East Tennessee Historical Society facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Abbreviation	ETHS
Predecessor	East Tennessee Historical and Antiquarian Society (c. 1834–1852)
Formation	May 5, 1834 (1834-05-05)
Type	Historical society
Headquarters	Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S.
Region served	East Tennessee, Southern Appalachia
Chairman	Sam Albritton
President & CEO	Warren Dockter
Main organ	Journal of East Tennessee History
Website	easttnhistory.org

The East Tennessee Historical Society (ETHS) is a special group based in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States. It is a non-profit organization, which means it works for a good cause rather than to make money. Its main goals are to study the history of East Tennessee, keep important old items safe, and teach people in Tennessee about their past. The society runs a museum and a gift shop. These are located in the East Tennessee History Center on Gay Street in downtown Knoxville. The East Tennessee Historical Society was started way back in 1834. That was 38 years after Tennessee became a state! Its purpose was to record how the area grew and how people settled there.

History of the Society

The East Tennessee Historical Society has a long and interesting history, going through several changes over the years.

How the Society Began

The East Tennessee Historical and Antiquarian Society was first started by a Tennessee historian named J. G. M. Ramsey (1797–1884). He wanted to collect and save important papers and letters from the early settlers of the state. The very first meeting of the society happened on May 5, 1834.

East Tennessee College president William B. Reese was chosen as the first president. Other important members included John Hervey Crozier and Thomas William Humes. As the society's recording secretary, Ramsey gathered many papers and letters. These came from important early Tennesseans like William Blount and John Sevier. By 1852, the word "Antiquarian" was removed from the society's name.

Challenges and Rebirths

Ramsey kept the society's historical papers at his home, Mecklenburg, near Knoxville. Sadly, these valuable papers were destroyed when Mecklenburg was burned during the Civil War. After the war ended, the society stopped working for a while.

In January 1883, the society was brought back to life. Confederate veterans, like Moses White and William Henderson, joined Ramsey and Crozier to restart it. In 1885, University of Tennessee professor William Gibbs McAdoo became president. Future Knoxville mayor Samuel G. Heiskell served as vice president. This time, the society also started letting women join. They held talks about interesting topics like Fort Loudoun and the state of Franklin. However, by the end of the 1800s, this second version of the ETHS also became inactive.

Modern Revival and Growth

In December 1924, teachers and librarians from the Knoxville area met at the Lawson McGhee Library. They wanted to bring the ETHS back again. A new society officially met on January 16, 1925. Key members included U.T. professor Philip Hamer and librarian Mary U. Rothrock.

The society began publishing its yearly scholarly journal in 1929. They also hosted talks by famous historians. In 1939, the society published its first book, Sectionalism and Internal Improvements in Tennessee.

In 1946, the society published a detailed history of Knox County called The French Broad-Holston Country. This book was part of the state's 150th birthday celebrations. A new version of the book was published in 1972. In 1976, they published a history of Knoxville, Heart of the Valley: A History of Knoxville, Tennessee.

In the late 1970s, Knox County bought the Old Customs House. This building became the home for the McClung Collection and the Knox County Archives. The ETHS also moved its main office there and hired professional staff. Under leaders like Charles Faulkner Bryan and Mark Wetherington, the society grew a lot in the 1980s.

From 1990 to 1995, W. Todd Groce was the executive director. During this time, the ETHS changed the name of its journal to the Journal of East Tennessee History. They also started the First Families of Tennessee project in 1992. A big step was opening the Museum of East Tennessee History in 1993.

East Tennessee History Center

The main office of the East Tennessee Historical Society is located in the East Tennessee History Center. This center is inside the Old Customs House in Knoxville. Knox County owns this historic building.

Museum of East Tennessee History

The Old Customs House is home to the Historical Society's Museum of East Tennessee History. This museum has many exhibits that show the culture and history of the East Tennessee region. You can see items that belonged to famous people like Davy Crockett and John Sevier. There are also souvenirs from the Appalachian Expositions of 1910 and 1911.

Other displays include items from the Battle of Fort Sanders. You can also see a complete trolley car and an old-fashioned drugstore display. The museum also features early country music instruments and other music items. The center shows artworks by local artists such as Lloyd Branson and Catherine Wiley.

Other Collections at the Center

Besides the museum, the history center also holds the Knox County Archives. It also has the Calvin M. McClung Collection. This collection is part of the Knox County Public Libraries.

Family History Programs

The East Tennessee Historical Society runs two special groups for people interested in their family history. These groups help people trace their ancestors.

First Families of Tennessee

The First Families of Tennessee is a group for people who can show that their family lived in the area that became Tennessee before it officially became a state.

Civil War Families of Tennessee

The Civil War Families of Tennessee is a group for people whose ancestors fought in the American Civil War.

See also

• Frank H. McClung Museum
• History of Knoxville, Tennessee
• List of historical societies in Tennessee