About ETHS
As East Tennesseans, we are a people defined by a common geography and a shared history that set us apart from the rest of the South. We are Native Americans and frontiersmen, business and political leaders, farmers and miners, makers of textiles and leaders in technology, rebels and educators. We are the hillbillies of myth and the mountain and valley people of flesh and blood. We lived longer with candlelight and oil lamp than most Americans, but when we lit our houses with TVA, we powered the nation. We practice a fierce independence. We hold fast to our traditions. We love our homeplace. We are East Tennesseans. For nearly 170 years, the East Tennessee Historical Society has been helping us hold on to our unique heritage-recording the events, collecting the artifacts, and saving the stories that comprise the history we all share. Since 1834, the East Tennessee Historical Society has been telling the stories, collecting the artifacts, and recording the events that comprise our region's unique history. The historical society pursues its educational mission through publications, lectures, conferences, school programs, exhibits, and heritage. ETHS not only helps preserve history, but it also has a rich history of its own.
Children & Families
ETHS has a wide assortment of events and programs for children and families. Those events include a celebration of Davy Crockett's birthday, history camps for children, and in-classroom, local history learning projects. Follow the links to find out about all the children and family events at ETHS.
Museum and Outreach Programs
Each program is customized to the curriculum objectives for the grade served. Tennessee social studies curriculum benchmarks are listed after a number of the program descriptions:
Everyday Expressions--early Tennessee people and culture "Everyday Expressions" is an interactive exploration of the ways in which European, African, and Cherokee cultures blended to create the floodways and styles of early nineteenth century Tennessee. Students will understand how today's culture is rooted in the traditions of the groups who settled the state.
Would you like to bring a group to the East Tennessee History Center?
The East Tennessee Historical Society offers a variety of tour programs for groups of all sizes and ages. Whether you are part of a group of out-of-town guests on a motorcoach tour of the region or a local church group visiting downtown for lunch, we can provide programs to suit your needs.
