Nancy CANCELED for June 24th

We are sad to announce that the performances of Nancy for Saturday, June 24th have been CANCELED due to actress illness. Your money has been refunded. We will work hard to get a reschedule date and contact you as soon as we have one.

 

We do know that Nancy will be presented at ETSU sometime in November. We will also send you all that date once it has been set so that you can see this show in the future.

 

Thank you for your support. We are sorry for this inconvenience.

 

 

“No Distinction”: Coeducation in Milligan’s Early Years, 1881-1917 at History Happy Hour

Join the Chester Inn State Historic Site and Museum on June 15th at 6:30 pm as we welcome Katherine N. Banks, University Archivist & Information Resources Librarian at Milligan University for this month’s History Happy Hour!

 

Mrs. Banks will be presenting on the history of co-education at Milligan University. According to Mrs. Banks, “Milligan has always permitted men and women to study at the school from its beginning, which was rather unusual for the late 1800s. My presentation will look at the reasons why Milligan allowed this and what the reality was for the students and faculty in its early years, through the early 1900s. This presentation was developed from an exhibit and the accompanying research for the Holloway Archives at Milligan University. The title is ‘“No Distinction”’: Coeducation in Milligan’s Early Years, 1881-1917.” The program will begin at 6:30 pm in the Chester Inn Museum’s Board Room. The program is free and open to the public!

 

The 2023 season of History Happy Hour will run from April through November with a new program every third Thursday of the month. The full lineup includes Presidential history, Jonesborough’s historic front porches, deed research, and much more. The full schedule is available on the Chester Inn’s Facebook page and the Heritage Alliance’s website. If you can’t attend History Happy Hour in person, each program will be livestreamed to the Chester Inn Museum’s Facebook page.

 

This project is funded under an agreement with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Tennessee Historical Commission. 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.

 

Photo courtesy of Milligan University Archives.

 

Heritage Alliance to Host Summer Supper on July 15th

Ticket sales END on Tuesday, July 11th.

The Heritage Alliance is excited to host a Summer Supper on Saturday, July 15th at 6:00 pm on Spring Street in Jonesborough. The Summer Suppers are an exclusive series and seating is very limited to only 36 people. Tickets for Summer Suppers can be purchased through the Town of Jonesborough’s ticketing website at jonesborough.com/tickets.

 

This year’s Summer Supper will take place at the Howard-Bookout House. The BBQ supper will be catered by the Olde Towne Pancake House and will take place on the lawn of the home. Guests will be able to enjoy the musical stylings of local musician Scott Wild. Our Summer Suppers always sell out, so make sure you get your tickets today.

 

Funds from ticket sales will help the Heritage Alliance organization continue their educational programs. Ticket sales are non-refundable, but they are considered a donation. In the case of inclement weather, tents will be utilized on the lawn and the Heritage Alliance will only reschedule the event in case of extreme or dangerous weather.

 

We hope you will consider spending a summer evening in Tennessee’s Oldest Town.

 

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, visit our website at heritageall.org or call our office at 423-753-9580.

Update: New Ticket Price for Award-Winning Play “Nancy” on June 24th

In 1820, Elihu Embree published his newspaper The Emancipator on Main Street, Jonesborough. The seven edition paper is the first publication dedicated solely to the cause of abolitionism. Embree passed away in December of 1820, and the paper died with him. Even though it was short-lived, The Emancipator had over 2,000 subscribers and its reach went all the way to Boston and Philadelphia. In spite of his abolitionist beliefs, Embree himself was an enslaver. Nancy was an enslaved woman owned by Elihu Embree, and her story will be shared on Saturday, June 24th at the Embree House Historic Farm in Telford.

 

Written by Anne G’Fellers-Mason, Executive Director of the Heritage Alliance, “Nancy” follows a year in the woman’s life, from January 1820 when Elihu Embree wrote his will to January 1821 when his will was read before the Washington County court. In his will, Embree tried to free Nancy and her five children, but were his wishes carried out? What was Nancy feeling and thinking during this time? The play is based on primary research relying heavily on documents from the Washington County Archives. Local actress Ubunibi Afia Short takes on the titular role of Nancy. “We premiered Nancy’s story in 2021 at the Embree House Historic Farm, so we’re excited to be bringing the play back to these hallowed grounds,” says Mason. The play is the recipient of an Award of Excellence from the Tennessee Association of Museums and a History in the Media Award from the East Tennessee Historical Society.

 

Photo by Mark Larkey

 

Two performances will be held on June 24th with showings at 2:00 pm and 6:30 pm. The show will take place inside the open air Sarah Sevier Memorial Chapel at the Embree House in Telford and will last about an hour. A Q&A session and a chance to tour parts of the Embree House will follow each performance. Tickets are $15.00 and proceeds from ticket sales will help fund the educational programs of the Heritage Alliance. You can purchase tickets through Jonesborough’s online system at jonesborough.com/tickets or by calling the Visitor’s Center at 423-753-1010. Seating is limited, so make sure you purchase your tickets in advance.

 

This performance is a part of the celebration of Juneteenth, or Emancipation Day, a celebration of the day that word of emancipation finally reached a group of enslaved people in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865. The Heritage Alliance hopes you will join us as we remember Nancy and tell her story.

 

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, visit our website at heritageall.org or call our office at 423-753-9580.

Venue Change for Friday (5/26) Trivia Night

Our May 26th has changed venues to the Visitors Center instead of the McKinney Center. If you haven’t registered in advance, we will be selling tickets at the door. Game starts at 7:00 pm. It’s $5.00 to play.

 

 

Chester Inn Museum Extends Town Tours for Summer 2023

The Chester Inn State Historic Site & Museum is currently on its summer/fall hours and is open Monday and Wednesday-Saturday from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm and on Sunday from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

 

The Historic Jonesborough Town Tour is also expanding its hours for summer. In addition to the regular, Saturday afternoon (1:00 pm) tours, you can also take a Town Tour on Sundays at 3:00 pm starting Sunday, June 4th. Sunday Town Tours will be available every Sunday through the end of September to correspond with Brews & Tunes. Take a tour and then stick around for the music, food truck, and libations in front of the International Storytelling Center.

 

The Chester Inn Museum is also thrilled to announce the return of Thursday evening tours. These tours are perfect for a summer evening. Thursday evenings will take place at 7:00 pm on June 1st, 8th, and 22nd. All tours are $5.00 and tickets are available at the museum. Children eight and under are free.

 

The Old Jonesborough Cemetery Tours will be back, too, on Saturday, June 3rd. Cemetery Tours are available the first and third Saturdays of the month through October at 2:30 pm. Tickets for Cemetery Tours are $5.00. Proceeds from the Cemetery Tour help with the restoration of the historic tombstones. You can get a combo ticket for the Saturday Town Tour and the Cemetery Tour for only $8.00.

 

There’s not a bad time to tour Tennessee’s Oldest Town and learn about the people who built their lives here.

 

The Chester Inn State Historic Site and Museum is funded under an agreement with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Tennessee Historical Commission. For more information on the Chester Inn Museum 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.

 

History Trivia Nights Are Back!

The Heritage Alliance’s riotously fun history trivia nights are back this summer on May 26th, June 16th, and July 14th at the McKinney Center.

Join us on those Friday evenings at 7:00 pm for some summer fun. Not a “history buff?” Don’t worry! Trivia questions cover a wide range of topics and categories (music, literature, pop culture) and include something for everyone.

Teams (of up to eight people) can register up until the evening of the event, which kicks off at 7:00 pm and lasts approximately two hours. You can sign your team up for trivia at Heritageall.org. The link to sign up for the event is at the top of the page. The cost to play is only $5.00 per person. Every team member must pay to play, but your money goes to a great cause. All of the proceeds assist with the educational programs of the Heritage Alliance. Joe Spiker and Anne Mason with the Heritage Alliance will host the event, tallying points and administering prizes to the top three teams. The event is family-friendly and open to all ages.

For more information on the Heritage Alliance, please call our office at 423.753.9580. 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 Heritage Alliance Facebook page for updates about events and programs.

May History Happy Hour is all about Stress and Early, American Presidents

Join us on May 18th at 6:30 pm as we welcome Dr. Timothy Holder, radio host of The Leading Edge with Dr. Tim Holder on WRJZ Joy620 Knoxville and author of Devotions with Presidents.

 

Dr. Holder is a former dean of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Professor of History at Walter State Community College. He will be speaking about the tough situations early presidents faced in their lives and what we can learn from how they handled it. The program will begin at 6:30 pm in the Chester Inn State Historic Site and Museum’s Board Room. The program is free and open to the public!

 

This project is funded under an agreement with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Tennessee Historical Commission. 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.

Now Hiring: Collections Manager and Museum Coordinator

Company Name: Heritage Alliance of Northeast TN & Southwest VA, Jonesborough, TN

Title of Position: Collections Manager and Museum Coordinator

Position Type: Part Time – Up to 28 hours per week, includes some evenings and weekends

Compensation: $12.50 an hour, Vacation Time

Description of Responsibilities: Wide variety of museum-related responsibilities, including, but not limited to:

  • exhibition planning and development (research, writing/editing, etc.), building, and installation;
  • educational programming for visiting and local children, adults, school groups, and families;
  • guiding visitors through downtown Jonesborough on historic tours;
  • coordinating with and training volunteers with various backgrounds, skill sets, and interests;
  • planning and coordinating community programs and workshops associated with exhibits and town activities;
  • facilitating and/or assisting with existing museum programming and exhibitions, and contributing ideas for new initiatives;
  • researching and developing program and exhibit related materials (lesson plans, rubrics, publicity items, etc.);
  • collaborating with various other like-minded organizations, networks, and groups to create, develop, and facilitate heritage-based educational programming;
  • caring for archival collections including proper preservation and display techniques;
  • monitoring historic structures for potential maintenance issues and coordinating with appropriate persons to schedule/request maintenance;
  • writing press releases for exhibits and exhibit-based programming;
  • posting appropriate, museum-related content on Social Media;
  • contributing articles to the Heritage Alliance’s quarterly newsletter;
  • completing various administrative tasks related to ongoing educational programming;
  • planning and implementing one fundraiser a year for the museums;
  • assisting with other projects and programs as assigned by the Executive Director

Qualifications: An advanced degree or course work in Museum Studies and/or Public History is desirable. Work experience should include museum employment (at least one year) and familiarity with standard museum operation procedures, particular collection care. Desirable skills: carpentry, word processing, database entry, writing/editing, public speaking, and grant writing.

Required Skills: Work experience should include museum employment (at least one year) and familiarity with standard museum operation procedures, such as exhibit development and collection care. Applicants should possess experience providing educational programming to families and children, especially in a museum setting. A Bachelor’s degree in history, Museum Studies, Education or a related field is required; Master’s degree preferred. The successful candidate will possess excellent organizational and communication skills, as well as strong writing and editing abilities. Applicants should be comfortable executing original historical research based on primary and secondary sources. Proven people and problem solving skills are a must, as is the ability to interact with the public, including public speaking (such as public events, via media outlets, etc.). General computer skills, including database and spreadsheet applications, are a necessity. Familiarity with other programs, such as Canva and/or museum software (Past Perfect, MIMSY, etc.) considered a plus. Carpentry skills desired, but not required.

For a full scope of the position, click HERE.

How to Apply: Email resume, cover letter, and two letters of reference to Anne Mason at amason@heritageall.org. Application window closes at 5:00 pm on May 16, 2023.

No phone calls please.

 

The Heritage Alliance is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.

History Happy Hour 2023 Season

Join us for History Happy Hour every third Thursday at 6:30 pm from April-November. We’ve got a great slate of programs lined up!