Honoring Our Veterans at Camp Blount—Where Tennessee's Volunteer Spirit Began, and Across the South Central Tennessee Region

Honoring Our Veterans at Camp Blount – Where Tennessee's Volunteer Spirit Began

Celebrate Veterans Day in Fayetteville, the city where Tennessee’s Volunteer Spirit began. Learn about the many veteran memorials found throughout the 13 counties of South Central Tennessee at military heritage sites and other locations throughout the region’s downtowns and community walking trails.

Every November 11th Americans across the country remember the honor, sacrifice and service of the men and women serving our great country in all four branches of the US Armed Forces. Tennessee is known as the Volunteer State.

And the history behind the nickname “Volunteer State”?

Tennesseans might not know that the Volunteer State nickname developed from the state’s contribution of volunteers to the War of 1812. The answer to where Tennessee’s Volunteer Spirit began can be found in Fayetteville, TN.

Camp Blount: The Birthplace of Tennessee's Volunteer Tradition

In the fall of 1813, during the War of 1812 and the Creek War, Tennessee militiamen and volunteers from all over the state poured into the area near Fayetteville to answer the call to military service. They camped along the Elk River at a place which would become known as Camp Blount, in honor of Tennessee Governor Willie Blount. The camp was the headquarters for General Andrew Jackson during the war and included in the group of men associated with the camp were famous Tennesseans David Crockett, John Coffee, and later Tennessee Governor William Carroll.

Andrew Jackson, the General of the Militia, led the volunteers off to a long campaign deep in the South, in what is now Alabama. Many notable Tennesseans passed through the camp including famous frontiersman David Crockett, trader and financier John Coffee, and even future Governor of Tennessee William Carroll.

Answering that call to serve helped define a tradition of military service amongst the people of Tennessee, thus earning the Rightful Name of The Volunteer State.

Camp Blount is significant today because it was the location where Tennessee’s Volunteer State nickname was earned in a larger war effort during the War of 1812.

Today, this historical site is known as the Camp Blount Historic Site and consists of approximately 1/4 of an acre where a portion of the grounds where Tennessee’s first military volunteers assembled is preserved.

More Than 200 Years of Service and Sacrifice

The story at Camp Blount is but one part of Tennessee’s long military history.

Before Tennessee became the Volunteer State, the very first troops from our state to fight in our country's first war for independence left from Shoccoe, then the capital of the newly created Tennessee Territory in southeastern TN near present-day Gadsden. Since then, generations of volunteers have followed in their footsteps and gone to serve in many, many conflicts in far-off places like World Wars I & II, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, and Afghanistan and Iraq.

Some of these individuals returned to their homes to raise families and establish businesses, while others died in service to their country.

In every county in South Central Tennessee, there are veterans parks, veteran monuments, military memorials, and other public places to visit where there are displays and stories of military service of various eras.

These are more than places of historical interest; they are areas of remembrance of service, a place of reflection of sacrifices made to protect our freedoms.

They serve as a reminder on Veterans Day of the freedom to live that is defended by so very ordinary individuals who accept an extraordinary responsibility in defending our country.

Discover the Places of Honor Across South Central Tennessee

One of the best ways to celebrate Veterans Day is to take a trip to the locations where military veterans are honored throughout South Central Tennessee.

In South Central Tennessee, where the 13 counties of Experience Tennessee have military heritage sites and facilities as well as memorials in city parks and along community walking trails, and on the historic courthouses in downtowns of towns and cities, there are many Veterans Day places to visit and to reflect upon the service of veterans.

Veterans memorials are found in the downtown parks on the courthouse squares in Manchester, in Tullahoma on the Veterans Memorial Walk in Tullahoma, and in Collinwood at the Wayne County Veterans Park. In addition, there are veterans memorials in Lewisburg, in Winchester, in Shelbyville, and in Lawrenceburg.

Another interesting military site in the region is the aircraft on display at Arnold Air Force Base near Tullahoma.

Each location features its own unique story and purpose of service to honor our military’s service and sacrifice to our country.

We've Made It Easy to Explore

Experience Tennessee has just released an interactive online map and listing of all of the military memorials and heritage sites in South Central Tennessee. There are 22 listed for 13 counties in our region including 22 Veterans Memorials and sites such as Camp Blount, which was a very early camp in the territory now known as Tennessee during the War of 1812.

New: Experience the 22 military memorials and military heritage sites across 13 Tennessee counties. Whether you are planning a special day to recognize our veterans on Veterans Day or are just looking for a meaningful place to stop and reflect on your travels, this map will help you locate these sites of honor across the region.

Visitors can search for memorials by community, by county, or by starting location. Once a starting location is selected, visitors can see all of the memorials within a certain radius and even link to each location in Google Maps for driving directions.

From historic sites like Camp Blount to places of honor in the back of the town square in small towns, Experience Tennessee has created the guide for you to explore Tennessee and learn about the honor of those who served our country.

Plan Your Visit to Camp Blount

Located just south of downtown Fayetteville, the Camp Blount Historic Site is another place to visit to explore Tennessee’s rich history.

The site’s grounds are beautiful and contain about 2 miles of walking trails, plus a number of interpretive signs and historic exhibits to peruse as well.

Camp Blount Historic Site

1124 Huntsville Highway

Fayetteville, TN 37334

Admission: Free

Grounds: Open sunrise to sunset

Website: CampBlount.com

Directions: Open in Google Maps

There are many other sites, shops, and restaurants in Fayetteville to explore while visiting here. Check out the historic square and visit the many unique locally owned businesses in the area.

Honoring Those Who Answered the Call

So many years have passed since Tennessee’s earliest volunteers camped at Blount but the contribution and volunteerism of those who have served our country in uniform is still extremely worthy of our greatest respect.

Thank a veteran, visit a memorial, read a veteran's story, or even tour Blount, a facility that protects our military heritage this Veterans Day.

At Experience Tennessee we’re committed to telling stories, showcasing locations, and profiling people of distinction from around the region. The stories of men and women who have served our country in the military are some of the most deserving of recognition.

Thank you for your service to our country, whether it was in past years or current!

From the historic grounds of Camp Blount to the many Tennessee Veteran Memorials located in communities throughout the state, Tennessee’s volunteer spirit continues to live on.