Front Porch to the Region's History

Geography defines East Tennessee as a land of mountains and valleys and with a history and heritage apart from the rest of the state. The East Tennessee Historical Society recognizes this distinctiveness with programs and exhibitions uniquely tailored to the region. Our educational mission is to engage the public with the message that history is important. 

This Day In East Tennessee History

  • May 6, 1861

    Tennessee Governor Isham G. Harris recommended the immediate enactment of a measure declaring that Tennessee had resumed her sovereignty, after which she should declare her independence from the United States and unite with the Confederate states.  Accordingly, the lawmakers drafted "A Declaration of Independence...Dissolving the Federal Relations between the State of Tennessee and the United States," and stipulated that it should be submitted to the people for ratification or rejection on June 8 in 1861.