Greene: History, Nature and Trails in Greene County
Accommodation in Greene
Greene combines impressive regional history with river landscapes, waterfalls and forest trails. Those planning a trip with varied daily rhythms will find opportunities here for guided tours, historical discoveries, hiking, fishing and bike rides. When choosing a vacation rental, it is therefore worth deciding on your personal focus: Should the trip primarily convey culture, or should it also offer plenty of time outdoors along Paint Creek and on the trails?
Experience History in Greene
At Andrew Johnson's Early Home, panels provide information about Andrew Johnson's education, his escape, his arrival in Greeneville, the beginnings of his family and the rise of his political career. The Andrew Johnson Homestead at 209 South Main Street offers tours at 10:00, 11:00, 14:00 and 15:00 during park hours. More than 2,000 gravestones mark the grounds of Andrew Johnson National Cemetery. Veterans of conflicts ranging from the American Civil War through the Spanish-American War, both world wars, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, as well as Iraq Freedom and Afghanistan, are buried there.
Another focal point is the Dickson-Williams Mansion. Completed in 1821, the building is considered an example of the Federal Style, an architectural style common between 1780 and 1830. Tours begin daily at 13:00; Main Street Greeneville also offers a 90-minute tour conducted by trained professional interpreters. The tour A Walk with the President also lasts 90 minutes and leads through historic churches and houses, to Old Harmony Cemetery and Tennessee's oldest jail. The Greeneville-Greene County History Museum is free to enter.
The Doak House Museum also focuses on the region's history. It collects, interprets, preserves and displays university-related artifacts dating from 1794, items from the Doak family dating from 1830 to 1860, as well as educational and religious artifacts and documents from northeastern Tennessee. New forest trails beside the museum lead to the center of the Tusculum University campus. Greeneville's Mural Trail honors local history and highlights products and personalities that have made Greeneville known beyond the region.
Paint Creek, Waterfalls and Outdoor Activities
The Paint Creek Recreation Area lies in a mountain hollow along Paint Creek at an elevation of 1,760 feet. The area is managed by the U.S. Forest Service as part of the Cherokee National Forest. Along Forest Road 41, Kelly Falls can be seen as a 15-foot cascade. Paint Creek is suitable for swimming, wading and fly-fishing; the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency stocks it with rainbow trout throughout the summer. Paint Mountain Trail No. 7 begins within walking distance of Paint Creek Campground.
Further destinations are available for hikes with clear but varied requirements. Margarette Falls Trail #189 leads to a 50-foot waterfall after 0.5 miles on a closed road and another 0.7 miles on a rough, rock-strewn path with several stream crossings. Pete's Branch Trail #12 runs through the Horse Creek Recreation Area to the 45-foot Pete's Branch Falls. The route covers 1.2 miles on forest roads and 0.6 miles on the trail, as well as four stream crossings; the falls are best seen during wet seasons.
Cyclists will also find documented opportunities: Cycling is possible along the Paint Creek corridor toward Hot Springs in North Carolina. The Bridge Burners' Civil War Bike Ride is rated easy and begins at the cemetery and monument on Pottertown Road. The Lick Creek Railroad Bridge is visible along the way. It was burned down on the morning of November 9, 1861, by soldiers of the East Tennessee & Virginia Railroad. The Bible Covered Bridge was built in 1923 over Little Chuckey Creek at a ford connecting Bible Farm with Warrensburg Road, and was declared a historic structure in 1975.
Which Accommodation Suits Your Plans?
Greene is well suited to a trip that alternates between cultural and nature-focused days. If guided tours, museums and historic buildings are the main focus, you can choose your accommodation based on this sightseeing itinerary. For days by the water or in the forest, Paint Creek, the waterfalls and the designated trails take center stage. Those traveling by bicycle can include the Paint Creek corridor and the Civil War bike ride in their plans. For further orientation, you can also look at Greeneville and Baileyton.
For the higher-level travel overview: Tennessee.
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