Picture of the day - June 12, 2005

Washington County Courthouse - Jonesborough, TN

In virtually every town in America that serves as its county seat, one of the most impressive (and often most historic) buildings is the county courthouse. The distinctive architecture of the typical old courthouse building makes it easily identifiable - when you visit a town you'll usually recognize the courthouse without even reading the signs. Today's picture features a stately courthouse in one of America's most historic towns: Jonesborough, TN, the oldest town in the state. Founded in 1779, historic Jonesborough was making history even before Tennessee became a state by serving as the capitol of the State Of Franklin. The State of Franklin, named in honor of U.S. founding father Benjamin Franklin, was established in 1784 in part of what was then the Western District of North Carolina. It functioned as the 14th state of the union for four years, but Congress never recognized it as such. In 1788, Franklin once again officially became part of North Carolina and remained as such until the state of Tennessee was established in 1796. Jonesborough's storied history includes three former U.S. Presidents. Andrew Jackson practiced law and served as a judge in Jonesborough. Andrew Johnson, who lived in nearby Greeneville, spent quite a bit of time in and around Jonesborough politicking and telling stories. James K. Polk spent some time there as well. The citizens of Jonesborough are proud and fiercely protective of their town's legacy and rich history, doing all they can to make sure the historic downtown area remains as original as possible. But they do enjoy celebrating their history - Jonesborough Days is held each summer during which there is lots of live music, great food, and plenty of lies being told (storytelling). In the fall, the lies get even bigger and the stories even more interesting during the National Storytelling Festival. Historic Jonesborough is a very beautiful and friendly town located right in the middle of one of the most scenic parts of the country. You're invited to drop in and walk down streets that are just dripping with American history. You can also visit the International Storytelling Center and listen to some interesting tales... and perhaps you'll even tell a few of your own!   Picture Of The Day Homepage | Submit a photo Interesting Articles