Some of East Tennessee’s most interesting places do not require a long road trip. In Jefferson City, Carson-Newman University offers a chance to step into stories stretching from the 1820s to World War II and to experience a modern masterpiece rooted in an ancient tradition.
Sarah Swann Hall, at 1637 Russell Ave., has been home to generations of students. Colonel Alfred Reuben Swann, a Jefferson County businessman and Carson-Newman trustee, built the stately home for female students in memory of his mother, Sarah Austell Swann. Its Georgian architecture includes Corinthian columns, formal parlors, a wooden staircase and an inviting porch.
From 1943-45, Sarah Swann Home served as headquarters and residence for shipmates in the World War II V-12 Navy College Training Program. Earlier residents performed duties in exchange for room fees, learning domestic arts along the way.
Nearby, the restored Jesse Baker Cabin dates to the 1820s and is Jefferson City’s oldest known home. Discovered in 2019 beneath layers of modern siding and walls, it was moved and restored using original logs and its floor plan, including a dogtrot.
The cabin was once home to the Rev. Dr. Jesse Baker, an 1859 alumnus who served Mossy Creek Baptist College, now Carson-Newman, as professor, president and trustee. As president in 1869-70, Baker rode 3,500 miles on horseback and raised $6,000 to help pay the school’s debts and prevent its closure. The cabin is at 1634 Russell Ave. Access can be arranged through the university archivist, Al Lang, at 865-471-3542 or alang@cn.edu.
One of the campus’s most unusual treasures is The Saint John’s Bible Heritage Edition. The original handwritten and illuminated Bible is housed at Saint John’s University in Minnesota, but Carson-Newman acquired a seven-volume, full-size fine-art reproduction in 2013. The volumes are displayed in the Lynn and Lyndsey Denton Gallery on the main floor of Stephens-Burnett Memorial Library. Each measures about 2 feet tall by 3 feet wide when open and weighs about 20 pounds. Carson-Newman says it is the only location in Tennessee where the public can view the Heritage Edition volumes.
Three stops, centuries of history and one easy drive from Knoxville make Carson-Newman a fitting Close to Home destination that is truly far from ordinary.
This column will explore adventures that are ‘Close to Home, Far from Ordinary,’ and if you have some to share, please send them to news@knoxtntoday.com.
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