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 returns in 2022 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 the first session of the year include Beth Kelly, Vice President for Education, Research and Historical Interpretation at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; Kim Floyd, Site Manager at the Vance Birthplace Historic Site; and Gary Sandling, Vice President of Strategy & Chief Content Officer at Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello. The panelists will also participate in a question-and-answer session after their presentations.
Presenters for this first session, Useable Past: Sites of Reconciliation: Empowerment Through Challenging Histories, 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 free workshop will take place online from 10:00 am to 11:30 am on Wednesday, February 16, 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 at the Useable Past Facebook page, or by contacting info@heritageall.org.
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.
You can find out more on our Facebook Event page https://www.facebook.com/events/321714049811101
You can register here: https://bit.ly/3K4PPWk
SRS Paranormal Investigation at Chester Inn State Historic Site
The haunted and historic Chester Inn State Historic Site will be opened to the public for two nights of paranormal investigations on May 7th and 14th. The S.R.S Paranormal team will guide the hunt as they use their investigative equipment and teach the public the methods of their profession. The night will begin at 6pm and end around 11pm. There will be a limit of 20 participants that must be 12 years or older. Please email srshistorian@hotmail.com to register as slots will fill quickly. Cost is $25 per participant. Chester Inn is a Tennessee Historical Commission State-Owned Historic Site.
Picnicking with History on May 21st at Embree House Historic Farm
Get close with local history on Saturday, May 21st as the Heritage Alliance hosts “Picnicking with History” at the Embree House Historic Farm in Telford. This event will include a tour of three, historic homes and a chance to have a picnic lunch on the grounds. Tickets include the tour, a special, period appropriate tasty treat at each of the houses, and a boxed, picnic lunch from Main Street Café.
The site as a whole is managed by Patrick Stern and is used for agrotourism. The event will conclude with a picnic lunch at the Embree House on the grounds where the Indigenous Peoples once lived and a Civil War battle was fought in 1863. Please note that these are historic houses and they include stairs, uneven ground, and tight spaces. During lunch, guests will have a chance to explore the grounds at the Embree House. Good walking shoes are required for this event.
History Happy Hour is Back In-Person at the Chester Inn Museum on April 21st
History Happy Hour is IN-PERSON and back at the Chester Inn State Historic Site and Museum on Thursday, April 21st at 6:30 pm!
Join us as we welcome back Dr. Ashley Rattner from Tusculum University. She’ll be sharing the fascinating history of “Shaker Dance at P.T. Barnum’s American Museum.” The program will begin at 6:30 pm and participants can join in-person or stream live on the Chester Inn Museum’s Facebook page at that time. The event will take place in the Chester Inn’s board room, located in the back addition of the building. The program is free and open to the public!
Based on a color lithograph of ca. 1826 by Anthony Imbert, entitled Shakers near Lebanon, via NYPL
History Happy Hour takes place on the third Thursday of the month through November at 6:30 pm. The full schedule for the year is available at heritageall.org and on the Chester Inn Museum’s Facebook page. Put the dates on your calendar, because you never know what you’re going to learn at History Happy Hour. This program 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.
This project is funded under an agreement with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Tennessee Historical Commission.
Chester Inn Museum Opens for 2022 Season with New Exhibit
The Chester Inn State Historic Site & Museum kicked off its 2022 season on March 4th. The museum is currently on its spring hours and is open Monday and Friday-Saturday from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm and on Sunday from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Hours will expand for the summer on Wednesday, May 4th.
The Chester Inn is excited to partner with the Cedar Grove Foundation again in 2022. Our newest exhibit shares more stories from the Cedar Grove Community, which was founded by formerly enslaved and free African Americans in Elizabethton, Tennessee. The stories in this exhibit focus on three churches in Elizabethton that are important to the Black community, members of the community who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, and the Douglas School. Did you know one of the Tuskegee Airmen lived in Elizabethton for a time? Come and see the exhibit and learn more about Lt. Dempsey Morgan, Brown’s Chapel AME Zion Church, and so much more.
“We always enjoy providing museum space for the Cedar Grove Foundation,” says Heritage Alliance Executive Director Anne Mason. “They have so many wonderful artifacts to share and so many wonderful stories to tell. Their Director Jacey Augustus is always bringing us something new. The exhibit keeps growing because we keep learning as we go.” The current exhibit will be on display through the first of July, so make sure you stop by and check it out. There is no admission price for the Chester Inn Museum, but there is a suggested $2 donation per visitor. Keep up to date with the museum by following the Chester Inn on Facebook and YouTube!
Town tours are also back in full swing. Jonesborough’s Historic Strolling Tour is available every Saturday at 1:00 pm. Tickets are only $5.00. The tour leaves from the Chester Inn and costumed guides share the history of Tennessee’s Oldest Town and the people who called it home.
The Chester Inn State Historic Site and Museum is funded under an agreement with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Tennessee Historical Commission.
History Happy Hour Sixth Season Announcement
History Happy Hour is back for its sixth season. Programs will take place the third Thursday of every month at 6:30 pm. This program is free and open to the public. What will we learn this year? Specific topics will be announced for some programs as we get closer to the date. Check back here for more information as it becomes available.
April 21st – Ashley Ratner, Tusculum University – “Shaker Dance at P.T. Barnum’s American Museum” at Chester Inn Museum
May 19th – William Isom, Black in Appalachia at Chester Inn Museum
June 16th – Curtis Buchanan – Traditional, Wooden Spoon Making at International Storytelling Center Plaza
July 21st -Dr. William Kennedy – Historic Bricks at the Chester Inn Museum and Eureka Inn courtyard
August 18th – Rene Rogers, Birthplace of Country Music Museum at International Storytelling Center
September 15th – Leonard Pipitone – “Edison and the Origins of Recorded Sound” at International Storytelling Center
October 20th – Roberta Pipitone -Victorian Mourning Customs at International Storytelling Center
November 17th – Spenser Brenner & Mara Reynolds, The Reece Museum – Exhibits and Digitization at International Storytelling Center
History Happy Hour Returns for 6th Season on March 10th
The sixth season of History Happy Hour kicks off on Thursday, March 10th at 6:30 pm.
Join us as we welcome Mr. Charles D. Crowe, a student from Langston High School and a graduate of Science Hill High School. Mr. Crowe will speak about his time at Langston and his perspective on being the “Lost Class of 1965” – a name given to those students who were high school juniors when school integration occurred. Mr. Crowe served as Director of Procurements and Contracts for the Department of Energy. This program will take place online via the Zoom platform. It will also be livestreamed to the Chester Inn Museum’s Facebook page. The Zoom link is available on the Heritage Alliance’s website and on the Chester Inn Facebook page.
Mr. Charles Crowe
The Langston Centre was built in 1893 as the Langston Normal School. A 1925 renovation, made possible by Rosenwald funding, added a gymnasium to the school. Named after Virginia congressional representative John Mercer Langston, it served as a school for African American students from 1893 to 1965. The Langston Education and Arts Development organization worked with the community and other groups to help restore Langston as a functioning community center for arts and education. Today, the Langston Centre offers a variety of classes and programs. They most recently launched the Langston Experience in February.
“We’re excited to welcome Mr. Crowe and share more stories from Langston,” says Heritage Alliance Executive Director Anne Mason. “They are such an important part of the community, and their students have so many stories to share.” The program will start at 6:30 pm on March 10th. It is free to the public.
Starting in April, History Happy Hour will be the third Thursday of every month at 6:30 pm. Topics for this season include Shaker Dance, “Edison and the Origins of Recorded Sound,” traditional, wooden spoon making, historic bricks in architecture, and much more. A full line up for the season will soon be available at the Heritage Alliance’s website, heritageall.org, and on the Chester Inn Museum’s Facebook page. History Happy Hour provides a space for the community to gather and engage with a variety of topics. Over its six seasons, the program has established a platform to showcase the many regional organizations that are engaged in historical work and research.
This project is funded under an agreement with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Tennessee Historical Commission.
Heritage Alliance Awarded SHARP Grant from Humanities Tennessee
The Heritage Alliance is honored to be selected as a recent recipient of a Sustaining the Humanities through the American Rescue Plan (SHARP) grant, made possible by the National Endowment for the Humanities. SHARP grants are part of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, and the stipends support and uplift humanities organizations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to this program, Humanities Tennessee, located in Nashville, was able to provide almost $950,000 to over 90 entities across the state. The Heritage Alliance is one of forty entities to receive a SHARP grant in the East Tennessee division.
The Heritage Alliance qualified for the grant as a nonprofit organization with a primary mission of public humanities education. Opened in 2001, the Heritage Alliance manages several historic sites and museums throughout Jonesborough, as well as offers historical and educational programs, exhibits, town and cemetery tours, and school group experiences. “We are grateful that Humanities Tennessee acknowledges the relevance and merit of our work, and we are eager to use these grant funds to continue our mission of historical education and preservation in our region,” says Anne G’Fellers-Mason, Executive Director of the Heritage Alliance. Grant funds will be used to develop future organizational plans and respond to some of the challenges created by the pandemic.
Learn more about the SHARP grant, as well as the Heritage Alliance’s programs and historic sites/museums, at Heritageall.org and like the organization on Facebook or Instagram for more information.
Exhibit Opening Celebration for Railroad Pop Culture Exhibit at the Chuckey Depot Museum
All aboard! Next stop, the railroad in pop culture! The Chuckey Depot Museum in Jonesborough will host a reception for its newest exhibit “Good Morning, America, How Are Ya?: Railroad Americana, A Pop Culture Phenomenon” on Saturday, March 5th from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm. The railroad has been a part of American history, culture, and society since the mid-1800s. It has worked its way into books, music, toys, clothes, movies, art, and much more.
The exhibit includes pop culture artifacts from multiple decades. How have toy trains changed through the years? How many movie plots are focused on trains? What does a train lover take their lunch to school in? A train themed lunch box, of course, complete with matching spoon and fork. See all these items and much more on display in the museum. Come out between 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm on March 5th to view the new exhibit, enjoy railroad songs performed by local musician Scott Wild, and listen to a story from railroad historian Gary Price. The Chuckey Depot Museum is free of charge, but donations are greatly appreciated.
You can visit the museum in person on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm and Saturday from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm. The Railroad Americana exhibit will be on display at the museum through August of 2022. For more information on the exhibit or the Chuckey Depot Museum, visit Jonesborough.com, follow the Chuckey Depot on Facebook, or call the Visitor’s Center at 423-753-1010.
Useable Past Series of Workshops Returns on Feb 16th
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 returns in 2022 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 the first session of the year include Beth Kelly, Vice President for Education, Research and Historical Interpretation at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; Kim Floyd, Site Manager at the Vance Birthplace Historic Site; and Gary Sandling, Vice President of Strategy & Chief Content Officer at Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello. The panelists will also participate in a question-and-answer session after their presentations.
Presenters for this first session, Useable Past: Sites of Reconciliation: Empowerment Through Challenging Histories, 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 free workshop will take place online from 10:00 am to 11:30 am on Wednesday, February 16, 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 at the Useable Past Facebook page, or by contacting info@heritageall.org.
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.
You can find out more on our Facebook Event page https://www.facebook.com/events/321714049811101
You can register here: https://bit.ly/3K4PPWk
Heritage Alliance Board of Trustees 2022
We are proud to announce our 2022 Board of Trustees.
Fred Counts, President
Terry Countermine, Vice President
Pat Wolfe, Treasurer
Hal Hunter, Secretary
Mike Floyd
Jack Van Zandt
Mark Edmonds
Cari Jarman
Kati Jenkins
Walter Buford
Charlene Cleveland
Meghan Kieta
We thank our outgoing Board Members Tom Krieger and Dan Eldridge for their leadership. We also want to say a big thank you to our former Board President Gordon Edwards for all his work these past six years. Thank you for keeping the ship on course while also expanding the organization’s horizons.