Elizabethton in Carter County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)
Watauga Old Fields
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 13, 2019
1. Watauga Old Fields Marker
Where the Watauga Association was formed in 1772, being the first place west of the Alleghenies where men joined together in a written compact for civil government and for the preservation of their ideals of liberty.
Erected 1923 by Tennessee Daughters of the American Revolution.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Government & Politics • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1772.
Location. 36° 20.93′ N, 82° 12.625′ W. Marker is in Elizabethton, Tennessee, in Carter County. It is at the intersection of East Elk Avenue and North Main Street, on the right when traveling west on East Elk Avenue. Marker is located near the sidewalk, at the southwest corner of the Carter County Courthouse grounds.
this page online
Regionally, 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 walking distance of this marker: A different marker also named Samuel P. Carter (here, next to this marker); Carter County Courthouse (a few steps from this marker); Soldiers Monument Centennial (a few steps from this marker); You Are Not Forgotten (a few steps from this marker); Post World War II Army Reserve Unit (a few steps from this marker); Carter County Veterans Monument (a few steps from this marker); Soldiers'
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 13, 2019
2. Watauga Old Fields Marker
(wide view Carter County Courthouse in background)
(wide view Carter County Courthouse in background)
Another marker is no longer nearby. Samuel P. Carter (was here, next to this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it).
Also see . . . Watauga Association (Wikipedia). The Watauga Association was a semi-autonomous government created in 1772 by frontier settlers living along the Watauga River in what is now Elizabethton, Tennessee. Although it lasted only a few years, the Watauga Association provided a basis for what later developed into the state of Tennessee and likely influenced other western frontier governments in the region. While there is no evidence that the Watauga Association ever claimed to be outside the sovereign territory of the British Crown, historians have often cited the Association as the earliest attempt by American-born colonists to form an independent democratic government. (Submitted on June 22, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Credits. This page was last revised on August 27, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 19, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 1,874 times since then and 150 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 22, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
