Greene: Discover History and Nature

Get to know Greene through its varied attractions: historic homes and memorial sites, as well as rivers, waterfalls, and forest trails. You can tailor your time to your interests in history, architecture, or nature.

Historic Sites in Greeneville

At Andrew Johnson’s Early Home, exhibits provide information about Andrew Johnson’s education, his escape, his arrival in Greeneville, the beginnings of his family, and the rise of his political career. At the Andrew Johnson Homestead at 209 South Main Street, tours are offered at 10, 11, 14, and 15 during park opening hours. Times may vary depending on staffing.

More than 2,000 headstones mark the grounds of Andrew Johnson National Cemetery. Veterans are buried there from conflicts ranging from the American Civil War to the Spanish-American War, World War I and World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Gulf War, as well as Operation Iraqi Freedom and Afghanistan. The memorial offers an overview of several generations of military history.

Completed in 1821, the Dickson-Williams Mansion is an example of the Federal style, which was widespread from 1780 to 1830. Main Street Greeneville offers a 90-minute tour of the house led by trained professional interpreters. Another 90-minute tour, A Walk with the President, visits historic churches and homes, Old Harmony Cemetery, and Tennessee’s oldest jail. The two tours differ mainly in their focus: one centers on a historic home, while the other covers several sites of local history. Check the seasonal schedule for A Walk with the President.

The Doak House Museum focuses on university-related artifacts dating from 1794 onward, Doak family belongings from 1830 to 1860, and educational and religious artifacts and documents from Northeast Tennessee. New forest trails next to the museum lead to the center of the Tusculum University campus. The museum and trails offer different ways to explore the area’s educational history and campus landscape.

Architecture, Memorials, and Local History

David Crockett Birthplace State Park covers 105 acres immediately upstream from the waterfalls of the scenic Nolichucky River. The site includes a living 18th-century farm. A State of Tennessee notice dated January 6, 2026, reported that the park had been closed since September 2024 following extensive flood damage caused by Hurricane Helene. Check its current status before planning a visit.

Bridges also tell the story of the area. Bible Covered Bridge was built in 1923 over Little Chuckey Creek at a ford connecting the Bible Farm to Warrensburg Road; it became a historic structure in 1975. The Greene County Civil War Bike Ride passes the Lick Creek Railroad Bridge. Soldiers of the East Tennessee & Virginia Railroad burned it down on the morning of November 9, 1861.

Greeneville’s Mural Trail celebrates local history and highlights products and people who have made Greeneville known beyond the region. The murals add a portrayal of the city’s history and identity to the historic homes and memorial sites.

Paint Creek, Waterfalls, and Trails

Paint Creek Recreation Area lies in a mountain hollow in Greene County, along Paint Creek at an elevation of 1,760 feet, and is managed by the U.S. Forest Service as part of Cherokee National Forest. Kelly Falls is a 15-foot cascade along Paint Creek on Forest Road 41. Paint Creek is suitable for swimming, wading, and fly fishing; the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency stocks it with rainbow trout throughout the summer. Paint Mountain Trail No. 7 starts within walking distance of Paint Creek Campground.

Cyclists have several options to consider: cycling along the Paint Creek corridor toward Hot Springs, North Carolina, is possible. The Bridge Burners’ Civil War Bike Ride is rated easy and starts at the cemetery and monument on Pottertown Road.

Specific trail features are also important when choosing a waterfall hike. Margarette Falls Trail No. 189 begins with 0.5 miles on a closed road, followed by another 0.7 miles on a rough, boulder-strewn trail with several stream crossings. At the end is a 50-foot waterfall. Trail conditions can change, so check them before setting out.

Pete’s Branch Trail No. 12 passes through Horse Creek Recreation Area in Greene County to the 45-foot Pete’s Branch Falls. The route includes 1.2 miles on forest roads and 0.6 miles on the trail, as well as four stream crossings; access requires driving on forest roads. The falls are best viewed during wet seasons. These details help you compare the two waterfall destinations by trail conditions, route sections, and seasonal water levels.

Discover more destinations: Baileyton, Greeneville, Claiborne County, Knox, Coffee, Giles County, Johnson County, Sevier.

For the broader travel overview: Tennessee.