Today, the history of Jonesborough comes alive through our stories. It’s here that pioneers founded the “Lost State of Franklin,” which is a story in itself. Then there is the story of the world’s first periodicals devoted to the abolition of slavery, published in Jonesborough.

And the legends continue. In fact, as host of the National Storytelling Festival, Tennessee’s oldest town has become known as the birthplace of the American storytelling revival. By intricately restoring its 200-year legacy, Jonesborough has proved that old tales never die.