The Big Spring

The Big Spring is a Tennessee historical marker in Greene County.

Greene Co, Greeneville, 210 North Main Street

Get directions ↗Start a road trip Historical trails

The site of Greeneville was a juncture of two Indian trails, and the presence of the Big Spring furnished a stopping off place for the weary Indian traveler. The Scotch-Irish pioneers made the spring the reason for the founding of Greeneville in 1783. As early as 1780, the Rev. Samuel Doak preached to the settlers at this spot.

Maps this old were drawn largely by eye, so places on them can sit miles from where they really are. The pin is ours and marks the marker's location today.

TodayHistorical map

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

Historical maps covering this location

1778 · The Western Parts of Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland and North Carolina. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1796 · Map of The Tennassee (sic) Government. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1796 · Kentuckey. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1797 · Tennassee Government. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1812 · Kentucky. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)

Example

For example, one family's tree showed the Articles of Confederation marker in Pennsylvania standing under a mile from where William Gabby lived in the 1760s.

What that marker records spans 1777 to 1789, overlapping William Gabby's years there.

From one family's 77-marker roster

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The marker isn't at this spotOur pin may be off. If you know where it stands, tell us.I couldn't find the markerWe record what the source recorded. We have not been to look.The sign reads differentlyThat would be an error, and we can pass it to the program.The historical map looks wrongThe period map behind the pin, not the marker itself.Something else

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Marker text and location from the Tennessee Historical Commission, as the Commission publishes them on its marker map.

More markers nearby

Ellen “Nelly” VanVactor Free Black Female Landownersame spot
Robert Kerrsame spot
Greeneville Cumberland Presbyterian Churchunder 1 mi
Capitol of State of Franklinunder 1 mi