Fort Blount

Fort Blount was one of the Upper Cumberland's earliest outposts. Built in 1788 along the Cumberland River, it was an important stop for both merchants and migrants alike. Those traveling on the Avery's Trace, also stopped off at the Fort. Sampson Williams was granted the authority to operate the Fort. The Fort was named for William Blount, who was the governor of the Southwest Territory. The Fort included a ferry service, blockhouse, tavern, and also contained Army garrisons. These Army garrisons were important due to Indian uprisings in the area. No Indian-Settler battles have ever been reported at Fort Blount. Williams was commissioned a lieutenant, and commanded the Fort. When Tennessee became a state in 1796, governor John Sevier discharged the militia garrison at Fort Blount. By 1798, the Fort closed, and was demolished. Following the closure of the Fort, Sampson Williams purchased the land and the entire Fort. He established a large plantation. By 1800, a post office had been established, with Williams as post master. Up until 1805, the Fort Blount land had been in Smith County. Smith County court actually convened in Williams' tavern. When the county lines were redrawn in 1805, Jackson County was established. In 1806, the Tennessee State legislature purchased a 60 acre section of Williams' plantation. This section of land became the county seat for Jackson County, known as Williamsburg. The town included a courthouse, jail, hotel, general store, and at least five houses. The Fort Blount Ferry continued to be one of the major means of transportation to and from Williamsburg. By 1818, citizens of Williamsburg began to complain. They wanted the county seat to be in a more central location. They did not want to have to travel two days or more roundtrip. The issue was put up to a vote, and the citizens of Jackson County voted to move the county seat to a more central location, thus the establishment of Gainesboro. Williamsburg was de-incorporated in 1820. Sampson Williams could not stand for the buildings to be destroyed, so he purchased many of them. He chose the old courthouse as his home, and renovated it. He continued to operate the inn and the Fort Blount Ferry. His plantation grew to several hundred acres, and he owned around 20-30 slaves. When Williams died in 1841, the plantation remained in his family until 1869. The land was sold to John Pruett soon after, then was acquired by his daughter Sallie and her husband John Fox. The land remained in the Fox family until the mid twentieth century. In 1961, the United States Army Corps of Engineers acquired the land due to the construction of the Cordell Hull Dam. The Fort Blount Ferry continued to operate until 1974. The Ferry allowed residents of Granville, Liberty, Nameless, and Flynn's Lick to travel to other parts of Jackson County. In 1974, the site was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Between 1989 and 1994, archeologists uncovered remains of one prehistoric structure, three structures associated with Fort Blount, and also several thousand artifacts. According to the measurements of the structures that would have been associated with Fort Blount, building #1 would have been a block house, building #2 would have been the kitchen, and building #3 would have been the smokehouse. This study also uncovered that the outer wall of Fort Blount, was approximately 120 x 90 feet. When visiting Fort Blount today, one can still see these ruins uncovered during the 1989-1994 archeological study. There is also a cemetery (picture above) located on the site. Sampson Williams is interned therein. Fort Blount was Jackson County's first of five National Register of Historic Places. Moore Historical Consulting is currently working on two potential sites in the county, one of which has been recently approved, and will become the sixth site listed. Fort Blount is truly a great example of early settlement and military history right in our own backyard.

The layout of Fort Blount as determined in the 1989-1994 archeological study.

Artist's drawing of what Fort Blount looked like based on findings from the 1989-1994 archeological study.

Fort Blount/Williamsburg site today.

Fort Blount Ferry site today.

Be sure to come back next week for another installment of Throwback Thursday courtesy of Moore Historical Consulting. Whether your need is genealogy, historic litigation, preservation, or anything in between, put Moore Historical Consulting to work for you today!!