Day Trip – Dandridge Tennessee

Feeling more confident following our Covid-19 vaccinations, we finally took off for a day trip.  I’d decided that Dandridge Tennessee was a likely place for us to begin our post self-isolation adventures.

Why did I pick Dandridge?  Proximity to our home…about an hour and 40 minutes…was one reason.  More importantly, it was all about the town’s history.  Dandridge was founded in 1783 and it’s the second oldest town in Tennessee.  In 1793 it was named as the county seat for Jefferson County.  The county was named for Martha Dandridge Washington, the wife of our first President.  The town’s name was an important factor in literally saving Dandridge in the 1940s…

This is the Gass Building.  It’s located at the center of Dandridge at 149 East Meeting Street.  It is part of the Dandridge Historic District which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  The front portion of the building was built ca. 1823, with two more sections being completed before the Civil War.  The Gass family opened their store here in 1896, hence the name.  It continued to operate as a general store until it was closed in 1983. 

The building is currently empty, its retail shop or shops probably victims of the pandemic.  It is owned by Dandridge Historic Properties and it is for sale.  If you are in the market for a piece of history, this building could be yours for an asking price of $499,900.

One of the most striking buildings in Dandridge is the Jefferson County Courthouse.  It was built in 1845 at a cost of $6,666, an interesting number for sure.  It is one of Tennessee’s oldest county courthouses that is still in use.  This Greek revival structure replaced an old log building that had been used as the courthouse.  The bricks were all hand-made, the cupola is wood and the roof was made entirely without nails.

What we didn’t know is that the courthouse also serves as a free museum that was filled with historical artifacts.  Among the items on display is Davy Crockett’s original marriage license to Polly Finley.  During the Civil War, the building also served as a field hospital.  We’ll have to check out the displays on our next visit…

There are four surviving historic Taverns in Dandridge.  The Shephard’s Inn at 136 East Main Street was a popular resting and eating spot for travelers in the early days.  This is the most famous of the town’s taverns, primarily because three United States Presidents stayed here at some point in their presidency.  They were Andrew Johnson, Andrew Jackson and James K. Polk. 

The Shepard’s Inn was built in the mid-1820s.  In 1823, Shadrach Inman purchased an existing 2-story log house and began construction of the largest of Dandridge’s ordinaries…aka taverns or inns.  Over the years it has also been known as the Inman House and the Mitchell Tavern.  For 50 years it was a private residence. 

Today this beautiful structure has evolved into a Victorian Inn that has been refurbished and is open and operating as a bed and breakfast. It is known as the Shepard Inn.  They serve a special lunch to visitors on Thursday’s…reservations only.  Rooms are available at rates ranging from $145 t0 $325 per night.  To learn more, go to http://shepardinn.squarespace.com/.   

Another of Dandridge’s historic taverns is almost across the street from the Shepard Inn.  The Hickman Tavern was built ca. 1820.  This Federal style structure was built by the Fain family.  In the 1940s it was occupied by James Hickman.  He was known for building the impressive and handsome Jefferson County Courthouse…as previously shown.  The Hickman Tavern now serves as the Dandridge Town Hall.

There were several reasons that the town’s taverns were important and why they thrived in this small town on the banks of the French Broad River.  When Dandridge was chosen as the county seat for Jefferson County, construction began on the required public buildings.  Some of the first county officials had to ride up to 25 miles on horseback to get to the courthouse and jail just to conduct their business.  A good landing site for steamboats on the French Broad River brought travelers as well.  In addition, a branch of the Knoxville Tennessee to Abingdon Virginia stage route passed through town…with overnight stops at the taverns.

The Hickman Coach House, which was also built ca. 1820, is located right beside the Hickman Tavern/Dandridge Town Hall.  This narrow brick structure was built for stage coach operators traveling between Knoxville and Abingdon and on to “Washington City”.  The nice little building now serves as the Dandridge Visitor’s Center.  Strangely, at least in my opinion, it isn’t open on Saturdays…just Monday through Friday and during special events and festivals.

Note:

         ·         Did you notice the ‘hill’ behind the Hickman Tavern and the Hickman Coach House?  It can also be seen behind the “1882” house as shown below.  The need for more electricity for the Federal Government’s Oak Ridge Project during WWII led to the construction of the Douglas Dam on the French Broad River. 

The reservoir would have flooded almost all of downtown Dandridge, including most of the historic sites.  The hill behind the buildings is a levee.  The residents of the town petitioned Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.  They made the point that Dandridge was the only town in the USA that was named for the wife of George Washington.  That effort resulted in the Tennessee Valley Authority’s construction of the $1,000,000 levee to protect the town.  Seven feet higher than the dam’s crest gates, it’s referred to locally as the ‘dike that saved Dandridge’. 

This attractive yellow house is currently a private residence, although at one point is was called the Maxwell House…a unique gift emporium.  It is known as the “1882 House”, which makes sense given the date is prominently displayed near the peak of the structure.  FYI, this home is at 139 East Main Street, right next door to the Visitor’s Center and just down the street from the Shepard Inn.  It was listed for sale in 2017 with an asking price of $249,000.

I have no idea regarding the history or age of this home/structure.  I took the photo because it was completely different than any other buildings in Dandridge.  It’s located along Graveyard Alley… Given the size of the logs, this certainly looks old.  We both liked it!

How about a break from all the history and old buildings!  We both loved this attractive bush/plant next to a home along Graveyard Alley.  It’s known as French lavender, Spanish lavender or topped lavender.  It is a native plant that is from France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece.

This variety of lavender is used commercially in air fresheners and insecticides.  The flower spikes have been used to treat headaches, irritability, feverish colds, nausea, wounds and rheumatic pain.  In Australia, it is regarded as an invasive species/noxious weed.

The Revolutionary War Graveyard in Dandridge was the original site of the Hopewell Presbyterian Church.  Originally there was a log church at the corner next to the ‘burying ground’. (The term cemetery wasn’t used in the early days) The graveyard has been the center of the town for well over 235 years.  The Martha Dandridge Garden Club, organized in 1927, maintains the burying ground and it’s the starting point for the Dandridge Historic Walking Tour. 

As you can see from the photo shown above, 5 men who served in the American Revolutionary War are buried in this historic burying ground.   

• John Blackburn served in the Virginia Militia from 1776 – 1783 and he participated in the Battle of King’s Mountain.
• Abedengo Inman fought in Indian and border conflicts in the late 1780s and then joined the soldiers who joined the fray when Georgia was overrun by British troops.
• Samuel Lyle was a private who was wounded in the Battle of Eutaw Springs South Carolina.
• Richard Rankin was a member of the Revolutionary War militia from Cumberland County Pennsylvania. 
• Samuel Rankin, Richard’s brother from Cumberland County Pennsylvania, fought in the Battle of Cowpens, South Carolina.

Many of the headstones in this old burying ground are either worn down to nubbins or the lettering has eroded and they are impossible to read…much less photograph. 

As previously mentioned, Shadrach Inman built what is now known as the Shepard Inn.  Before the Civil War, he was a prosperous merchant with a general store, owned 3 houses in town and who had acquired a farm with 1,700 acres with 25 slaves.  After losing his previous wealth during the war, with their management skills and connections, Shadrach and the Inman family became part of the New South society with family business ventures including cotton, railroads, streetcars, insurance, banking and real estate.  The second headstone was for Sarah, Shadrach’s wife.  She was only 43 when she died.  Shadrach was 59 when he passed, outliving her by 11 years.

Another former inn or tavern in Dandridge is located at 217 West Main Street.  An early stop for stage coaches, the Roper Tavern, a 5-bay Federal style building, was completed by Colonel John Roper in about 1817.  The porch was a later addition.  Roper served in the War of 1812 and he subsequently became a well-known merchant…and in 1854 he became the President of the Bank of Dandridge, the first bank in Jefferson County.  Formerly a residence, this old inn is now home to law offices…

That’s all for now.  Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave