List of the oldest buildings in Tennessee

This article lists the oldest extant buildings in Tennessee, including extant buildings and structures constructed prior to and during the United States rule over Tennessee. Only buildings built prior to 1800 are suitable for inclusion on this list, or the building must be the oldest of its type.

In order to qualify for the list, a structure must:

  • be a recognizable building (defined as any human-made structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or continuous occupancy);
  • incorporate features of building work from the claimed date to at least 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) in height and/or be a listed building.

This consciously excludes ruins of limited height, roads and statues. Bridges may be included if they otherwise fulfill the above criteria. Dates for many of the oldest structures have been arrived at by radiocarbon dating or dendrochronology and should be considered approximate. If the exact year of initial construction is estimated, it will be shown as a range of dates.

List of oldest buildings

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Building Image Location First built Use Notes
Long Meadow   Surgoinsville 1762-64 Residence Original log structure is within the walls of current home
Carter Mansion at Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area   Elizabethton 1775-80 Residence Oldest frame house in Tennessee[1]
Robert Young Cabin Johnson City 1776 Residence Relocated to Optimist Park in 1978, moved to Winged Deer Park in 1996
Christopher Taylor House Jonesborough 1777 Residence In 1974, the house was moved intact to downtown Jonesborough to save it from demolition.
Dungan's Mill and Stone House Watauga 1778 Residence, Mill The mill, later known as St. John, operated continuously from 1778 until 2011.
Yancey's Tavern   Kingsport 1779 Tavern
Earnest Fort House Chuckey 1779-84 Residence
Amis House   Rogersville 1781-83 Residence Oldest dam in Tennessee is on Big Creek below the house
Sinking Creek Baptist Church Johnson City 1783 Church Log church
Tipton-Haynes House   Johnson City 1784 Residence Part of Tipton-Haynes State Historic Site
Rock Castle (Hendersonville, Tennessee)   Hendersonville 1784-1791 Residence earliest known version of Federal Style architecture in Tennessee.
Dixona   Dixon Springs 1787-88 Residence
Bowen–Campbell House   Goodlettsville 1789 Residence
Log Cabin at The Tanglewood House Clarksville 1790s Residence Purportedly the oldest log cabin in TN
William Blount Mansion   Knoxville 1792 Residence
Buckingham House (Sevierville, Tennessee)   Sevierville 1795 Residence Home of military leader John Sevier
Big Spring Union Church   Claiborne County 1795 Church Log church, one of oldest church buildings in TN
Chester Inn   Jonesborough 1797 Inn Now operating as a state-owned museum
Travellers Rest (Nashville, Tennessee)   Nashville 1799 Residence Oldest home in Nashville open to the public.[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Everyone In Tennessee Should Visit These 20 Houses For Their Incredible Past" https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/tennessee/historic-houses-tn/
  2. ^ "Everyone In Tennessee Should Visit These 20 Houses For Their Incredible Past" https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/tennessee/historic-houses-tn/