A marker and fountain in Jonesborough
Dear Folks: It is October 1, 2024, and Washington County is reeling and its residents suffering from the effects of the recent flood.
As soon as we can get our arms around this tragic disaster, we will alter this history page to reflect recent events.
Washington is the “mother county” of Tennessee. When it was first formed in 1777, Washington County was part of North Carolina, and the “county” contained much of the land that later became Tennessee.
Washington County also contains Jonesborough, Tennessee’s first town (chartered by the state of North Carolina in 1779).
The mostly abandoned campus of Washington College
If you roam through Washington County for long enough, you may stumble across the former campus of Washington College.
This was the very first institution of higher learning founded west of the Appalachian Mountains and has a proud history. However, Washington College decreased in stature after the Civil War, and now the campus is partially used.
The Washington County Courthouse
The Washington County Courthouse was the very last courthouse that Tennessee History for Kids photographed. Yep, we got all 95 of them, and this was the last one to be checked off the list.
