A group of men in uniforms holding rifles - historic forts

Self-guided · County in Tennessee

Historic Forts in Jefferson County, TN

Forts, blockhouses, batteries and stockades near you, from the frontier to the coastal defenses.

Jefferson County is one of 95 counties in Tennessee. Some of these sites are open to visitors, some are private, and some are ruins. All of them are on the record, and all of them can be seen from the public way.

A person and a child walking on a path between stone buildings - historic forts — Photo: Levi Meir Clancy on Unsplash

Fortress surrounded by clear turquoise water under a blue sky - historic forts — Photo: RP C O N C I E R G E on Unsplash

Long brick corridor with arched doorways and old cannons - historic forts — Photo: Mick Kirchman on Unsplash

On the record near Jefferson County, TN

The 11 nearest

11 listed sites on the record match historic forts within 120 miles of Jefferson County, TN, out of 71 listed sites of every kind within 25 miles. 10 listed sites carry Jefferson County as their county.

Swaggerty Blockhouse22 miles from the center of Jefferson County · Building · Parrottsville · listed 1973National Register of Historic Places
Fort Anderson on Militia Hill41 miles from the center of Jefferson County · Site · Rocky Top (formerly Lake City) · listed 2011National Register of Historic Places
Mauris-Earnest Fort House44 miles from the center of Jefferson County · Building · Chuckey · listed 1978National Register of Historic Places
Tellico Blockhouse Site53 miles from the center of Jefferson County · Site · Vonore · listed 1975National Register of Historic Places
Battery Park Hotel61 miles from the center of Jefferson County · Building · Asheville · listed 1977National Register of Historic Places
Killgore Fort House73 miles from the center of Jefferson County · Building · Nickelsville · listed 1972National Register of Historic Places
Old Fort Commercial Historic District77 miles from the center of Jefferson County · District · Old Fort · listed 2011National Register of Historic Places
Brasstown Bald: The Highest Point in Georgia-4,784 ft.85 miles from the center of Jefferson County · Towns County · marker erected 1958Georgia historical marker program
Blockhouse Site92 miles from the center of Jefferson County · Site · Tryon · listed 1970National Register of Historic Places
Fort Hill102 miles from the center of Jefferson County · Building · Clemson · listed 1966National Register of Historic Places
Fort Defiance109 miles from the center of Jefferson County · Building · Lenoir · listed 1970National Register of Historic Places

Distances are straight-line from the center of Jefferson County, TN. Many sites are private property or working buildings - view them from the public way. See them on the map.

Historic Forts in Jefferson County, step by step

1
See every listed site of this kind in the area
2
Sort by distance and pick the closest few
3
Read the record for the year, the builder and the use
4
View from the public way and note what has changed
5
Collect the set and move on to the next county

What people in Jefferson County, TN ask first

How much does it cost to visit these sites in Jefferson County, TN?

Most listed sites can be seen from a public road or sidewalk at no cost, and the app is free to use. Some sites are private homes, working churches or museums with their own hours and fees. The record for each one says what it is, so you know before you go.

Where does the information on these sites come from?

From published records: the National Register of Historic Places, the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark program, and the Georgia Historical Society and Georgia Department of Natural Resources marker program. Every site on the page names its source.

Are these buildings open to the public?

Some are, many are not. Churches, courthouses and libraries usually keep regular hours. Houses, barns and mills are often private and best seen from the road. The record for each site tells you which kind it is.

What does it mean when a site is on the National Register?

It means the property was documented and accepted as historically significant. Listing honors the site, it does not open it to visitors or stop an owner from using it.

How a visit works in Jefferson County

Step 1
Find the place
Every stop starts as a pin with real coordinates. In Jefferson County, TN the map shows what is listed around you and how far each one is, so the first decision is where to go, and it takes a few seconds.
Step 2
Read the story
The record behind each marker is kept whole: what happened there, when, who was involved, and why it was worth a sign. You read it standing where it happened, which is the part a textbook cannot give you.
Step 3
Get there under your own power
Walk it, run it, hike it, ride it or drive it. Stops in Jefferson County, TN are chained into routes that fit the way you move, so a lunch break, a long run or a Saturday drive can all pass through history.
Step 4
Collect it and come back
Each stop you reach counts toward a badge, and a photo or a correction you send makes the record better for the next person. The map remembers where you have been, so the next trip starts where the last one ended.