The History

Upon entering James White`s Fort, I was greeted by the curator of the historical home. He took me to a small porch area, known as the dog trout, and began to tell me the story of James White and his life in Knoxville.

James White, like William Blount, came to Knoxville from North Carolina after the Revolutionary War. He was a land speculator who would buy and sell blocks of land, often before he had finished paying for the land. White came to this area to claim the land grants that had been given to him after his services in the war and decided to move his three sons, four daughters and wife to the area.  Their home was considered "very elegant" according to the information packet although it was only two floors, originally, with windows and a stone chimney. 

Although their home was of modest size, they often would have 35 to 40 guests staying with them. This lead them to add additional cabins to house the guests who would stay anywhere from one night to almost and entire year at their home. They also added the walls, which surround the homes in order to keeps wild animals out.

The site is trying to be as accurate as possible with displaying the way it was when James White lived there.

"We can't bring back the historic smells," Robert McGinnis, site curator and decedent of James White, said.

This is a probably a good thing since McGinnis said they wouldn't bathe for nine to 10 months, and making clothes was so time consuming that people during this time only had two or three outfits.

While the White family was living at the fort, Knoxville had not been established. In 1791, Governor William Blount came to White to see if he would be willing to give some of his land to establish a new capital for the territory south of the Ohio River. By White agreeing, he helped to start Knoxville, which was named for General Henry Knox.     

"I hope to take a more primitive approach to history," McGinnis said, as we discussed the site.  

At the site, the house and the kitchen are originals with the museum, black smith shop, cabin, well and smokehouse being reproductions. About 90 percent of the artifacts are from the time period in which James White lived in the house. 

"I want them to have an appreciation of what their ancestors did because people thought it was a time of no-stress," McGinnis said.
    
My journey through James White`s Fort

The idea that there was no stress was definitely not true. Upon my arrival, I was questioned about my age and my martial status. At 20 years old and unmarried, I was told that I was quickly approaching my prime. I would have spent my days, 4 a.m. to 9 p.m., either in the kitchen or spinning. By 26 years old, I would be a spinster who would have to make a living by spinning because no on would want an old lady like me as a wife.

After being told that I was going to have to start looking for a husband by McGinnis, I continued through the house. The kitchen included the usual pieces of artifacts including a pie chest and a fire for cooking, but there was also the family's original door-less red cupboard and dough table, which has a marble top, and is cool even during the hottest months of summer.

The main house, which has two floors, included the main room which had a map of the original downtown Knoxville and an original clock displayed on the mantle, made by Seth Thomas Clock Works. The upstairs featured different types of beds and quilts that would have been available during that time. Along with the beds there were reproductions of the clothing, which the family would have worn.

Some of the more interesting pieces I learned about at the site included the outhouse for two and that blacksmiths, which the White family had, were also the town dentists.

Walking along the small path from building to building was a truly historical experience and gives an interesting look into the past with the personal tours and the opportunity to wonder at your own pace.

They also host yearly events including Cherokee Heritage Days, Junior Doucet Day, Harvest Scares and Christmas in the Frontier.