America 250

THE ROAD TO KNOXVILLE:

How Revolutionary War veterans and pioneers claimed a new land, founded a new city,

and forged a new state on the western frontier

Booklet, Symposium and Related Tours

 Fri. October 2 and Sat. October 3, 2026

 

The Knoxville Blockhouse, circa 1893, painted by Lloyd Branson. (McClung Historical Collection.)

 

This year provides a unique opportunity to engage the local community during the nations’ 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in July 1776 and the pivotal events during and after the Revolutionary War that led to the founding of Knoxville in 1791, its role as the capital of the Southwest Territory, and then the first capital of Tennessee.

KHP will present a new look at the key events that unfolded, and the key players who settled in this region during the mid-late 1700s when the landscape was rapidly transitioning from Native American hunting grounds, to land claimed by settlers, and the emergence of new states; and changes that fueled hostilities between the settlers and Native Americans. KHP will highlight a broader array of known characters, expanding the story beyond the usual list of government officials and settlers, who are typically associated with Knoxville’s founding story.

The symposium will be held on Friday, October 2, 2026 at the East Tennessee History Center.

More information coming soon.

In the meantime, we encourage you to learn more about America 250 programs and events happening throughout the state of Tennessee HERE.

Also, take a deep dive into a new Knoxville Origins Story Map produced by Kevin Bogle and Mel Yoshimoto with the Calvin M. McClung Historical Collection, highlighting the early days of Knoxville and some of the town’s first inhabitants HERE.

 

Special Thanks to our Funders and Partners:

 

and Friends of the Knoxville History Project