America 250 and The Road to Knoxville Symposium
About this Event
Commemorating America’s 250th anniversary and Knoxville’s 235th birthday, the Knoxville History Project will a full day of programming featuring Knoxville historians and archivists to present a new look at the key events that unfolded, and the key players who settled in this region during the mid-late 1700s when the landscape was rapidly transitioning from Native American hunting grounds, to land claimed by settlers, and the emergence of new states; and changes that fueled hostilities between the settlers and Native Americans. Speakers will highlight a broader array of known characters and events, expanding the story beyond the usual list of government officials and settlers, who are typically associated with Knoxville’s founding story.
Your ticket includes:
- All the lectures listed below
- Access to the East Tennessee History Museum
- Coffee and light pastries in the morning
- Lunch with a variety of sandwich platters and you choice of chips and a beverage
- A free booklet commemorating The Road to Knoxville
Thank you to our sponsors:
Agenda
🕑: 08:30 AM - 09:00 AM
Coffee Reception & Overview (Sponsored by Historic Homes of Knoxville)
🕑: 09:05 AM - 10:00 AM
Borderlands and Consequences: From Revolutionary War to Southwest Territory: A
Info: Discussion of the increasing tensions and clashes on the frontier, including the British Royal Proclamation of 1763, the Cherokee Indian Wars (1776-1794), the Watauga Association (1772-1775), the Land Grab Act of 1783, state of Franklin (1784-1788); and other events leading up to the establishment of the Southwest Territory in 1790 and the Treaty of Holston in 1791.
🕑: 10:15 AM - 11:15 AM
Cherokee Women, Warfare, and Resilience in the Early American Republic with Dr
Info: Dr. Bauer will examine Cherokee women’s experiences of warfare, captivity, land dispossession, and resilience during the American Revolution era and the Chickamauga Wars, roughly 1776–1794. While Nan-ye-hi/Nancy Ward is recognized as an important Cherokee woman leader and peace advocate, Dr. Bauer will argue that focusing too heavily on her can obscure the broader experiences of unnamed Cherokee women who defended families, homes, and land.
🕑: 11:15 AM - 12:00 PM
Lunch Break / Explore “Lines Were Drawn: The Treaty of Holston and its Legacy”
🕑: 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
KEYNOTE ADDRESS: The Road to Knoxville with Jack Neely
🕑: 01:15 PM - 02:00 PM
Knoxville in the Capital Era with Paul James
Info: Since few records describe what the fledgling frontier settlement looked like when Knoxville was founded in 1791, Paul will share memories of a few early settlers, descriptions from J.G.M. Ramsey’s Annals of Tennessee (1853) and local newspaper accounts, that collectively offer a fresh look at the city throughout the “capital” era: 1791-1818, including several sites that help provide a fuller view of the city’s early years, including Deveraux Gilliam’s Station, Lebanon in the Forks Cemetery, Iredell, and Chisholm’s Tavern.
🕑: 02:30 PM - 03:30 PM
Mapping the Frontier with Eric Dawson, Zachary Keith and Kevin Bogle
Info: This lecture will highlight a selection of rare and cherished maps and frontier-era documents that exist in the Calvin M. McClung Collection and the Knox County Archives, and present “The Origins of Knoxville Story Map,” a new online resource highlighting the early days of Knoxville and some of the town’s first inhabitants who purchased the original 64 lots sold by Capt. James White in the 1791 lottery.
🕑: 03:30 PM - 04:00 PM
The Revolutionary War Veteran Project with Marilyn Childress
Info: Childress serves as the president of the Veteran’s Heritage Site Foundation’s Revolutionary War Veteran Project that honors veterans by locating their graves, describing their roles in the War, and their lives in East Tennessee. She will be highlighted will be several notable Knox County veterans including James White, Alexander Cavett, Samuel Flenniken, and others.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 23.18
