Jonesborough, Tennessee
Jonesborough is a town of 6,232 people in Washington County, Tennessee, founded in 1779.
Why visit Jonesborough
Townapedia lists 7 museums and landmarks, 10 parks and trails, 24 places to eat, 1 place to stay and 4 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include The Jackson Theatre, International Storytelling Center, Chester Inn State Historic Site and Museum and DeVault Tavern.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 85°F; January lows average 24°F.
Weather in Jonesborough
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Jonesborough
Jonesborough (; historically also Jonesboro) is a town in and the county seat of Washington County, Tennessee, in the Southeastern United States. Its population was 5,860 as of 2020. It is "Tennessee's oldest town".
From the Wikipedia article Jonesborough, Tennessee (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do4
International Storytelling Center
Cinema and theater
100 West Main Street, Jonesborough
Mo-Sa 10:00-17:00; Su off
Jonesborough Repertory Theatre
Cinema and theater
125.5 West Main Street, Jonesborough
Mo 17:00-19:00; Sa 10:00-12:00
Museums and landmarks7
Chester Inn State Historic Site and Museum
Museum
116 West Main Street, Jonesborough
Mar-Apr Mo,Fr,Sa 11:00-18:00; Mar-Apr Su 13:00-17:00; May-Oct...
DeVault Tavern
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
Tavern in Washington County, Tennessee
Henry Hoss House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Historic house in Jonesboro, Tennessee
Jonesborough Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic district in Jonesborough, Tennessee
Chuckey Railroad Depot Museum
Museum
210 South 2nd Avenue, Jonesborough
Mar-Oct Th-Fr 13:00-17:00; Mar-Oct Sa 10:00-17:00; Mar-Oct Su...
Jonesborough History Museum
Museum
117 Boone Street, Jonesborough
Mo-Fr 08:00-17:00; Sa-Su 10:00-17:00
Parks, trails and playgrounds10
Wetlands Park
Sports field and stadium · 1.6 mi
1523 Persimmon Ridge Road, Jonesborough
May-Jul: Mo-Sa 10:00-17:30, Su 12:00-17:30; Aug: Sa 10:00-17:30,...
Restaurants and cafes24
11E Diner
Diner · American · 1.2 mi
1406 West Jackson Boulevard, Jonesborough
Su 07:00-21:00; Mo-Sa 07:00-22:00
Amigo Mexican Restaurant
Restaurant · Mexican
125 East Jackson Boulevard, Jonesborough
Mo-Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 11:00-21:30
Main Street Cafe & Catering
Cafe · Sandwich, Burger
117 West Main Street, Jonesborough
Mo-Sa 11:00-15:00; Su off
Olde Towne Pancake House
Restaurant · Breakfast · 0.4 mi
142 Boone Street, Jonesborough
Mo-Su 07:00-14:00
The Corner Cup Coffee and Tea
Cafe · Coffee Shop
148 East Main Street, Jonesborough
Tu-Fr 07:00-15:00; Sa-Su 08:00-15:00; Mo off
The Opossum's Tale
Bar and pub · British, American
103 Fox Street, Jonesborough
Th-Fr 16:00-21:00; Sa 10:00-21:00; Su 10:00-14:00; Mo 17:00-21:00;...
Tennessee Hills Cocktail Bar
Bar and pub
127 Fox Street, Jonesborough
We-Th 16:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-23:00; Su 12:00-18:00
Tennessee Hills Distillery
Brewery and winery
127 Fox Street, Jonesborough
Mo-Sa 11:00-18:00; Su 12:00-18:00
Old Town Dairy Bar
Ice cream · Burger, Ice Cream
412 West Jackson Boulevard, Jonesborough
Rocky's Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza · 1.1 mi
1003 East Jackson Boulevard, Jonesborough
12 more on the map.
History
Located in the far northeast corner of the state, Jonesborough was founded by European Americans in 1779, 17 years before Tennessee became a state and while the area was under the jurisdiction of North Carolina. It was named after North Carolina legislator Willie Jones, who had supported the state's westward expansion across the Appalachian Mountains.
The town was renamed "Jonesboro" for a period of time, but it took back its historic spelling.
Jonesborough was originally a part of the Washington District. In 1784, it became the capital of the autonomous State of Franklin (ostensibly named after American founding father, Benjamin Franklin). Congress, however, never recognized Franklin, which was reclaimed by North Carolina in late 1788.
Tennessee and other border states into the 1830s were strong centers of abolitionist activity. The Tennessee Manumission Society was founded in 1815. East Tennessee was especially an area of Unionist leanings, made up of subsistence farmers who raised tobacco as a market crop. They had small holdings that also produced family needs. They held relatively few slaves compared to landowners in Middle Tennessee or the plantation areas of the Delta near the Mississippi River. Many became Republicans and continued to vote with that party after the war, when the other two regions of the state were dominated by Democrats.
From the History section of Jonesborough, Tennessee on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay1
Churches and places of worship12
Mid-City Fellowship
Church · Nondenominational · 1.9 mi
111 Conley Road, Jonesborough
Saint Mary the Virgin Episcopal Worship Community
Church · Episcopal
208 West Woodrow Avenue, Jonesborough
Abounding Grace Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 1.0 mi
1019 Depot Street, Jonesborough
Jehovah Witness Kingdom Hall
Church · Jehovahs Witness · 1.2 mi
105 Parsons Circle, Jonesborough
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging6
Schools, colleges and libraries15
Boones Creek Elementary School
School · 4.5 mi
132 Highland Church Rd, Johnson City
Little Buccaneers Student Child Care Center
School · 5.8 mi
John Robt. Bell Dr, Johnson City
Sulphur Springs Elementary
School · 5.0 mi
1518 Gray Station/Sulphur Springs Rd, Jonesborough
Healthcare1
Map of Jonesborough
83 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°F | 24°F | 3.5 in | 3.4 in |
| Feb | 51°F | 27°F | 3.3 in | 2.5 in |
| Mar | 59°F | 33°F | 3.8 in | 0.9 in |
| Apr | 68°F | 41°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 76°F | 50°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 83°F | 58°F | 5.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 85°F | 62°F | 5.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 85°F | 61°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 80°F | 55°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 70°F | 43°F | 2.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 59°F | 32°F | 2.8 in | 0.1 in |
| Dec | 50°F | 28°F | 3.6 in | 2.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Erwin 1 W (11 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Washington County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-02-06: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2025-04-02: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2024-10-02: Tropical Storm Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-09-27: Tropical Storm Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2023-03-08: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Tri-Cities Regional Airport (TRI) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 13 miles away.
- Johnson City 6 mi northeast, about 10 min by car
- Gray 9 mi north, about 14 min by car
- Central 10 mi east, about 17 min by car
- Erwin 11 mi south, about 18 min by car
- Fall Branch 12 mi northwest, about 19 min by car
- Banner Hill 12 mi south, about 20 min by car
- Elizabethton 14 mi east, about 22 min by car
- Colonial Heights 14 mi north, about 22 min by car
- Biltmore 15 mi east, about 24 min by car
- Kingsport 16 mi north, about 26 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Washington-county-courthouse-tn1, Brian Stansberry, CC BY 3.0
- The Henry Hoss House, Steven C. Price, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Jonesborough-historic-dist1, Brian Stansberry, CC BY 3.0
- DeVault-Tavern, Steven C. Price, CC BY-SA 3.0
- ISS042-E-254709 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS060-E-36999 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS030-E-70226 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS038-E-63522 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
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