Jonesborough Celebrates With Holiday Finery

Jonesborough, Tennessee’s oldest town, is filled with a collection of historic homes displaying a variety of architectural styles and themes. Those homes will be the centerpiece of the Colors of Christmas Tour and Dinner on Saturday, December 1.

“The structures on the tour spotlight the architectural, historical, and cultural heritage of our region,” said Jonesborough Tourism and Main Street Director Cameo Waters. “On the tour will be six to 10 historic structures, each decorated in holiday finery.”

History comes to life in the 18th century town, where a stroll takes you where Daniel Boone, Andrew Jackson, David Crockett, John Sevier and so many other historical notables have stood. 

Jonesborough was established in 1779 by the general assembly of North Carolina as the county seat of Washington County, 17 years before Tennessee was granted statehood.

In 1784, delegates from the area convened in Jonesborough to approve the formation of the state of Franklin, named after Benjamin Franklin. Jonesborough initially served as the capital of Franklin, which was to be the nation’s 14th state. 

Seven other states voted to admit the new state, but that was less than the two-thirds majority required under the Articles of Confederation. Franklin existed as a state or republic for a few years until it was re-absorbed into North Carolina.

The Colors of Christmas Tour and Dinner celebrate Jonesborough’s history, and is the kick off to the holiday season.

Visitors can choose the tour, the dinner, or both, and live music will be featured in various locations.

Tour tickets are $15. The tours take place from 3-7 p.m., and begin at the Historic Jonesborough Visitors Center.

Tickets for dinner are $85, with options to dine either at 4:30 or 7 p.m.

Appetizers will be served at the Historic Inns of Jonesborough, Historic Eureka Inn and Chester Inn State Historic Site and Museum, Waters said.

The Chester Inn will be decked out for a Victorian Christmas, and buses will depart the Chester Inn and Eureka starting at 5:15 and 7:45 to take guests to the McKinney Center for the dinner, which features salad, a main course including a fillet of beef, and dessert. A vegetarian option is available.

The dinner is a fundraiser for the educational programs of the Heritage Alliance. “The whole evening features and highlights preservation in all its many forms in Jonesborough,” Waters said.