The Chester Inn State Historic Site and Museum opens for its 2022 season! Come and visit the oldest commercial building in Tennessee’s Oldest Town.

Located in the heart of downtown Jonesborough, the Chester Inn Museum chronicles the history of Jonesborough from its inception in 1779 to the present. Exhibits include information on the State of Franklin, a diorama of Jonesborough in the 1850s, the history of the Chester Inn, and much more. We rotate exhibits quarterly, so make sure you check back to see what’s on display! Many of the exhibits feature Jonesborough’s extensive collection of photographs. The upstairs parlor, dining, and lodging rooms of the Chester Inn, restored to the Victorian era style of the late 1800s, are also open for viewing.

Our new exhibit includes more Stories from the Cedar Grove Community in Elizabethton, TN.

In March and April, the museum is open from 11:00-6:00 on Monday, Friday-Saturday, and 1:00-5:00 on Sunday. There is no cost to visit the museum, but donations are greatly appreciated.

The Chester Inn is a State Owned Historic Site Operated by the Heritage Alliance of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. The operation of the Chester Inn is partially funded under an agreement with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation – Tennessee Historical Commission.