Sullivan County
East Tennessee | County Seat: Blountville | Founded 1780
Where Tennessee Began — the state's first frontier, home to Rocky Mount and the Bristol Sessions.
Sullivan County in northeast Tennessee was a gateway for westward settlement. Rocky Mount served as the first capital of the Southwest Territory from 1790 to 1792. Bristol is known as the birthplace of country music, where the 1927 Bristol Sessions launched the commercial recording of country music.
Read more about Sullivan County
Sullivan County sits in the northeast corner of Tennessee, bordered by Virginia to the north and the Holston River to the south. Established in 1780, it was among the earliest jurisdictions in what became the State of Tennessee. Rocky Mount, in Piney Flats, served as the first capital of the Southwest Territory (1790-1792). Bristol, straddling the Tennessee-Virginia line, is recognized as the Birthplace of Country Music following the 1927 Bristol Sessions. The county seat is Blountville. Today, Sullivan County balances heritage tourism with NASCAR racing at Bristol Motor Speedway and outdoor recreation on South Holston Lake.
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Historic Sites
Markers
Cemeteries
NR Entries
Partners
Story Themes
On the map
National Register places, state historic sites, markers, and cemeteries in Sullivan County. Cemetery locations shown at county center are approximate; exact locations are withheld for preservation. Browse the full survey →
Historical MarkersSample data for demonstration
Blountville Historic District
Blountville, the Sullivan County seat, retains one of Tennessee's notable concentrations of early log and frame structures.
Bristol Sessions
The 1927 Bristol Sessions, recorded here, launched the commercial recording of country music and are remembered as the genre's foundational sessions.
Long Island of the Holston
A sacred site of the Cherokee and a key treaty ground on the colonial frontier along the Holston River.
Rocky Mount
Rocky Mount served as the first capital of the Southwest Territory, 1790–1792, under Governor William Blount.
CemeteriesSample data for demonstration
East Hill Cemetery
Earliest known burial: 1850s
Historic Bristol cemetery with 19th-century burials, including early city founders.
Old Blountville Cemetery
Earliest known burial: 1790s
Early frontier burial ground near the Sullivan County seat.
Contribute to Sullivan County's Story
Spotted a damaged marker? Know of a cemetery that needs documenting? Have a historic place to share? Your submission enters the Heritage OS review queue.
Report a Marker Issue
Spotted a damaged, missing, or incorrectly placed historical marker? Let THC know. Your report enters the review queue.
Submit a Cemetery
Know of a cemetery that should be documented? Submit it for the county record. Your submission enters the review queue.
Submit a Historic Place
Know of a historic building, site, or structure worth documenting? Submit it for the county record. Your submission enters the review queue.
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