours, Old Jonesborough Cemetery Tours, and hands-on activities with artifacts in the Jonesborough/Washington County History Museum. In addition, students can participate in history hunts at the Chester Inn State Historic Site and Museum, participate in train based activities in the Chuckey Depot Railroad Museum, and listen to a Storyteller. Archeological activities will be offered in the morning, and older students will have the opportunity to play history detective using primary sources. It will be a day full of history and fun!
Students and parents will be able to select their activities and schedule for the day. Registration is now open at www.heritageall.org. The cost is $7.00 per student.
Come and experience history with the Heritage Alliance in Jonesborough!
The Heritage Alliance is dedicated to the preservation of the architectural, historical, and cultural heritage of our region and to providing educational experiences related to history and heritage for a wide range of audiences. For more information, please call our office at 423.753.9580, or contact the organization via email at info@heritageall.org. Additional information can also be found online at http://www.heritageall.org/.
With These Hands Returns to the Stage in August!
The Heritage Alliance and The McKinney Center at Booker T. Washington School are joining together to produce the original, history based play, With These Hands. This full length “dramadey” will be a joint fundraiser for the Heritage Alliance and the McKinney Center. For the low cost of $20.00 per ticket, you will be supporting the educational programs of both organizations.
Written by Anne G’Fellers-Mason and directed by Jules Corriere, With These Hands highlights significant moments in the history of Jonesborough and Washington County. It also features some of Jonesborough’s best known residents, including town historians Paul Fink and Miriam Fink-Dulaney. These are the stories of real people and real families through history. Can two families keep their friendship intact even though they find themselves on opposing sides of the Civil War? What is historic spit and what does it have to do with the Washington County Courthouse? Can a former, Southern Belle accept help from a Freedman? Hear these stories and more as the past, including archival photos from the Heritage Alliance archives, comes to life at the McKinney Center.
Performances for With These Hands will take place at 7:30 p.m. on August 3rd and 4th. There will be a 2:00 p.m. matinee performance on August 4th. Tickets are $20.00 and proceeds benefit both the Heritage Alliance and the McKinney Center. Tickets may be purchased in advance and at the door of the show, depending upon availability. To purchase tickets, please call the Jonesborough Visitor’s Center at 423.753.1010. Tickets can also be purchased online at jonesborough.com/tickets.
The Heritage Alliance of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia is dedicated to the preservation of the architectural, historical, and cultural heritage of our region and to providing educational experiences related to history and heritage for a wide range of audiences. The McKinney Center at Booker T. Washington School is dedicated to building community and enriching relationships through excellent arts education, cultural interpretation, and historic preservation.
Heritage Alliance and Chester Inn Museum Receive Awards
The Heritage Alliance and the Chester Inn State Historic Site and Museum received two Awards of Distinction from the East Tennessee Historical Society at their Annual Meeting on May 1 in Knoxville. The East Tennessee Historical Society’s Awards of Excellence program annually recognizes individuals and organizations for significant contributions to the preservation, promotion, and interpretation of the region’s history.
The Heritage Alliance won a 2018 Award of Distinction for the interactive, murder mystery Legs In a Barrel. The play, which was based on an actual murder that took place in Jonesborough, was a fundraiser for the Heritage Alliance’s educational programs. Legs In a Barrel was the first murder mystery put on by the Alliance, and it is another example of the organization’s commitment to sharing history in a variety of ways.
The Chester Inn Museum received a 2018 Award of Distinction for History Happy Hour. Launched in 2017, History Happy Hour offers insightful history to the public, fosters a collaborative relationship with various individuals and organizations, and increases the role of the Chester Inn State Historic Site and Museum as a community meeting place. History Happy Hours are scheduled for the third Thursday of every month through November at 6:30.
The Award of Distinction is the second accolade that the Chester Inn Museum has received for History Happy Hour. The program also won an Award of Excellence from the Tennessee Association of Museums at their annual conference in March. Programs like History Happy Hour and Legs In a Barrel share local history in unique ways and connect us to our past. According to Executive Director Deborah Montanti, “We are extremely fortunate to have creative and talented staff. Anne G’Fellers Mason, who researched and wrote Legs In a Barrel, and Joe Spiker, who created and manages History Happy Hour, work hard to make our history more accessible and keep it relevant. We congratulate them both on these honors.”
The Heritage Alliance is always working on new and exciting programs. Interested public can stay up to date on Heritage Alliance programs by visiting our website (www.heritageall.org) and liking us on Facebook!
The Heritage Alliance is dedicated to the preservation of the architectural, historical, and cultural heritage of our region and to providing educational experiences related to history and heritage for a wide range of audiences. The Chester Inn Museum is a State Owned Historic Site operated by the Heritage Alliance. The operation of the Chester Inn is partially funded under an agreement with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and the Tennessee Historical Commission. For more information, please call our office at 423.753.9580, or contact the organization via email at info@heritageall.org. Additional information can also be found online at http://www.heritageall.org/.
Summer Tour Schedule and Chester Inn Museum Schedule
The weather is finally warmer, and that means extended tour hours and extended hours at the Chester Inn State Historic Site and Museum!
Chester Inn Museum
Mon, Wed-Sat 11-6
Sun 1-5
Town Tour
7:00 pm Thurs evening (through end of Sept)
1:00 pm on Fri, Sat (except 1st Sat of month)
Old Jonesborough Cemetery Tour
2:30 pm on the first and third Sat of month starting May 19
Mythbusting Tour
1:00 pm first Sat of month, 2;30 pm second Sat of month
Railroad Tour
2:30 pm fourth Sat of month
All tour tickets are $5 per person. Combo options are available. Tickets can be purchased at the Chester Inn Museum
Old Time and Bluegrass Jam Session at the Christopher Taylor House
The Heritage Alliance, in cooperation with the Town of Jonesborough, will be hosting an old time and bluegrass jam session on the first Thursday of every month from 6:30-8:00. The first one will take place on Thursday, May 3. Bring your instrument, your chair, and a picnic dinner and come on down to the Christopher Taylor House on Main Street. This is a low key event, and it’s open to musicians and spectators. Jam sessions will take place from May through September. The Christopher Taylor House is located at 124 West Main Street next to the Chester Inn State Historic Site and Museum.
Readers’ Theatre to Highlight Local Struggles During WWI
A woman searching for her missing son who returned from war but never came home. A man who was reported to the authorities by his neighbors because he refused to purchase war bonds. A soldier who was sick and tired of being stuck in the mud, and another who wouldn’t change places with the president of the hometown bank. A community hard hit by the deadly Spanish Influenza Pandemic. Come hear these stories and more at a performance hosted by the Heritage Alliance on Sunday, April 8 at 3:00 p.m. inside the Jonesborough/Washington County History Museum.
This Readers’ Theatre piece will share firsthand accounts of the lives of Washington County citizens during World War One. “While doing the research for this piece, I was struck by the similarities between now and then, even though a century has passed,” shares Special Projects Coordinator Anne Mason. “It was a time of suspicion in America, where neighbors spied on one another and turned each other in for un-American activities. World War One was a devastating war overseas, and its chaos was definitely felt across the Atlantic.” Join the Heritage Alliance on April 8, and hear the struggles from overseas and on the home front as century old newspaper headlines come to life. The Jonesborough/Washington County History Museum is located inside the Jonesborough Visitor’s Center on Boone Street.
Registration Open for Homeschool Day
The Heritage Alliance is hosting its very first Homeschool Day all throughout Jonesborough on Friday, May 18. The cost is $7.00 per student, no matter the amount of activities. Parents, guardians, and non-participating younger children are free of charge. However, due to space limitations, not all chaperones and non-participating children will be able to participate in every activity.
Activities that day include lessons in Oak Hill School, a one room schoolhouse restored to the year 1892, Town Tours, Old Jonesborough Cemetery Tours, and hands-on activities with artifacts in the Jonesborough/Washington County History Museum. In addition, students can participate in history hunts at the Chester Inn State Historic Site and Museum, listen to a Storyteller, and participate in train based activities in the Chuckey Depot Railroad Museum. Archeological activities will be offered in the morning, and older students will have the opportunity to solve the mysteries surrounding the Cholera Epidemic of 1873 through various primary sources. It will be a day full of history and fun!
To register, please complete the registration form and email it to Anne Mason at amason@heritageall.org, or mail it to the Heritage Alliance 212 East Sabin Drive, Jonesborough TN 37659. You can also call and register by phone at 423-753-9580. Registration form is available by clicking HERE.
For a look at the whole day’s schedule, click here.
Heritage Alliance to offer first Homeschool Day
The Heritage Alliance is excited to announce its first ever Homeschool Day on Friday, May 18. History and heritage based activities are planned from 9:00am – 4:30pm that day and will offer a wide variety of experiences for multiple ages. Students from first grade through senior year of high school are encouraged to come and experience history with their families in Tennessee’s Oldest Town.
Activities that day include lessons in Oak Hill School, a one room schoolhouse restored to the year 1892, Town Tours, Old Jonesborough Cemetery Tours, and hands-on activities with artifacts in the Jonesborough/Washington County History Museum. In addition, students can participate in history hunts and listen to a Storyteller at the Chester Inn State Historic Site and Museum, and participate in train based activities in the Chuckey Depot Railroad Museum in Jonesborough. Archeological activities will be offered in the morning, and older students will have the opportunity to solve the mysteries surrounding the Cholera Epidemic of 1873 through various primary sources. It will be a day full of history and fun!
Students and parents will be able to select their activities and schedule for the day. Registration opens on March 12. The cost is $7.00 per student. Please watch this space and our website (www.heritageall.org) for more information. Another Homeschool Day is planned for Friday, August 10.
Come and experience history with the Heritage Alliance in Jonesborough!
The Heritage Alliance is dedicated to the preservation of the architectural, historical, and cultural heritage of our region and to providing educational experiences related to history and heritage for a wide range of audiences. For more information, please call our office at 423.753.9580, or contact the organization via email at info@heritageall.org. Additional information can also be found online at http://www.heritageall.org/.