Bristol’s history is
mostly unwritten
The public archives hold only 3 old photos of Bristol. The rest are in attics, shoeboxes and the historical society. Help start the collection.
The story
from WikipediaRead it all ↗Before 1852, the land where Bristol is located was owned by Reverend James King. His son-in-law, Joseph R. Anderson of Blountville, Tennessee, bought 100 acres (40 ha) of the plantation and named it Bristol. The G.W. Blackley House, one of the oldest houses in Bristol, was constructed in 1869.
The U.S. Congress declared Bristol to be the "Birthplace of Country Music", according to a resolution passed in 1998, recognizing its contributions to early country music recordings and influence, and the Birthplace of Country Music Museum is located in Bristol.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Timeline
built from the dates on the items belowStart Bristol’s collection
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Bristol’s history is told.
0 of 10 decades since 1900 have photos 🔁Retake an old view1940 Census Enumeration District …, 1880: stand where they stood+15 📦Share a family photoSign in to add one+10Famous people from Bristol
See all 27 →
Bristol, decade by decade
1990s
11 historic places in Bristol
Bristol has 11 listings on the National Register, and they protect 581 historic buildings, because Fairmount Neighborhood Historic District alone counts 403.
Where they are
When they were listed
Listed 1983Parlett House
Listed 1985Paramount Theatre and Office Building
Listed 1985First National Bank of Bristol
Listed 1985US Post Office-Shelby Street Station
Listed 1987Bristol Municipal Stadium
Listed 1999Edward Washington King House
Listed 2009Gammon House
Listed 2011East Hill CemeteryListed 1988Bristol Virginia-Tennessee Slogan SignListed 2010Fairmount Neighborhood Historic DistrictListed 2012Holston Avenue Neighborhood Historic DistrictThen & now
No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as 1940 Census Enumeration District Maps - Tennessee - Sullivan County - Bristol - ED 82-31 - ED 82-40 (1880) and it appears here side by side.
🔁 Retake this view · +15Stories next door
nearby towns’ historyFrom Wikimedia Commons (3) and the National Register (3). Images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.