Blount Mansion

I have heard of Blount Mansion many times while I've been at UT, but I had never learned much about it so I decided it would be a good historical place to learn about. Blount Mansion was the home of William Blount and construction began on the house in 1792. The Blount Mansion was built before Knoxville was even "Knoxville". Blount was a signer of the U.S. Constitution and was the territorial governor appointed by President George Washington. Blount Mansion was the site of the territorial capitol as well as Blount's family home. Besides housing Blount, the mansion has been home to many other Tennessee governors, prominent families, and was even slum housing. After many years of being allowed to deteriorate, the mansion was about to be sold to become parking for the downtown area when a group of Knoxvillians realized what would be lost. Thanks to these people, Blount Mansion was preserved in 1926 and restored in 1930. Blount Mansion is the only National Historic Landmark designated by the National Park Service in Knoxville.