Over 100 million visitors come to Tennessee each year, and the State typically earns over 20 billion dollars in revenue from tourists. The Usable Past Series continues to explore the opportunities that exist in our own communities to meet the needs of our tourists, achieve the revenue and interpretive goals at our historic and cultural institutions, and create an environment where visitors feel safe and represented.
In historic Northeast Tennessee, heritage tourism is a large part of why people travel: they want to know their history. However, this is a field that has struggled to be inclusive and welcoming to visitors of all backgrounds. The Usable Past Series has engaged tourism industry leaders at all levels and from a variety of venues to discuss their best practices, their own challenges, and their successes in meeting their missions.
Speakers for this session focused on the music of Appalachia include Ryan Bernard, musician and archivist, Dr. Ted Olson, professor and podcast host of Sepia Tones, and Dr. William H. Turner, retired professor and podcast host of Sepia Tones. The panelists will also participate in a question-and-answer session after their presentations.
Presenters for this session, Useable Past, Folx Song: An Inclusive Look at Appalachian Music will specifically focus on showcasing efforts and examples in Northeast Tennessee and the surrounding region pertaining to inclusive tourism, difficulties faced, as well as action steps all organizations can take to continue to move forward as a region in providing more inclusive interpretations. This specific session aims to focus on the music and music history of our region and how to include many narratives in this imperative part of Appalachian culture.
This free workshop will take place online from 10:00 am to 11:30 am on Thursday, November 17, 2022. Dr. Daryl Carter, Director of the Black American Studies program at East Tennessee University, and Jules Corriere at the McKinney Center will moderate the Q&A session following the presentations. Participants can register for the event through the McKinney Center’s website at McKinneyCenter.com Participants must register in advance to receive the Zoom link. More information can be found on the Useable Past Facebook page or at McKinneyCenter.com.
This workshop series is a collaboration between several organizations, including the McKinney Center, the Heritage Alliance of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, the Langston Centre, and the Black American Studies program at ETSU. The McKinney Center at Booker T. Washington School provides a comprehensive program through Jonesborough’s Mary B. Martin Program for the Arts which teaches various art skills to all participants through a quality program of instruction open to all segments of Jonesborough’s population. The Heritage Alliance is a non-profit 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 Langston Centre is a cultural facility that promotes multicultural awareness and workforce development through arts, education, and leadership activities. The Black American Studies program serves a critical role for the College of Arts & Sciences and ETSU by offering high-quality academic course offerings, superb programming, and opportunities for personal growth through service.
New Museum Exhibit Tackles Regional Stereotypes
Many Appalachians are familiar with the stereotypes that our fellow Americans continue to possess about the region, even in the 21st century. Accused of everything from a lack of shoes and dental hygiene to the prevalence of the log cabin and outhouse, Appalachia has been characterized as violent, poor, backwards, and uneducated. But where did these stereotypes come from? And how accurately do they represent the Appalachian past and present?
In the new exhibit Eight Myths About Appalachia, which debuted at the Jonesborough/Washington County History Museum in November 2022, the Heritage Alliance tries to set the record straight. Consisting of eight large panels, the exhibit tackles some of the prominent misconceptions about the region and explores the historical origins and inaccuracies that have been used to describe it (and its inhabitants) for hundreds of years. Relying on primary historical sources and original research, the exhibit confronts the unflattering imagery used by journalists, travel writers, politicians, entrepreneurs, academics, and more to describe Appalachians and their way of life.
The timing of such an exhibit could not be better, especially as conversations about the Appalachian region have repeatedly appeared in national news across popular culture, literature, academia, economics, and more. “As Appalachians living in the modern day, we still share much in common with our predecessors in terms of experiencing outside beliefs about our capabilities, our values, and the merit of our regional culture,” says Anne G’Fellers Mason, Executive Director of the Heritage Alliance. “This exhibit thoughtfully celebrates Appalachia and its residents, as well as offers an educational opportunity for visitors and tourists to take home with them.”
Eight Myths About Appalachia was researched, written, and produced by Dr. Megan Cullen Tewell, Programming Coordinator at the Heritage Alliance and an adjunct professor, who spent most of 2022 examining regional history as part of the exhibit’s development. “Using our historical expertise, I am hoping that this exhibit helps to reframe and reclaim the Appalachian narrative. I’m glad that we’ve been able to contribute something evidence-based and community-oriented for all folks to experience and learn from,” says Tewell. “It’s been a joy to work on.”
The exhibit is currently on display at the Jonesborough/Washington County History Museum inside of the Jonesborough Visitors Center, and will be available for viewing until Fall 2023. The exhibit was made possible with a grant from Humanities Tennessee.
Useable Past, Folx Song: An Inclusive Look at Appalachian Music
Over 100 million visitors come to Tennessee each year, and the State typically earns over 20 billion dollars in revenue from tourists. The Usable Past Series continues to explore the opportunities that exist in our own communities to meet the needs of our tourists, achieve the revenue and interpretive goals at our historic and cultural institutions, and create an environment where visitors feel safe and represented.
In historic Northeast Tennessee, heritage tourism is a large part of why people travel: they want to know their history. However, this is a field that has struggled to be inclusive and welcoming to visitors of all backgrounds. The Usable Past Series has engaged tourism industry leaders at all levels and from a variety of venues to discuss their best practices, their own challenges, and their successes in meeting their missions.
Speakers for this session focused on the music of Appalachia include Ryan Bernard, musician and archivist, Dr. Ted Olson, professor and podcast host of Sepia Tones, and Dr. William H. Turner, retired professor and podcast host of Sepia Tones. The panelists will also participate in a question-and-answer session after their presentations.
Presenters for this session, Useable Past, Folx Song: An Inclusive Look at Appalachian Music will specifically focus on showcasing efforts and examples in Northeast Tennessee and the surrounding region pertaining to inclusive tourism, difficulties faced, as well as action steps all organizations can take to continue to move forward as a region in providing more inclusive interpretations. This specific session aims to focus on the music and music history of our region and how to include many narratives in this imperative part of Appalachian culture.
This free workshop will take place online from 10:00 am to 11:30 am on Thursday, November 17, 2022. Dr. Daryl Carter, Director of the Black American Studies program at East Tennessee University, and Jules Corriere at the McKinney Center will moderate the Q&A session following the presentations. Participants can register for the event through the McKinney Center’s website at McKinneyCenter.com Participants must register in advance to receive the Zoom link. More information can be found on the Useable Past Facebook page or at McKinneyCenter.com.
This workshop series is a collaboration between several organizations, including the McKinney Center, the Heritage Alliance of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, the Langston Centre, and the Black American Studies program at ETSU. The McKinney Center at Booker T. Washington School provides a comprehensive program through Jonesborough’s Mary B. Martin Program for the Arts which teaches various art skills to all participants through a quality program of instruction open to all segments of Jonesborough’s population. The Heritage Alliance is a non-profit 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 Langston Centre is a cultural facility that promotes multicultural awareness and workforce development through arts, education, and leadership activities. The Black American Studies program serves a critical role for the College of Arts & Sciences and ETSU by offering high-quality academic course offerings, superb programming, and opportunities for personal growth through service.
History Happy Hour on Nov 17th looks at Appalachia and Opera
Join the Chester Inn State Historic Site and Museum for the final History Happy Hour of the 2022 season. Savannah Bennett from The Reece Museum will present her topic, “Susannah and Cold Mountain: Examining the Portrayal of Appalachian Culture in Opera.”
History Happy Hour will take place at 6:30 pm on Thursday, November 17th at the International Storytelling Center, located next door to the Chester Inn Museum. Savannah Bennett is the new Collection Manager at The Reece Museum which is located on campus at East Tennessee State University. Savannah received her Bachelor of Music in Performance degree at Western Carolina University in 2020, and will receive her Master of Arts in Appalachian Studies as well as a Heritage Interpretation and Museum Studies Certificate at ETSU in 2022. Her research examines the portrayal of the Appalachian region and its people, namely women, in two popular operas. The History Happy Hour presentation will also be available via livestream on the Chester Inn’s Facebook page. It is presented by the Heritage Alliance and produced independently of the International Storytelling Center. It 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.
Heritage Alliance Board Meeting on Nov 10
The next Board of Trustees meeting for the Heritage Alliance will take place at 8:00 am on Thursday, November 10th at the McKinney Center in Jonesborough. The public is welcome to attend. The agenda for the meeting can be accessed by clicking here.
SOLD OUT 44th Annual Progressive Dinner on December 3rd
This event is SOLD OUT. Please contact us if you’d like to added to the waiting list.
The magic of Tennessee’s oldest town comes alive during the Progressive Dinner hosted by the Heritage Alliance. This year’s dinner takes place on the evening of Saturday, December 3rd. Multiple seating times are available at 4:00 pm and 7:40 pm. The 6:00 pm seating is already sold out.
Now in its 44th year, the Progressive Dinner is a unique event, combining fine food, rich history, and great entertainment. Proceeds from the Progressive Dinner help ensure that the educational programs of the Heritage Alliance remain accessible to a wide range of audiences. Proceeds from this year’s event will help with preservation and maintenance projects at the Oak Hill Schoolhouse and the Duncan House.
The evening begins at the freshly painted Oak Hill Schoolhouse. The school is the setting for the Oak Hill School Heritage Education Program. Take a step back in time and enjoy some delicious appetizers in 1893. The schoolhouse will be decorated for a country Christmas. The soup course takes place in a pre-Civil War frame house in Mill Spring Park. Dinner will be served at the McKinney Center at Booker T. Washington School, and dessert will take place in a beautifully restored brick home on East Woodrow Avenue. Both of the homes featured this December have not been on the dinner in at least twenty years.
The Progressive Dinner has become a traditional start to the holiday season for many people throughout East Tennessee and surrounding states. Seasonal music by several of our area’s finest musicians, including the ever popular Jonesborough Novelty Band, gourmet food, memorable camaraderie, and great fun are the hallmarks of this popular event. This event typically sells out, so make sure you get your tickets today! The 6:00 pm seating is already sold out.
Ticket price is $100.00 per person. Seating is limited. On-line ticketing through the Town of Jonesborough is available at jonesborough.com/tickets. You can also make a reservation by calling (423) 753-1010. If you would like to make a reservation for a table of 6 or more, please contact the Heritage Alliance directly.
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. Further information can also be found online at http://www.heritageall.org/.
History Happy Hour Takes a Look at Victorian Mourning Customs in October
Join the Heritage Alliance and Chester Inn State Historic Site and Museum as we welcome Roberta Pipitone for her presentation, “19th Century American Mourning Rules, Customs, and Symbolism” at 6:30 pm on Thursday, October 20th. Ms. Pipitone was a theatre teacher for 30 years, but she has been a collector and researcher of all things mourning for forty years. She also plans to bring items to accompany her presentation, including jewelry, post-mortem photos, and mourning pieces displayed in American Victorian homes. This presentation will be in-person at the International Storytelling Center, located next door to the Chester Inn Museum. This presentation will also be available via livestream on the Chester Inn’s Facebook page. It is presented by the Heritage Alliance and produced independently of the International Storytelling Center. It 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.
True and Chilling Tales Tours
Come and learn some truly chilling history in Jonesborough this October. Have you ever wondered what happened to horse thieves in the late 1700s, or wanted to know why Andrew Jackson fought a duel in Jonesborough? What about a body discovered in a rain barrel in town? What’s the story behind that? Hear these very true tales and more during this unique tour that’s perfect for an October evening.
The True and Chilling Tales Tour will take place at 7:00 pm on October 17th, 18th, 19th, 25th, 26th, 31st and November 1st. Your guide will lead you down Main Street with the “book of poor souls.” Mind your step, lest you end up in that book, too. Tickets are $10.00 and can be purchased through the Town of Jonesborough’s ticketing system at jonesborough.com/tickets. The tour will last an hour. Groups are limited to only 16 people, so make sure you buy your tickets in advance. The tours will depart from the Chester Inn State Historic Site and Museum on Main Street. The tours will go on rain or shine. This tour is rated PG-13 for content and is not recommended for children under 13 years of age. Please note these stories are very true and some of them are very gross and unpleasant and may be upsetting. Listeners beware.
Follow the Heritage Alliance and Chester Inn Museum on Facebook to receive up to date information. 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 State Historic Site and Museum is funded under an agreement with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Tennessee Historical Commission. For more information, please call our office at (423) 753-9580, or contact the organization via email at info@heritageall.org. Further information can also be found online at http://www.heritageall.org/.
History Happy Hour Talks Thomas Edison on September 15th at 6:30pm
This month’s History Happy Hour features retired history teacher Leonard Pipitone and his collection and knowledge all about inventor extraordinaire Thomas Edison!
Mr. Pipitone’s presentation is entitled “Thomas Alva Edison and the Origins of Recorded Sound.” Originally from California, Mr. Pipitone’s sideline has been researching everything Edison and collecting early phonographs and music for over forty years. He is a current, long-time member of the Antique Phonograph Society and a former member of the London Phonograph Society. “Thomas Alva Edison and the Origins of Recorded Sound” is a glimpse into the great inventor’s process, from the accidental discovery that spawned the first “Talking Machine” through the development of the later phonographs which would change the world of entertainment forever. In addition to his knowledge, Mr. Pipitone will be bringing several phonographs as well as cylinder and disc records representative of popular music styles and themes from the 1880s through the 1920s.
The program will take place at the International Storytelling Center at 6:30 pm on Thursday, September 15th. The program is free and open to the public. The presentation will also 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.
Heritage Alliance Trivia Night Gets Spooky This October with the McKinney Center
The Scare-itage Alliance is teaming up with the McSpooky Center to put a haunting spin on History Trivia Night. Join us on October 1st for a frighteningly fun Halloween Trivia contest with questions to test your knowledge of all things ghostly and historical!
The festivities will take place on Saturday, October 1st at 7:00 pm at the McKinney Center with general history-based trivia questions, friendly competition, a costume contest, and a ton of fun! Not a “history buff?” Don’t worry! These questions cover a wide range of topics and categories and include something for everyone. We will have questions about Halloween, ghost stories, movies, and more! Main Street Café will also be on hand to sell a frightening assortment of beers.
It’s only $5.00 per person to play! Tickets are available online through the Town of Jonesborough’s ticketing system at Jonesborough.com/tickets. You can also call the Heritage Alliance at 423.753.9580 to order tickets. Solo play is allowed. Teams are encouraged, but the person limit per team is 8 people. Heritage Alliance and McKinney Center staff will host the event, tallying points and administering prizes to the winners. The event is family-friendly and open to all ages. The costume contest will occur during intermission. Dress up and try to win a prize!
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/. For more information on the McKinney Center and their mission please call their office at 423.753.0562 or visit their website at https://mckinneycenter.com.
FULL: Homeschool Day at Oak Hill School on Sept 19th and 20th
THESE DATES ARE FULL. We are happy to add you to a waiting list.
Registration form HERE.
The Heritage Alliance is excited to offer a homeschool day at the historic Oak Hill School on September 19th and 20th. The award winning Oak Hill School Heritage Education program is the only experiential learning program of its type in this region, and homeschool students are encouraged to come and experience history with the Heritage Alliance in Tennessee’s Oldest Town.
Oak Hill School was built in 1886 to serve the community of Knob Creek. The building served local residents until it was closed in the 1950s. The school building was moved the seven miles from Knob Creek to Jonesborough and placed in its current location behind the Visitors Center. Today, Oak Hill School invites students to come for a day-long experience and enroll in school in 1893. Reading, writing, arithmetic, history, geography – even the pledge of allegiance – are all as they were prior to the turn of the last century.
School will last from 9:00am – 2:00pm on Monday, September 19th and Tuesday, September 20th. This program is limited to 26 students, grades 1st – 12th, so sign up now!
Registration form for September 19th and 20th is available here. The cost is $5.00 per student for the day at Oak Hill School. Students must register in advance. We cannot accept registration the day of the event. This event has a minimum registration of 12 students in order for it to take place.