Things to Do in Greeneville, Tennessee
The best things to do in Greeneville, Tennessee, are touring the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site, walking the historic downtown and spending an hour in the free Greeneville Greene County History Museum. Greeneville is a town of 15,479 people and the seat of Greene County, in the foothills of the Appalachians.
It’s the second-oldest town in Tennessee, named for Revolutionary War general Nathanael Greene. In 1785 it became the capital of the short-lived State of Franklin, a breakaway government that never won admission to the Union. It’s also the only U.S. town spelled Greeneville.
Andrew Johnson National Historic Site
Andrew Johnson arrived in Greeneville in 1826 as a young tailor and began his political career here as an alderman. The park has three parts: the visitor center with his original tailor shop, the Homestead on Main Street where his family lived, and the National Cemetery where he is buried. Soldiers from both armies used the house during the Civil War and left graffiti that can still be seen. In 1827 he married Eliza McCardle in a ceremony performed by Mordecai Lincoln, a cousin of Abraham Lincoln.
★ Good to know Homestead tours are free but ticketed, first-come for up to 10 people, so pick up tickets at the visitor center on College Street early in the day.
Dickson-Williams Mansion
This house on North Irish Street is one of the landmark homes of the historic district. Guided tours walk through its architecture and the family that made it a home. It also hosts themed dinners, history workshops and seasonal events.
★ Good to know Tours run daily and leave from the lobby of the General Morgan Inn on Main Street.
Greeneville Greene County History Museum
This free museum fills three floors a few blocks from the Andrew Johnson site. Among its exhibits is the last television manufactured in the United States. It came from the old Magnavox plant, which employed more than 5,000 people here at its peak. Magnavox ran its main plants in Greeneville from 1947 to 2005.
★ Good to know Allow about an hour; it’s open Tuesday through Saturday, and stair lifts reach all three levels.
General Morgan Inn
A tavern stood on this Main Street corner from the 1790s. Confederate general John Hunt Morgan was killed nearby on September 4, 1864, while staying with his friend Catherine Williams. The four-story brick hotel went up after the railroad came in 1886, ran for decades as the Hotel Brumley and reopened as the General Morgan Inn in 1996.
★ Good to know Even if you don’t stay, walk into the lounge to see the carved blue-glass mirrors commissioned in 1948.
City Garage Car Museum
Kent Bewley, whose family has sold cars in Greeneville since 1937, opened this museum on South Main Street in 2009. The collection runs from a 1930 Model A to a 1972 De Tomaso Pantera, with a 1901 Oldsmobile and a DeLorean along the way. One section is devoted to his father’s Bewley Motor Co.
★ Good to know It’s open Fridays and Saturdays, with other times by request.
Historic downtown and the State of Franklin
The Greeneville Historic District covers the old center around Main, Depot and College streets. A replica of the State of Franklin’s log capitol, rebuilt in the 1960s, recalls the town’s brief turn as a capital. The Big Spring, where settler Robert Kerr hosted the first county court, is still downtown.
★ Good to know Depot Street was rebuilt for pedestrians in 2023, and it’s the easiest place to start a walk.
Also in town
Dogwood Park has the Ginny Kidwell Amphitheater, the Greeneville Flyboys play summer collegiate baseball at Pioneer Park on the Tusculum University campus, and Main Street Greeneville keeps a list of downtown shops and restaurants.
Is the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site free?
Yes. There’s no admission charge, though the Homestead requires a free ticket from the visitor center. Tours are limited to 10 people and fill first-come, first-served.
Why is Greeneville spelled with an extra e?
The town was named for Nathanael Greene, so the spelling keeps his last name. It’s the only U.S. town spelled this way, though there are many Greenvilles.
Where is Andrew Johnson buried?
In the Andrew Johnson National Cemetery on Monument Hill in Greeneville. It’s part of the national historic site and open daily from dawn to dusk.
What other historic towns are near Greeneville?
Jonesborough, Tennessee’s oldest town, is a short drive east. See our Jonesborough guide and more small towns in Tennessee.
Where to find them
- Andrew Johnson National Historic Site 101 N. College St., Greeneville, TN 37743 Website Directions
- Dickson-Williams Mansion 108 N. Irish St., Greeneville, TN 37743 Website Directions
- Greeneville Greene County History Museum 101 W. McKee St., Greeneville, TN 37743 Website Directions
- General Morgan Inn 111 N. Main St., Greeneville, TN 37743 Website Directions
- City Garage Car Museum 210 S. Main St., Greeneville, TN 37743 Website Directions
- Greeneville Historic District Main and Depot streets, Greeneville, TN 37743 Website Directions
Plan your trip: for events and current visitor info in Greeneville, see Greene County Partnership →
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Where to stay in Greeneville
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