East Tennessee’s Historic Presidential Sites
By Michael WIlliams
June 3, 2026

The family home of President Johnson contains 85% of the original furnishings. The open is open for tours.	This house is a replica of President Andrew Johnson's childhood home, which stands in Raleigh, N.C. This replica is part of the Andrew Johnson Historic Site in Greeneville, one hour from Gatlinburg.

Visitors to East Tennessee with an interest in historical sites can visit the home of one of three U.S. presidents buried on Tennessee soil. While visitors to Nashville can tour the homes and gravesites of Presidents Andrew Jackson and James K. Polk, visitors to the Smoky Mountains and East Tennessee can visit the home and gravesite of the nation’s 17th chief executive, President Andrew Johnson.

Born in 1808, near Raleigh, North Carolina, to an impoverished family, Johnson’s mother agreed to enter her two sons, Andrew and William, into an indentured apprenticeship when Andrew was only 10. Apprenticeship in the 19th century was somewhat similar to slavery. The Johnson boys worked for food and shelter, and no pay. They were taught the tailor’s trade and were expected to continue to work until each reached the age of 21. The treatment was often harsh, and the hours were very long. Unhappy with their lot in life, the brothers ran away from their apprenticeship after five years, and Andrew eventually made his way to Greeneville, Tennessee, where he opened a tailor shop. A reward was offered for his return to the apprentice. The punishment for running away was an additional seven years that would be added to his apprenticeship. Johnson had no intentions of going back.

The epitaph of President Andrew Johnson and First Lady Eliza Johnson.

Although he had no formal education, Johnson was self-taught and learned to read and write. Eventually, he married the former Eliza McCardle and started a family before entering politics on a local level, followed by a rise to the U.S. Senate, and then, in 1864, he ran for Vice-President on the Republican ticket with President Abraham Lincoln, who was seeking his second term. His tenure as the second in command was brief. Less than a month after his inauguration, President Lincoln was assassinated, and Johnson became the nation’s new president. The Civil War had been over less than two weeks, and a southern democrat now sat in the Oval Office. This did not sit well with some republicans.

Johnson’s presidency was turbulent. His attempt to fire his Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton, resulted in Johnson becoming the first of three presidents to be impeached. He was acquitted when the Senate failed to convict him by one vote, which prevented his removal from office. Johnson ran for president in 1868 but lost to General U.S. Grant. Johnson died in 1875 and is buried in Greeneville.

Today, his home is part of the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site and is operated by the National Park Service. Visitors can visit the site and learn more about President Johnson and the tumultuous times he lived.

Six sites comprise the historical site. Four of the sites are on an intersection and sit in a square pattern, enabling tourists’ easy access to the four properties. The first is the museum, which contains artifacts and interpretation boards about his life and presidency. There is also a life-size replica of the tailor shop he built that once stood nearby. Among the artifacts on display is the tie Johnson wore to Lincoln’s funeral. Another artifact of note is a suit that Johnson made for himself, which appears to be in pristine condition. A gift shop is located within the museum.

The grave of the president and first lady stands in the Veterans' Cemetery in Greeneville, TN	This statue bears the likeness of President Andrew Johnson, who served from 1865 to 1869.

Across the street from the museum is a bronze life-size statue of Johnson. Across the street is a two-story lap-sided blue house. This is a replica of Johnson’s birthplace that stands in Raleigh, North Carolina. Visitors can walk the perimeter but are unable to enter the building.

Directly across the street from his childhood home is the home Johnson and his wife and children occupied from the 1830s to the 1850s. The house is unfurnished because when the family moved to their family home, they took all their belongings with them. This home has been fully restored and contains numerous interpretation boards detailing the lives of the Johnson family.

Less than a mile away is the three-story home Johnson spent his later years in. The house is fully restored, and 85 percent of the original furnishings are original and belonged to the family. The home was deeded to the park service by Johnson’s great-granddaughter, who served as the first tour guide.

Less than half a mile from the Johnson homestead is the final resting place of Johnson and his wife and family, which is in the Veterans’ Cemetery on a hill that was once known as Signal Hill. The president and first lady are buried beneath a large obelisk with a concave arched base under which the president and first lady lie in repose. There are two entrances to the gravesite. The first is a series of stairs that rise to the top of the hill to the gate of the family cemetery. These steps provide a great opportunity to get a cardio workout. However, if visitors would rather not exert themselves, there is an access road that allows people to drive up to the gate and spare themselves the walk.

The Johnson home and gravesite are open to the public daily from 9-4. To get a guided tour of the interior of the house, visitors must obtain a pass at the Visitor’s Center. The tickets are free, and there are four tours daily, two in the morning and two in the afternoon.