Jonesborough’s Commitment to Historic Preservation

Jonesborough is Tennessee’s Oldest Town and one of the state’s first nominations to be placed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1969. Since then, the town worked hard to reimagine and repurpose historic structures.

The past chairman of Jonesborough’s Historic Commission, Dr. William Kennedy, was recently awarded the Preservation Leadership Award by the state historical commission for his leadership in preservation of the town’s history. This prestigious honor has only been awarded twice before.

One project the town is currently working on is the renovation of the Jackson Theatre. The building opened as a silent movie theatre in 1922. The town plans to restore the building’s façade to its cinema days and reopen it as a theatre and performing arts venue.

Small businesses such as The Corner Cup and Main Street Café are housed in buildings that once served as Old Town Hall and even a Post Office. The McKinney Center, once an African American school for Jonesborough and surrounding counties during segregation, now brings the community together through the arts. 

A recent expansion nearly doubled the original Jonesborough Historic District, adding design styles such as late 19th and early century Folk Victorian, Bungalow and Craftsman dwellings, Tudor Revival houses, Minimal Traditional structures, and Ranch Style housing.