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Shelbyville’s Watson Building
There are hidden gems in Shelbyville. Like this looker! Built in 1895, it’s listed on the National Register as the Watson Building which was built for residential use, but was also used commercially. The name Dr. J. P. McDonald is written on the building. McDonald was a prominent dentist that practiced in Shelbyville for over…
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Historic Eureka Inn, Circa 1797
The Eureka Inn in Jonesborough was built in 1797 and has been added onto several times over the years. Originally built as a residence, it was converted to the Eureka Hotel in 1895. It was once used as a boarding house and a sequester house for jurors. The bottom floor has also served as a…
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Russellville House Connections to Jesse James
A beautiful place in Russellville is this building that’s had several names and uses. Most famously as a bank. The Southern Bank of Kentucky and also a residence at the same time. It was built as a home for William Harrison in 1810 and then extensively remodeled in 1857 to become a bank as well. …
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Historic Salt House, Jonesborough
This historic building in Jonesborough, Tennessee is known as the Salt House. It was constructed in the 1840s and was a general store and wholesale warehouse ran by businessman William Crouch. During the Civil War, it became very difficult to get salt to preserve food and they had to cross enemy lines to acquire it.…
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Historic Chester Inn, Jonesborough
This beautiful building is the Chester Inn. Built by Dr. William Chester in 1797. Can you believe it? He was an entrepreneur and doctor that saw a need for accommodations for travelers in the town of Jonesborough. It has been known by several names over the years. It was known as the “finest inn on…
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The DeJarnette State Sanatorium
This large abandoned complex located just down the road from yesterday’s feature is The DeJarnette State Sanatorium, later known as The DeJarnette Center for Human Development. It was founded by the director of Western State Hospital, Joseph DeJarnette, to essentially sterilize those deemed unfit for society. This private pay facility was opened in 1932 and…
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Western State Lunatic Asylum
I’ve got a couple of historic places to share with you as we head into this Halloween weekend. They are pretty, but with an interesting and kinda creepy past. Both in Staunton, Virginia. This building was opened in 1828 as part of the Western State Lunatic Asylum. This is the Administration Building or Building 12.…
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Mast General Store
The Mast General Store in tiny Valle Crucis, North Carolina began in 1883 as the Taylor General Store. Henry Taylor soon sold an interest in his store to William Wellington Mast and it became known as The Taylor and Mast General Store. Eventually William bought the whole store and it was from then all called…
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Historic Seminary Building
This is the Seminary Relations building on the campus of Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Virginia. While the seminary was founded in 1812, it has been located in Richmond since 1898 and that’s about the time that this building and the rest of the historic campus was built. Many of the buildings on campus look…
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Historic Pike Place Market
The Pike Place Market in Seattle is one of the oldest continuously operating farmers markets in the United States! It actually began in 1907 as an experiment! They wanted to create a place where farmers could sell their fresh produce directly to locals instead of through middlemen or wholesalers. They could make more money while…
