Sparta Rock House
National Register of Historic Places

Sparta Rock House

Sparta, White County, Tennessee
Listed
August 13, 1973
Type
Building
Period
Civil War
Ref No.
73001856

About this property

The Sparta Rock House State Historic Site is a stone building near Sparta, Tennessee, United States, that once served as a rest stop and tollhouse. Built in the late 1830s, the Rock House catered to traffic along an important wagon road between Knoxville and Nashville, offering badly needed lodging and supplies to travellers who had just crossed (or were about to cross, depending on their direction) the rugged Cumberland Plateau. The Rock House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 for its architecture and its historical role as an important rest stop. The Rock House was probably built by either Samuel Denton or brothers Barlow and Madison Fiske, and initially operated by the latter two. Early guests at the Rock House included presidents Andrew Jackson and James K. Polk, and Governor Sam Houston. It was home to a tollhouse and supply store until at least the 1850s, and was used as a school at various times between 1880 and 1921. Due primarily to the efforts of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the state purchased and began restoring the Rock House in the 1940s. The Rock House is currently operated as a State Historic Site under an agreement with the Tennessee Historical Commission.

Location

Sparta, White County, Tennessee
35.92027, -85.40362

Categories

TRANSPORTATIONARCHITECTURE
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
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LiDAR Terrain
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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
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Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Spotlight
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Nearby Historic Sites

Sparta Residential Historic District
Listed
3.4 mi
Sparta Electric Building
Industrial
3.5 mi
Sparta Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railroad Depot
Industrial
4 mi
Sparta Hydroelectric Station
Industrial
4.1 mi
Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway Section House
Industrial
5.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Sparta Rock House listed on the National Register?

Sparta Rock House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 13, 1973.

What type of historic resource is Sparta Rock House?

Sparta Rock House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Sparta Rock House?

The period of significance for Sparta Rock House is recorded as the civil_war era.

Can I research the history near Sparta Rock House?

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