Old Deery Inn and Museum in Blountville is a wonderful place under the care of the Sullivan County Department of Archives and Tourism. And the Master Gardeners were happy to help spruce up the gardens there on April 27 this year. We pulled weeds and tidied up the brick walkways.
This year was my first visit to Old Deery Inn, and I fell in love. The property is situated on Highway 126, just off SR394. It is a gem that many people may miss as they drive by.
The original building was a log cabin built between 1780 and 1790. The Inn survived fires set during the Battle of Blountville during the Civil War. You can read about the history of this beautiful inn at http://www.
historicsullivan.com/tourism_deeryinn.html .
If you’ve never been there, you have to go! The Inn is being lovingly restored by the Sullivan County Historic Preservation Association but is still open for tours. The grounds are chock full of fascinating buildings, and the museum is wonderful. You will be regaled with stories about the Inn and its history by knowledgeable guides.
A point of interest is the Smithsonian Gates on the east side of the Inn. These wrought-iron gates were at the Smithsonian Institution from 1879 until 1910. Also fascinating are the guests who stayed at the Inn, including Andrew Jackson, James K.
Polk, Andrew Johnson, Louis Phillipe Orleans, the King of France, and the Marquis de LaFayette. The inside doors have been autographed by three Tennessee governors — Frank Clement, Buford Ellin.
