Knoxville has a considerable amount of history to it. Founded in 1786, it is the second oldest of Tennessee’s major cities (Nashville is just seven years older). Knoxville was Tennessee’s first state capital, from 1796 until 1819. The city was named for the nation’s first Secretary of War, Henry Knox.
Marble Springs was the home of John Sevier, a Revolutionary War commander, the first Governor of Tennessee and the Governor of the ill-fated State of Franklin. Sevier was born in Virginia in 1745 and came to Tennessee in the early 1770s. He helped defeat British troops at the Battle of Kings Mountain, considered by some to be a turning point in the Revolutionary War. He also went on to serve as a state senator and U.S. Congressman.
Sevier acquired the then 355-acre Marble Springs property sometime between 1790 and 1795. Taking its name for the marble deposits and natural springs found there, it served as a working farm until it was turned into a state historical site in 1941 (the Sevier family sold the property after Sevier’s death in 1815).
Today the site includes the original two-story pine log house, as well as other historic 18th-century buildings that have been trans-ported to the site. These include the Walker Cabin, moved from Walker Springs Road in Knox County, which is used to represent a frontier tavern, a smokehouse and a loom house. In addition to the primitive buildings, numerous events and demonstrations take place on site, including work-shops on cabin building, soap making and open hearth cooking.
The grounds are open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays; noon-5 p.m. Sundays.
| Concessions | Gift Shop | Live Music | Rides | Cost | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | N/A |
| Baseball Fields | Basketball Court | Golf Course | Soccer Fields | Softball | Tennis Courts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volleyball Courts | Skating | Fishing | Biking | Dogs | Amphitheater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Backcountry Camping | Campsite | Showers | Hiking | Running Trails | Picnic Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Pavilion | Playground | Food Vendors | Restrooms | Grills | Alcohol Allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Boat Rentals | Boat Ramps | Docks | Marina | Lake | River/Stream |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday | noon | 5 p.m. |
| Wednesday | 10 a.m. | 5 p.m. |
| Thursday | 10 a.m. | 5 p.m. |
| Friday | 10 a.m. | 5 p.m. |
| Saturday | 10 a.m. | 5 p.m. |
| Day | Business Hours |
|---|---|
| Sunday | noon - 5 p.m. |
| Wednesday | 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. |
| Thursday | 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. |
| Friday | 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. |
| Saturday | 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. |
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