Johnson City in Carter County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Williams-Taylor House

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, October 10, 2020

1. Williams-Taylor House Marker

Inscription. The Edmund Williams family, pioneers of the area. owned the original log cabin at this site. Owner Joshua Williams (1808-1895) enlarged the house and in 1866 gave land for Buffalo Institute. Now Milligan College, it was established by Col. W. G. Baker, who died here in 1905. In 1908, the house was purchased by former Congressman Alfred A. Taylor (1848-1931), known for “Tennessee's War of the Roses” and governor from 1921 to 1923. It was the long time home of U. S. District Judge Robert L. Taylor (1899-1987), who in 1956 ordered the racial desegregation of Clinton High School.

Erected by Tennessee Historical Commission. (Marker Number 1A 116.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Civil Rights • Education • Government & Politics • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Tennessee Historical Commission series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1866.

Location. 36° 17.806′ N, 82° 17.816′ W. Marker is in Johnson City, Tennessee, in Carter County. It is on Governor Alf Taylor Road east of Country Garden Road, on

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the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 144 Governor Alf Taylor Road, Johnson City TN 37601, United States of America. Touch for directions.

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 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Milligan College (approx. 0.4 miles away); Gandy Dancers (approx. 0.9 miles away); The Tennessee Tweetsie in Hollywood (approx. 0.9 miles away); Milligan Depot (approx. one mile away); Cranberry Furnace Company Quarry (approx. 1.3 miles away); Constructing a Mountain Railroad (approx. 1.3 miles away); Hauling Ore from the Cranberry Mine

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, October 10, 2020

2. Williams-Taylor House Marker

(approx. 1.3 miles away); Mary Patton (approx. 1½ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Johnson City.

Regarding Williams-Taylor House. The house now serves as a hospitality and reception venue for Milligan College.

Gov. Alfred Alexander Taylor image. Click for full size.

Photographed by E. Calvert, 1923

3. Gov. Alfred Alexander Taylor

Painted portrait in oval frame. Courtesy Tennessee State Library and Archives

Credits. This page was last revised on March 13, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 13, 2020, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 734 times since then and 50 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 13, 2020, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.