Beyond the Mansion

Hands-On History Day

2011-04-26T14:02:00.008-04:00

This blog is brought to you by Emily Wuchner, our intern who is in charge of planning this event:

While Blount Mansion serves as a fantastic venue for sharing history, we also want you to be able to interact with history. This is the focus of our Hands-on History Day on May 7 from 11am-4pm.

At this event, children and their families can learn about life in early Tennessee through watching demonstrations and hands-on activities. Artisans including basket weavers, quilters, and a cook will demonstrate their trades. A number of interactive activities will give children the chance to experience aspects of life in the eighteenth century.

Admission is $5 for children 3-17, $7 for adults and $25 for families up to 5 (2 adults and 3 children). We are very excited about this event and look forward to seeing you here!

FAQs

2011-04-14T10:26:00.000-04:00

(also found as a Facebook note!)

What are your hours?Tuesday-Saturday, 9:30am-5pm. Tours given at the top of each hour (last tour starts at 4pm)
What does it cost?Adults ($7), Seniors [over 65] or AAA Members ($6), Children [ages 6-17] ($5), Children under 6 (free)
Do you take groups?Yes. Groups over 20 people qualify for a special rate, but must reserve a time at least a week in advance. Call 865-525-2375 for details.

Have any questions not covered here? Post one and we'll try to answer it!

New!

2011-04-13T09:45:00.006-04:00

By now, you may have noticed that we have a new logo and our web site looks quite different. Robin Easter Design has been great to work with, and have done a wonderful job on both! We are so excited to finally unveil both to the public.

Now- the website might look a bit incomplete now, but we assure you that the full site will be worth the wait. In the meantime, any news about upcoming events can be found on our Facebook or Twitter accounts (neither require signing up to view- hit "Cancel" if Facebook asks for a password). We may also plug some events here too!

Coming soon: FAQs not currently answered on our website.

Collections Questions # 1: Pumpkin bowl & gourd scoops

2011-03-03T14:09:00.002-05:00

We've had lots of questions about the dried gourds on display in the Kitchen, and how they can be dried without rotting. Since we at Blount Mansion were curious too, we've been trying to find the answers!

Pumpkin bowl

Turns out, it's not a simple process, and no guarantee that it will work. First of all, there are health issues involved with drying and working with gourds.

Second of all, even if you do everything properly, your dried gourd may still rot before you have a chance to do anything with it.

Third of all, it's not an easy process to make the bowls. Drying, cutting, scooping, sanding... best left to the people who know it best!

Thanks to the Amish Gourds website and Just Gourds for providing this information.

Gourd scoops

Do you have any questions about items on display at Blount Mansion? Email us and we'll see what we can do to answer you!

Liberty Tree

2011-02-28T23:07:00.001-05:00

Much of this information comes from the Elm Research Institute and the Liberty Tree Society. We hope to see you at the dedication on March 5!

Blount Mansion has a new and important feature on site. We now have a “Liberty Tree” (an American Liberty Elm) located between the Visitors Center and the Mansion. But what is a Liberty Tree?

The City of Knoxville received a ceremonial disease-resistant American Liberty Elm, and a Liberty Tree Memorial plaque with an inscription that recounts the history of Boston's Liberty Tree, an American elm that was the rallying place for the Sons of Liberty in the American Revolution. Inspired by these Patriots whose efforts were immortalized by the original Liberty Tree, Elm Research Institute, developed the Liberty Tree Memorial to commemorate the day this famous tree was chopped down by angry Red Coats.

For more than 20 years, Elm Research Institute has been establishing Liberty Tree Memorials in communities across the country to commemorate the birth of freedom and help restore the American elm. The City of Knoxville is the site of one of 440 Liberty Tree Memorials in the country.

In order to bring this first symbol of Freedom to Americans everywhere the Institute has established the Liberty Tree Society with a four-fold mission: First to fulfill the goal of Massachusetts Governor Peabody who first declared August 14th as Liberty Tree Day in his state. The Society would like to see all 50 states recognize this day; Second to dedicate Liberty Tree Memorials in 1000 communities, Third to tell the exciting story of the Liberty Tree in classrooms across the land, Fourth to continue the “Re-Elming” of America by planting disease-resistant American Liberty Elms in public spaces nationwide.

This gift is made possible by a grant through the Liberty Tree Society sponsored by Elm Research Institute (ERI), Keene, NH. Citizens of Knoxville are invited to gather beneath the Liberty Tree to hear the “Liberty Tree” poem by Thomas Paine on March 5, 2011. Those in attendance for the planting will receive a ticket to tour Blount Mansion for free.

Elm Research Institute was established in 1967 with the purpose of saving the American elm from extinction. ERI sponsored genetic research that resulted in the American Liberty Elm, a purebred descendant of disease-resistant American elms. It is the only elm with a Lifetime Warranty against Dutch elm disease. Over 300,000 have been planted since 1984.
For information about the American Liberty Elm or the Liberty Tree Memorial program, phone Elm Research Institute at 1-800-367-3567, visit online at www.elmresearch.org or write to Elm Research Institute, 11 Kit Street, Keene, NH 03431.

Debunking Myths on Site

2011-02-16T10:06:00.000-05:00

During our closure, we uncovered the truth about a few myths we share. Luckily for us, we were correct about a few.
First off, there's that pesky "closet tax" myth. If you've been on a tour and heard us talk about why there were no closets (because they were taxed on the number of rooms they had), we've learned that this was not true. We aren't experts on 18th century property tax laws, but given that other homes had closets at the time, we are going to stop sharing this myth. Maybe William thought that Mary didn't need a closet?
Secondly, there's the confusing myth about why pipes were so long. We do talk about breaking off the ends of the pipes, but not for hygienic purposes, but instead to allow the smoker to continue smoking if tobacco was stuck in the pipe.We cannot find any conclusive evidence to support this fact either, so we will try to refrain from sharing it as well. What we did discover is that pipes were longer to provide a "cooler smoke."
But thankfully, we are sharing correct descriptions of weasels and firebacks!
How did we become interested in these myths? We were curious about the pineapple symbol, and wanted to know if we should include it on our new floor cloth. Sorry everyone, it's a myth too.

That being said, we are working towards removing these myths from our tour, and any that come up in the future! And if you're interested in other historic myths, check out History Myths Debunked.

Changes

2011-02-04T13:58:00.000-05:00

We mentioned before that there were going to be some changes during our "closure" during the month of January (plus part of December and February) and we weren't kidding- even if you can't see all of them yet.

For one, we have installed a new phone system, and soon will have voicemail set up (hopefully by the end of today even), so that you can leave a message for us! We're also in the process of getting a new logo and website design, so be on the lookout for that to roll out sometime in the next few months.

We also had a floorcloth commissioned for our Visitors Center. We just received pictures of it and wanted to share them here. We can't wait until it is finished and arrives! Soon, we will be adding windsor chairs and a table for meetings and for visitors waiting for a tour.

We've also been working hard on working on the Craighead-Jackson Education Center, as mentioned in an earlier entry. We are hoping to have it open during a few of the spring special events.

We've also been planning for upcoming special events! We've got our African American Experience Day coming up on Saturday, February 19. We'll also be restarting First Fridays on March 4, with David Madden, author of Sharpshooter, here. More information about this event will be on our website soon! We are moving away from hosting art shows for First Fridays, but instead will have great speakers on site discussing a wide variety of topics.

We've got a few more changes waiting in the wings, so stay tuned!

Volunteering

2011-02-02T10:59:00.000-05:00

Here at Blount Mansion, we have a fantastic group of dedicated volunteers and interns. They are all responsible for providing tours of the Mansion and grounds. A few of our volunteers and interns are also responsible for research, developing programs and special tours, and working with the collections on top of their responsibilities with sharing the history of the Mansion with the public.
Think you'd be interested in helping Blount Mansion Association with tours? Come to our Volunteer Training Session either Monday, February 7, or Tuesday, February 8 from 9:30 a.m.- 11:30 a.m. Light refreshments will be served.

A new dining room for Craighead-Jackson

2011-01-04T12:04:00.000-05:00

This blog entry comes to you from our Executive Director:
Some of our readers may be aware that last year the Blount Mansion Association approved the future opening of our recently envisioned Education Center to expand and enhance interactive educational activities on site. The Education Center, housed in our historic Craighead-Jackson house, will provide interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, a reading room and research library, and educational programming related to Blount Mansion and Knoxville history. A written plan drafted by staff in the fall of 2010 outlines future programming and exhibits in the Education Center. We are pleased to announce that one of the interactive spaces in the Center will soon be completed for visitors to see, touch, and almost taste in 2011! An interactive dining room exhibit featuring an early-American period dining room is slated to open this summer and visitors of all ages will be encouraged to partake in the experience. Check back to this blog over the next several months for more information and to see updated photos of the dining room as it comes to life!

Education Center coming to life!

Behind the Scenes, Pt. II

2010-12-08T11:42:00.000-05:00

Ever wonder what goes on at a museum during "down time"? With a typically low visitor season ahead of us, plus cold weather to add to it, we are about to close the doors of the Mansion for about two months (December 19- February 14). However, despite the closure, we assure you that Blount Mansion behind the scenes will be busier than ever. We thought you might want to know what is in store for the Association during that time.

Save America's Treasures Grant: We will be fundraising to receive the matching grant and beginning to utilize some of the funds to make improvements on the property. One of the first things to be fixed will be a replacement for the HVAC system in the Mansion. We will also be working on getting the Craighead-Jackson Education Center close to opening with some of these funds.
Working on our tour script: We will be researching more about William, his family, visitors, slaves, and Native Americans to improve our tour script.
Volunteer training: We have some wonderful volunteers and hope that more volunteers want to join us in the new year. We will host 2 training sessions in early February (7th and 8th) for all current and future volunteers to go over all changes and how to provide tours. If you are interested in joining us as a volunteer, please email info@blountmansion.org for more information.
Exhibit hall: Our exhibit hall needs a new coat of paint, and we're working on improving the displays.
Planning for future events: We are already planning our inaugural Children's Event, which will take place sometime in April or May, plus we are working on First Friday events and special tours.
Other surprises: We have a few other surprises that we hope to accomplish over the course of the two months. Follow us on Facebook or Twitter to find out if they happen!

Upcoming Dates to Remember

2010-11-24T09:37:00.000-05:00

We are winding down 2010 here at Blount Mansion. Here are some important upcoming dates:

November 25-29: CLOSED. We will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday, and again on Saturday due to the UT/UK football game. If you're attending the game, park here for $10! This money benefits Blount Mansion Association, a non-profit organization.
November 30- December 18 (closed Sundays and Mondays): See the holiday decorations in the Mansion! The house will be decorated by the Knoxville Garden Club.
December 11: Holiday Open House from 11am-4pm. Come hear the Concord Brass Quintet, enjoy refreshments, and see the Mansion decorated for the holidays. This event is free to the public, though donations are appreciated.
December 18: Last day for tours for 2010.
February 15, 2011: First day of tours for 2011.

Spies and Society

2010-11-09T10:29:00.000-05:00

In honor of the upcoming Civil War Sesquicentennial, Blount Mansion, with help from the McClung Museum and the East Tennessee Civil War Alliance, has opened up an exhibit that explores the role of the mansion during the war.

Spies: Did you know that a Confederate spy stayed at Blount Mansion for two months in 1863? Belle Boyd visited her aunt, Mrs. Samuel B. Boyd (widow of the former mayor of Knoxville), and her cousins who lived in the Mansion.

Society: Belle stated that during her visit to Knoxville, "The city at this period was gay and animated beyond description. Party succeeded party, ball followed ball, concert came upon concert, and I took no thought of time." Within a few months of Belle's departure, Union troops took control of the town from the Confederates. The Boyds continued the festivities, with Union officers now in attendance (including Orlando Poe and General William P. Sanders).

Want to know more about the back story of the war? Check out Jack Neely's Secret History article, "The Southern Cause: A little bit of the backstory of our favorite war" from Metropulse. Also be sure to come visit our new exhibit, now open to the public!

Visitor Review

2010-10-19T14:14:00.000-04:00

Brickey Nuchols, a graduate student at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, recently reviewed his tour of Blount Mansion for our blog:

As a native of Blount County, one would think that I had probably been to the Blount Mansion at some point in my lifetime. I have lived in the Knoxville area for all but two years of my life, but have no memories of ever visiting the mansion. I decided to remedy that and visited the museum on the morning of October 5. I was not disappointed with my decision.

Upon arriving at Blount Mansion, I entered the visitor’s center and watched a video about the life and times of William Blount. The ten minute piece was very informative and provided me with facts that I never knew about Blount. For example, I was unaware that Blount was a signer of the United States Constitution for the state of North Carolina. I had also heard before that Blount was accused of treason, but never knew why until I watched the introductory video. The video also covers other controversial subjects such as William Blount’s debt due to an extravagant lifestyle and I commend the mansion’s board and staff for portraying the good and bad parts of Blount’s history.

After the video, I was directed to the garden outside of Blount Mansion. In the garden, I learned about the history of the Blounts and the property, up to when it was saved in 1925 by the Daughters of the American Revolution. I was also told that the pathways in the garden and the mansion itself were constructed by slaves. It is no surprise that the Blounts, a well to do family of the eighteenth century, had slaves, but I am glad that the Blount Mansion Association has chosen to acknowledge the fact in its tours of the property.

Upon entering the mansion, I learned that the original structure had only three rooms. The parents slept in a bed in the hall, while the children slept upstairs in a loft bedroom (the third room served as a parlor). It hardly seems like a mansion by today’s standards, but for a structure in the middle of the wilderness, it must have seemed quite elaborate. There are two other areas that were added onto the house before 1830, which the Blount Mansion Association has chosen to interpret as a parlor and a bedroom, which I think is a smart use of the space. In addition to the mansion, there are two outlying buildings on the property that are interpreted as a kitchen and William Blount’s office.

I am normally not a fan of guided tours, preferring to take things at my own pace when I am in a museum. However, I had an excellent docent, Helene Maxey, who was knowledgeable and made the tour enjoyable. I could go into great detail of all of the facts that Ms. Maxey provided me with along the tour, but I think people should visit the mansion for themselves. The tour encompasses facts throughout that portray how life would be for men, women and children in the eighteenth century, so almost anyone can relate to at least some small part of the tour.

I have visited historic properties in Williamsburg and Charleston and I feel that my experience at Blount Mansion is comparable with them. The price is affordable and the tour lasts under an hour, so if you want to visit other institutions in the downtown area, you can easily do so. An eighteenth century home is not what one might expect to see in the middle of Knoxville. Upon entering the mansion, though, it is easy to imagine what life was like for the Blounts, an affluent family in the middle of a strange wilderness.

Want to leave a review of your own? Go to our Gozaic page to post reviews & pictures, and even see what other sites there are in the area!

We're On Gozaic!

2010-09-30T09:50:00.000-04:00

Did you know that not only can you find us on Facebook and Twitter, but you can also find us on Gozaic.com? We're a Gozaic Partner!

Heritage Travel, Inc.’s Gozaic.com is a travel resource and an online community where people can find, share and connect through culture- and heritage- rich interests and experiences. Gozaic and Heritage Travel, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, promote the economic vitality of heritage and cultural destinations and sites by providing focused and effective exposure to cultural and heritage-minded travelers. Gozaic's social media and public relations channels include a blog, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, media relations, e-newsletters and more. Partners must meet Heritage Travel, Inc. and National Trust for Historic Preservation standards in the areas of preservation, presentation and promotion to ensure a positive and authentic experience for visitors.

So what does this mean for our visitors? It provides a place for visitors to post pictures, leave and read reviews, and find out about other historic sites that you might be interested in! Be sure to check it out!

Volunteer Spirit: A Constitution Day Reflection on the Birth of Tennessee

2010-09-09T16:39:00.000-04:00

This blog entry comes from Ian Hennessey (the Blount Mansion Association Vice President), written for the September 2010 issue of DICTA.

The Tennessee Constitution of 1796 “is admitted to be one of the very best – Mr. Jefferson said, ‘the least imperfect and most republican’ – of the systems of government adopted by any of the American States.” (1)

This article is written in recognition of Constitution Day, which occurs each year on September 17 “to commemorate the formation and signing on September 17, 1787, of the [United States] Constitution….”(2) In observance of Constitution Day, we are encouraged to “make plans…for the complete instruction of citizens in their responsibilities and opportunities as citizens of the United States and of the State and locality in which they reside.”(3)

The natural focus of Constitution Day, of course, is the United States Constitution itself. However, there is scant more insight or praise that this author can offer that has not been already provided, either in speech or in prose, a thousand times before. In her book of the same title, Catherine Drinker Bowen described the Constitutional Convention as the “Miracle in Philadelphia.”(4) Her description is more than appropriate. The legacy of the Constitutional Convention is both the triumph of self-government as well as the genius – however imperfect – of the Framers. Indeed, the fame and historical significance of the individual Framers – including the likes of James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and George Mason – can easily overshadow the achievement of “ordinary citizens” establishing their own government. For this reason, this article will eschew Philadelphia, 1787, and focus instead on Knoxville, 1796. In that year, delegates gathered here for a convention that produced Tennessee’s first constitution.

The Tennessee Constitution of 1796 is a remarkable document. However, the enduring lesson of the first Tennessee Constitution is as much about the capacity of ordinary people to form a government based on principles of liberty and democracy. It also serves as a reminder that freedom and self-government is our continuing responsibility and endeavor as citizens, not a singular historical event reserved only to a few famous historical figures. Accordingly, this brief article will examine the provisions found in the Tennessee Constitution of 1796, but also the human context in which it was produced.

Early Self-Government

The frontier settlers that would eventually form the State of Tennessee already had valuable experience in self-government prior to 1796. In 1772, settlers living in the area of the Watauga and Nolichucky rivers formed the “Watauga Association.” This association functioned as “a primitive constitution of sorts modeled loosely after the Mayflower Compact of 1620.”(5) The agreement provided for a magistrate’s court that “possessed both legislative and judicial powers and employed a sheriff and clerk.”(6) The Watauga Association was later annexed by North Carolina as the “Washington District” during the Revolutionary War.

Following the Revolutionary War, a second attempt at self-government was made with the establishment of the ill-fated State of Franklin. In 1784, North Carolina ceded its western lands to Congress. On August 24, 1784, delegates from Washington, Sullivan, Hawkins and Greene counties – including John Sevier – convened in Jonesborough to establish a new state. A constitution was adopted and John Sevier was elected governor. However, despite petitioning Congress, the State of Franklin was not admitted to the Union. North Carolina reasserted its claim over the region and the government collapsed.

In 1790, the new federal government established the Territory of the United States South of the River Ohio (commonly referred to as the “Southwest Territory”). President George Washington appointed William Blount to be governor of the new territory. Blount had served as a paymaster during the Revolutionary War. He also served in the North Carolina House of Commons and the Continental Congress. He later served as a North Carolina delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and was a signer of the U.S. Constitution.

Blount established the first territorial capital at Rocky Mount, before moving the capital to the settlement at White’s Fort (which Blount later renamed Knoxville) in 1792. The following year, a territorial legislature was formed consisting of thirteen men. Interestingly, historians have noted that in the territorial legislature “there was but one lawyer, William Cocke, in the lower house,” which was “attributed to that antipathy to and distrust of the legal profession manifested ten years before in the Houston draft of the [Franklin] constitution, a section of which excluded attorneys at law from becoming members of the legislature.”(7)

By 1795, there was growing support for seeking statehood among the settlers in the territory.(8) In June 1795, Governor Blount convened the territorial legislature upon the stated purpose, in his own words:

to afford an opportunity to inquire whether it is, as I have been taught to believe, the wish of the majority of the people, that this Territory should become a State, when by taking the enumeration of there should prove to be sixty thousand free inhabitants therein, or at such earlier period as Congress shall pass an act for its admission; and if it is, to take such measures as may be proper to effect the desired change of the form of government as early as practicable.(9)

The results of the territorial census revealed a total population of 77,263 people, of which 66,650 were free and 10,613 were enslaved.(10) The results also showed a clear majority of 6,504 to 2,562 in favor of seeking statehood.(11) In Knox County alone, the vote was 1,100 to 128 in favor of seeking statehood.(12) In response, Governor Blount issued a proclamation recommending that each county elect five delegates “to represent them in convention, to meet at Knoxville…for the purpose of forming a constitution or permanent form of government.”(13)

Knoxville in 1796

Although vastly smaller, Knoxville in 1796 was not altogether unrecognizable from the Knoxville of today. At that time, the town of Knoxville contained forty houses and had a population of approximately 1,200 people.(14) The town was laid out into sixteen squares, with its boundaries consisting of Church Street on the north, Front Street along the Holston (now Tennessee) River on the south, Walnut Street to the west, and Water Street along First Creek to the east.(15) There were temporary buildings for a courthouse and a jail.(16) The jail was “about sixteen feet square and stood near … the corner of Gay and Main streets.”(17) Four years earlier, a proclamation of the sheriff had established the first court, which was held at a private home.(18) Eight lawyers were admitted to practice law in the court.(19) It was against this setting that delegates from the counties of the Southwest Territory convened to give birth to the State of Tennessee.

Meanwhile, Governor Blount had already constructed his stately home near the present-day corner of Hill Avenue and Gay Street. Indeed, Governor Blount was known to be a “liberal host,” leaving “no means unemployed to manifest a hospitality at once worthy of the chief magistrate, and creditable to the gentleman.”(20) Although he furnished “models of refinement and etiquette” that were “seldom seen in a new community,” Blount did not show “upstart consequence” or “assumed superiority of suddenly acquired wealth and unexpected promotion.”(21) Instead, “each guest felt himself the Governor’s favorite.”(22)

The Knoxville Convention

On January 11, 1796, fifty-five delegates from Knox County and the ten other counties (23) of the Southwest Territory gathered in Knoxville to form a new constitution. In his Annals of Tennessee, J.G.M. Ramsey declared:

Besides the members, there was an immense gathering of the more enlightened, patriotic and influential citizens, from all parts of the Territory, and some from other states. Knoxville had never before contained more intelligence or weight of character. The occasion demanded wisdom and moderation, public spirit and public virtue – and these there were.(24)

Knox County was represented by Governor Blount, James White, Charles McClung, John Adair, and John Crawford.(25) Andrew Jackson served as a delegate from Davidson County. (26) Other delegates, which included future Tennessee governors, Congressmen and Senators, reads like a list of present-day Tennessee cities and counties – John McNairy, Joseph McMinn, William Cocke, Joseph Anderson, Archibald Roane, George Rutledge, William C.C. Claiborne, John Rhea, just to name a few.(27) Governor Blount was unanimously elected President of the convention.(28) Two delegates from each county were appointed to draft the constitution, including Blount and McClung from Knox County.(29)

Early in the convention, an important issue was the establishment of a Declaration of Rights. Ramsey notes:

On motion of Mr. McMinn, the opinion of the House was taken, whether a Bill of Rights be prefixed to the Constitution; and having decided in the affirmative, the House directed the Committee to present as early as possible a Declaration or Bill of Rights, to be prefixed to the Constitution. (30)

A Declaration of Rights was adopted that was similar to the federal Bill of Rights, but contained two uniquely western concerns: [1] it proclaimed “equal participation of the free navigation of the Mississippi” to be an inherent right of the citizens of Tennessee (31) and [2] it asserted certain land claims against the Native Americans.(32) Interestingly, rather than appearing “prefixed” to the constitution as originally contemplated, the Declaration of Rights was inserted as the last section of the constitution. The Declaration of Rights was moved to Article I in the Tennessee Constitution of 1835 and remains there today under the Tennessee Constitution of 1870.

In establishing the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, the delegates relied heavily upon the constitutions of North Carolina and Pennsylvania.(33) There was a “vigorous debate” concerning whether the legislative branch would be unicameral or bicameral, with the convention eventually deciding in favor of the latter.(34) Members of the “house of representatives” were to be elected from each county, while members of the “senate” were to be elected from legislative districts created by the General Assembly.(35) Both representatives and senators were to serve two-year terms.(36) A census for purposes of apportionment in the General Assembly was to be conducted every seven years.(37)

The powers of the legislature were superior to those of both the executive and judicial branches. Like the legislators, the governor was elected for a term of two years.(38) However, the governor was not permitted to serve more than three consecutive terms.(39) The governor was granted the power to “take care that the laws shall be faithfully executed”(40) and “give the general assembly information on the state of the government, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge expedient.”(41) However, the governor had no veto power.(42)

Likewise, the judicial branch was controlled by the General Assembly: “[t]he judicial power of the state shall be vested in such superior and inferior courts of law and equity, as the legislature shall, from time to time, direct and establish.”(43) All judges were appointed by the General Assembly, but permitted to hold their offices “during good behavior.”(44) However (and shockingly to any modern lawyer) the General Assembly could overturn judicial decisions through private acts.(45)

Interestingly, the Tennessee Constitution of 1796 contained remarkably liberal voting rights, granting suffrage to every free man (including free African-Americans) over the age of twenty-one.(46) Nevertheless, “the Governor and members of the General Assembly were required to be property owners.”(47) In addition, “[m]inisters of the gospel and priests” were declared ineligible to sit in either house of the General Assembly.(48) Likewise, those who denied “the being of God or a future state of rewards and punishments,” were prohibited from holding “any office in the civil department of this state.”(49) Both of these latter provisions still appear in our current constitution.(50)

The final version of the first Tennessee Constitution was unanimously passed by the convention on February 6, 1796, less than a month after the convention was convened. On February 9, 1796, a copy of the new constitution was sent to U.S. Secretary of State Timothy Pickering.(51) John Sevier was elected as Tennessee’s first governor. After some partisan wrangling in Congress between the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans, Tennessee was admitted to the Union on June 1, 1796. William Blount and William Cocke served as Tennessee’s first U.S. Senators, while Andrew Jackson served as its first Congressman.

Conclusion

Constitution Day is a truly American celebration. However, as we celebrate the genius of the federal Framers, let us also remind ourselves of our own responsibility, as ordinary citizens, for both liberty and self-government. When we look into the mirror of our own past, we find an imperfect people (not unlike ourselves) who formed a new government right here Knoxville. This is the “miracle” that truly underlies Constitution Day: the capacity of ordinary people to form their own government based on the principles of liberty and democracy.

Our nation’s monuments to democracy found in places like Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia are often massive and awe-inspiring. In Knoxville, our monument is the Blount Mansion, which quietly sits on Hill Avenue in the shadow of the Andrew Johnson Building and the City-County Building. The Blount Mansion is hardly a “mansion,” even under the standards of the 1790s, but therein holds its inspiration and its lesson. Liberty and self-government is not the cause of larger-than-life historical personalities. Instead, these principles are our own, as ordinary citizens, to both establish and preserve.

1. J.G.M. Ramsey, THE ANNALS OF TENNESSEE TO THE END OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY 657 (Kingsport Press 1926) (1853).
2. 36 U.S.C. § 106(b) (2010).
3. 36 U.S.C. § 106(d) (2010).
4. Catherine Drinker Bowen, MIRACLE IN PHILADELPHIA (Back Bay Books 1986).
5. William Lyons, John M. Scheb & Billy Stair, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS IN TENNESSEE 4 (University of Tennessee Press 2001).
6. Id.
7. William Rule (ed.), STANDARD HISTORY OF KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE 75 (The Lewis Publishing Company 1900).
8. See, e.g., Phillip Langsdon, TENNESSEE – A POLITICAL HISTORY 21-22 (Hillsboro Press 2000).
9. J.G.M. Ramsey, THE ANNALS OF TENNESSEE TO THE END OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY 641 (Kingsport Press 1926) (1853).
10. Phillip Langsdon, TENNESSEE – A POLITICAL HISTORY 22 (Hillsboro Press 2000).
11. J.G.M. Ramsey, THE ANNALS OF TENNESSEE TO THE END OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY 648 (Kingsport Press 1926) (1853).
12. Id.
13. Id. at 649.
14. William Rule (ed.), STANDARD HISTORY OF KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE 91 (The Lewis Publishing Company 1900).
15. Id.
16. Id.
17. Id.
18. Id. at 54.
19. Id. (The lawyers were Luke Bower, Alexander Outlaw, Joseph Hamilton, Archibald Roane, Hopkins Lacy, John Rhea, James Reese, and later, John Sevier, Jr.).
20. J.G.M. Ramsey, THE ANNALS OF TENNESSEE TO THE END OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY 645 (Kingsport Press 1926) (1853).
21. Id.
22. Id. at 646.
23. The other counties represented were Blount, Davidson, Greene, Hawkins, Jefferson, Sullivan, Sevier, Tennessee, Washington, and Sumner.
24. J.G.M. Ramsey, THE ANNALS OF TENNESSEE TO THE END OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY 650 (Kingsport Press 1926) (1853).
25. Id. at 651.
26. Id. at 650.
27. Id. at 650-51.
28. Id. at 651.
29. Id. at 652.
30. Id.
31. TN CONST. Art. XI § 29 (1796).
32. TN CONST. Art. XI § 31 (1796).
33. Walter T. Durham, BEFORE TENNESSEE: THE SOUTHWEST TERRITORY 1790-1796, 255 (Overmountain Press 1990)
34. Id.
35. TN CONST. Art. I, § 2, 4 (1796).
36. TN CONST. Art. I, § 5 (1796).
37. TN CONST. Art. I, § 2 (1796).
38. TN CONST. Art. II § 4 (1796).
39. Id.
40. TN CONST. Art. II, § 10 (1796).
41. TN CONST. Art. II, § 11 (1796).
42. See TN CONST. Art. II (1796).
43. TN CONST. Art. V, § 1 (1796).
44. TN CONST. Art. V § 3(1796).
45. William Lyons, John M. Scheb & Billy Stair, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS IN TENNESSEE 30 (University of Tennessee Press 2001).
46. TN CONST. Art. III, § 1 (1796). (Regrettably, the suffrage rights of free African-Americans were eliminated in the Tennessee Constitution of 1835).
47. William Lyons, John M. Scheb & Billy Stair, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS IN TENNESSEE 30 (University of Tennessee Press 2001).
48. TN CONST. Art. VIII, § 1 (1796).
49. TN CONST. Art. VIII, § 2 (1796).
50. TN CONST. Art. IX, § 1-2 (1870).
51. J.G.M. Ramsey, THE ANNALS OF TENNESSEE TO THE END OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY 657 (Kingsport Press 1926) (1853).

Mysteries at the Mansion

2010-08-24T10:48:00.000-04:00

Back in the 1950s and 1960s, there were a series of newspaper articles about Blount Mansion and a secret "crypt" that was discovered during archaeological research. These articles discuss all the different uses this secret room could have had, including a "vault in which Blount kept territorial funds," "a hiding place for the family in case of Indian attack," a "cellar where Blount stored his bottles of Madeira, port and sherry wines," or maybe even a "tunnel leading from the Blount house to the river bank... as an escape route in case of Indian siege."
The room discovered is 8 feet long, 7 feet wide, and 6 feet deep, with a sunken pit that is 54 inches long, 42 inches wide, and 21 inches deep.

The tunnel idea was quickly ruled out. The bricks also matched the bricks discovered when the original kitchen was restored, so it was clearly built at the same time as the house. The room had also been abandoned before being torn down and covered up.

Any ideas yet of what this secret room ended up being?

Well, in December 1962, the Knoxville News-Sentinel finally offered the public the answer to this mystery: "It was Gov. Blount's 'cool room,' used to preserve perishable foods and for chilling fine Madeira wines that Gov. Blount imported on his three ocean-going vessels." It took the National Park Service and a scientific test done on some of the bricks in a spectrograph in Oak Ridge to clear up any questions. "The final truth may be anti-climatic compared with the wonderment and curiosity the room stirred when we dug into it unexpectedly in the fall of 1961, but it is very interesting nevertheless," said then-president of the Blount Mansion Association, Mrs. A.C. Bruner.

After the mystery was cleared up, the cool room was restored according to a sketch made by Charles Grossman, who was the head of the Southeastern National Park Service Division of Historical Research.

And now? We have recently put in a mock block of ice to show off how the room was used. Be sure to check out the cooling shed when you visit us next time!

Behind the Scenes: Part I

2010-08-13T13:59:00.000-04:00

Lots of changes have been happening this summer around the Blount Mansion Association. We've hired a new director, a new education coordinator, and a new maintenance worker; moved the exhibit cases to another local historic home museum; cleaned out our storage and collections closets; repaired the fence by Gay Street (see picture); had goats clean out the kudzu behind Craighead-Jackson House... well, we could keep going!

To let you all know what's going on behind-the-scenes here at the Mansion, we're going to periodically blog about what we're working on.

Right now, the biggest change visitors will notice is that our exhibit on William Blount and statehood is (temporarily) gone... and replaced by artwork. The art exhibit (by Pauline Nelson) will be up for the month of August, and while it's up, we're brainstorming new exhibit ideas. Be prepared for pictures of the exhibit-creation process as soon as we get started putting things back on the walls in September!

The Goats Are Here!

2010-08-05T16:36:00.000-04:00

If you follow us on Facebook or Twitter, you likely already know that the goats are here. That is, the kudzu-eating goats (provided by Keep Knoxville Beautiful, see here for video footage of before the goats arrived) are here on site to eat away the kudzu behind Craighead-Jackson House. We are so excited that they are here, and if you get a chance, you should absolutely stop by to see them in action. They'll only be here about a week, so hurry on out! Tomorrow night, we're open late for First Friday, and Saturday they'll be here during the East Tennessee History Fair.

These goats add fun to our day but more importantly, they also are helping us get rid of the invasive kudzu in a green way so that we might be able to bring back native species. Check out our Flickr set on the goats!