Dickson-Williams
Mansion Tours
Also Being Offered
"Main Street Tours" has begun the fourth season of "A
Walk with the President," the downtown walking tour.
The program includes
two tours of historic Greeneville. The morning tour is a walking tour of the historic downtown area,
and in the afternoon, a tour of the Dickson-Williams Mansion is
featured.
The 90-minute, one-mile walking tour showcases the
architectural accents of Greeneville's historic churches and
homes.
Walking tours are given Monday through Saturday at 9:30 a.m.,
April through October. The tours begin and end in the lobby of the General Morgan Inn on Main
Street.
While walking the streets of the historic district, participants
will hear stories about of some of Greeneville's most notable citizens, Andrew Johnson, Valentine
Sevier, the Williamses and others.
Information will tell what life was
like in 1783, the year Greeneville was founded, and what life was like for the citizens of
Greeneville during the Civil War and the Reconstruction period after the Civil
War.
Stories will be told about the famous Civil War bridge burners, the
cholera epidemic of 1873, the Lost State of Franklin and more.
The price
of the tour is $5, and children under six are free. Tickets may be purchased at the front desk of
the General Morgan Inn.
90-Minute Mansion Tour
The Dickson-Williams Mansion Tour, a 90-minute tour, is offered year-round. Tours
of the mansion are offered Monday through Sunday at 1 p.m. The tours begin and end in the lobby of
the General Morgan Inn.
On this tour participants will be introduced to
the Dickson and Williams families, two of the most prominent families residing in Eastern
Tennessee.
While touring the beautifully restored mansion with many of
its original furnishings and other magnificent period furniture, participants will hear stories of
the lavish entertaining done by Dr. and Mrs. Williams.
While the
Williams family was in residence, distinguished guests such as Presidents Andrew Jackson and James
K. Polk, the legendary frontiersman Davy Crockett and the noted statesman Henry Clay, were frequent
guests.
Also featured is the bedroom where, in September 1864, the Civil
War Confederate General John Hunt Morgan spent his last night and the story of his death at the
hands of a Union soldier.
Participants also will hear stories of the
architects who were brought from Ireland in 1815 to design and oversee the building of the mansion.
The price of the Dickson-Williams Mansion tour is $10 for adults, $5 for
students age 6-18 and children ages 5 and under are free.
Tickets for the
mansion tour may be purchased at the front desk of the General Morgan
Inn.
For more information, call Main Street Greeneville at
639-7102.