3 Must-Visit Places in Jefferson County, Tennessee

If you are ever in east Tennessee and in Jefferson County, Tennessee here are some places that you do not want to miss.

The first place is in Dandridge, Tennessee and is the old courthouse located on Main Street. It was, up until around three years ago, one of the oldest courthouses still in use. There has never been a fire at the courthouse, thus, documents dating back to 1792 are still in tact. Some of these documents show that the courthouse even served as a hospital during the Civil War. Inside the courthouse you will find a museum with historical documents such as Wills, Marriage Records et cetera as well as Indian and Civil War relics. The courthouse still houses a few offices, but most of the main Government Offices have been moved to the new Justice Department also in Dandridge. You can visit the courthouse between the hours of 8:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. Monday through Friday. For more information call or contact the Chamber of Commerce at PO Box 890 Dandridge, Tennessee 37725 or 865-397-9642. There is no charge to get into the museum.

The next place is the Glenmore Mansion in Jefferson City, Tennessee. Built in 1868 to 1869 by John Roper Branner, Glenmore was originally named "The Oakes". John Roper Branner died shortly before his dream home was completed. Milton Preston Jarnagin, Sr, bought the mansion in 1882 and changed the name to Glenmore in memory of his first son who died as a baby. You may visit between May 1 and October 31 on Saturday and Sunday 1:00 to 5:00. Admission to the mansion is $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for children under 12. The majority of the house is not wheelchair accessible. They are located at the intersection of Andrew Johnson Highway and Chucky Pike.

Now that you have done a lot of site seeing, you are probably hungry. For some of the best food in Jefferson County, Tennessee head straight for Tinsely-Bible Drug Store. There they have a fountain that is famous for their Bible burgers (all the way, of course) and handmade milk shakes. They are located at 1224 Gay Street in Dandridge, Tennessee and have been since 1911. They are an old fashioned drug store and not only offer a fountain with wonderful food, but also offer many unique and now unavailable items for the public to purchase. The fountain is open until 2:00 P.M. Monday through Friday. For more information contact them at 865-397-3444 or the Chamber of Commerce at the above mentioned address and phone number.

Sources:

www.jeffersoncounty.gov August 26, 2009

www.glenmoremansion.org August 26, 2009

www.tinsleybible.com August 26, 2009