Kingsport in Sullivan County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Donelson Flotilla

Photographed by Mark Hilton, September 10, 2017

1. Donelson Flotilla Marker

Inscription. Early in 1779 Col. John Donelson's group arrived here and built 30 flatboats for 300 people to make the 1000-mile journey to settle Middle Tennessee. They embarked on their boating adventure on December 22, 1779. With an hour they wrecked at the mouth of Reedy Creek, resuming the voyage in February 1780. They arrived in Nashville the following April.

Erected by Tennessee Historical Commission. (Marker Number 1A 98.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Settlements & Settlers • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Tennessee Historical Commission series list. A significant historical month for this entry is February 1780.

Location. 36° 31.681′ N, 82° 33.371′ W. Marker is in Kingsport, Tennessee, in Sullivan County. It is on South Wilcox Drive (Tennessee Route 126) north of Jared Drive, on the right when traveling north. Located across Wilcox Drive from the Eastman Chemical wastewater treatment facility along the guardrail of the breakdown lane. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: South Wilcox Drive, Kingsport TN 37660, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally,

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this marker is in East Tennessee

and in the Tri-Cities Area.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

the State of Franklin,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Avery Treaty (within shouting distance of this marker); Douglass High School (approx. half a mile away); Train Depot (approx. 1.2 miles away); Bank Of Kingsport (approx. 1.2 miles away); Doyle Lawson (approx. 1.2 miles away); Kingsport Drug (approx. 1.2 miles away); The Gem Theatre (approx. 1.3 miles away); Western Union Building (approx. 1.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Kingsport.

Also see . . . Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture article on John Donelson. (Submitted on September 10, 2017, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.)

Donelson Flotilla Marker along guardrail near rail yards of Eastman Chemical. image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Hilton, September 10, 2017

2. Donelson Flotilla Marker along guardrail near rail yards of Eastman Chemical.

Credits. This page was last revised on September 11, 2017. It was originally submitted on September 10, 2017, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 2,354 times since then and 184 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 10, 2017, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.