Blount Mansion is the oldest remaining frame house in Tennessee and one of the few surviving structures associated with the Southwest Territory, the short-lived American territory that became Tennessee in 1796. William Blount built the house in 1792 as his residence and office while serving as territorial governor, and conducted treaty negotiations with Cherokee leaders on its grounds.
The restored house is a National Historic Landmark and open to tours. The adjacent Craighead-Jackson House serves as a visitor centre. This is the most historically significant site in downtown Knoxville and well worth an hour of your time if you have any interest in early American frontier history.