Netherland Inn to hold Special Commemorative Presentation Saturday
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Donelsons flotilla left from modern-day Kingsport enroute to the founding of Nashville in 1779/80 |
FREE TOURS OF THE NETHERLAND INN AND THE MUSEUM OF PIONEER TRANSPORTATION
KINGSPORT – The public is invited to attend a special presentation on Saturday, July 13th at 1 p.m. at the historic Netherland Inn. Historian James Caldwell will speak on the 1976 Bicentennial flotilla re-enactment, which covered 1006 river miles and took 9 weeks to complete. Several Kingsport citizens participated in the historic reenactment and the Netherland Inn houses the Charlotte, one of the flatboats that made the journey, which the public can see on the museum grounds. A second flatboat replica is in front of the Inn on the banks of the South Fork of the Holston River.
The original journey was made by Col. John Donelson, who served in the Virginia House of Burgesses before moving to the Watauga settlements on the Holston and Watauga rivers in East Tennessee. Along with James Robertson, he cofounded Fort Nashborough in 1780, which would eventually become the city of Nashville, Tennessee. In 1744, he married Rachel Stockley. Their daughter, Rachel, married the seventh President of the United States, Andrew Jackson. Col. Donelsons 13 year-old daughter Rachel was part of the 1779 flatboat journey.
Netherland Inn docents will give free tours of the Inn and the new Museum of Pioneer Museum following the presentation from 2 until 4. Theres no admission, but contributions are accepted. The Netherland Inn is a not-for-profit educational and charitable organization.
Netherland Inn 2144 Netherland Inn Road Kingsport, Tennessee 37660 (423) 247-3211
Free parking in the rear
