National Register of Historic Places

Rocky Mount

Piney Flats, Sullivan County, Tennessee
Listed
February 25, 1970
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
70000617

About this property

Rocky Mount, in Piney Flats, Tennessee, also known as the Cobb-Massengill House, was the first territorial capital of the Southwest Territory. The property of William Cobb, the original residence at Rocky Mount served as the territorial capital from 1790 to 1792. Dendroarchaeological investigations at the site by the University of Tennessee revealed that the present dwelling dates to the late 1820s. The property is owned by the State of Tennessee and has been operated by the Rocky Mount Historical Association, a non-profit organization in partnership with the Tennessee Historical Commission, since 1962. The property is a living museum that recreates the year 1791, when American Founding Father William Blount was in residence as governor. It is next to the DeVault-Massengill House.

Location

Piney Flats, Sullivan County, Tennessee
36.40602, -82.33646

Categories

EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENTPOLITICS/GOVERNMENT
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
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Nearby Historic Sites

DeVault-Masengill House
Industrial
0.4 mi
DeVault, Valentine, House
Industrial
1.5 mi
Alison, Finlay, House (Additional Documentation)
Industrial
1.7 mi
Piney Flats Historic District
Listed
2.2 mi
Dungan's Mill and Stone House
Industrial
3.1 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Island Flats
1776Revolutionary War
6.1 mi
Skirmish at Jonesborough, Tennessee
1863Civil War
7.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Rocky Mount listed on the National Register?

Rocky Mount was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 25, 1970.

What type of historic resource is Rocky Mount?

Rocky Mount is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Rocky Mount?

The period of significance for Rocky Mount is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Rocky Mount?

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