Elizabethton (Tennessee)

Elizabethton has to be one of those places that holds a special place in the discussion of American expansion. It was in this general area that restless European colonists inching westward from the Thirteen Colonies slowly pushed the native Cherokee and other Native American tribes out to form the Republic of Watauga. Then a land speculator named Richard Henderson carved out a deal known as the Transylvania Transaction with the Cherokee at Sycamore Shoals/Fort Watauga here and added half of present day Kentucky to the United States' domain, a development that Daniel Boone opened up to settlement through creation of the Wilderness Road via the Cumberland Gap. Besides this, another scout named James Robertson advanced westward to establish Fort Nashborough, the antecedent to Nashville. Thus, one might say that the inklings of future Tennessee and Kentucky arose from here in the late 18th century, sometimes by negotiation with the Native Americans, other times by connivery or force.

Other interesting events happened in Elizabethton too. Militias formed here and march over to fight in the Battle of Kings Mountain in the American Revolutionary War. Moreover, there was a time shortly thereafter when an autonomous state called the State of Franklin popped up seeking governance under Spanish rule, with proponents like later Tennessee governor John Sevier fighting to the teeth, but this quieted down and Tennessee was admitted to the Union in 1796.

Elizabethton was named for two original founders' daughters, both named Elizabeth, and it remained within the Union's power by and large during the Civil War, even though it was part of the Confederacy. Later it would become a center of railroad and also hydropower commerce with damming of the Watauga River, a feature which would lead it to be termed "The City of Power."

All these poignant moments in the chapters of American history led to the development of the official outdoor historical drama of the state of Tennessee in Elizabethton called Liberty: The Saga of Sycamore Shoals.

The closest Interstate Highway is I-26 in Johnson City. To reach Elizabethton, drivers take Exit 24 and head east 8 miles (13 km) on U.S. Route 321 and Tennessee State Route 67.

• 🌍 Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park, 1651 W Elk Ave, ☏ +1 423 543-5808. Daily 7AM-4PM. This historic park contains the remnants of Fort Watauga, a military fort of westward expansion and the Revolutionary War, plus it marks the spot of the significant land deal in 1775 known as the Transylvania Transaction. It was negotiated by Richard Henderson and the Cherokee people, and pretty much secured lands between the Cumberland, Kentucky, and Ohio Rivers for the United States. Because it was acquired by a private party rather than the government, it violated the Royal Proclamation of 1763, which prohibited private purchase of American Indian land, and the transaction was not recognized by the colonial assemblies. (updated Dec 2021)
  • 🌍 Carter Mansion, 1013 Broad St, ☏ +1 423 543-5808. Daily 8AM-6PM. The mansion is a part of the state park but outside the main component of it. This is the estate of one of the earliest settlers in the area, whose descendants figured importantly in the naming of the town and its destiny during the Civil War. (updated Dec 2021)
• 🌍 Elizabethton Covered Bridge (3rd Street near its intersection with South Riverside Drive). Just a nostalgic bridge across the Watauga River. (updated Dec 2021)

• Bee Cliff Cabins, 141 Steel Bridge Rd, ☏ +1 423 542-6033. A rustic place to stay. (updated Dec 2021)