23-02-2025
Weapon demos and reenactments at ‘State of Franklin Battle'
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — The Tipton-Haynes State Historic Site hosted the 'State of Franklin Battle' on Saturday to celebrate the history of the failed State of Franklin and a Johnson City road that thousands travel daily.
The State of Franklin was a failed attempt to start a new state in the area that is now East Tennessee. The battle took place at the home of John Tipton, the namesake of the Tipton-Haynes State Historic Site.
Kingsport Book Fair returning Feb. 28
On Saturday, historians and battle enthusiasts gathered to watch a ten-minute reenactment of what happened on Feb. 29, 1787.
'So we like to claim that it was the nail in the coffin, the Battle John Severe and the State of Franklin lost that battle,' Wes Spurgeon, director of Tipton-Haynes State Historic Site, said. 'His term as governor ended the day after that. So we like to say that it was the end of the State of Franklin here on our property, and eventually, we would become the Southwest Territory and then turn into Tennessee after that.'
Local reenactors from the Overmountain Men of the Sycamore Shoals Historic Park were at the event to educate about the battle and provide late 1700s weapons demonstrations.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
