Episodi

  • TTHN Season Interim Content (2) - The Cutting Room Floor

    TTHN Season Interim Content (2) - The Cutting Room Floor
    Oct 12 2026
    We'd love to hear what you think!Season One of The Tennessee History Nerd may be complete, but new content continues throughout October as we prepare for Season Two to launch in November.Every historical account requires choices. Whether someone is writing a book, producing a documentary, or creating a podcast, the available material almost always exceeds what can reasonably be included. Some details advance the story. Others provide valuable context but have to be omitted in the interests of time, clarity, and narrative focus.In this second interim release, I discuss that process—and revisit some of the worthwhile stories that did not fit into our Season One episodes.The county episodes produced an especially large amount of unused material. Anderson County offered far more than could be told about the Manhattan Project, the Clinton 12, and the Scarboro 85. Anderson and Campbell counties raised broader questions about the families and communities displaced by the Tennessee Valley Authority. Blount County introduced former mineral-springs resorts, the creation of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and the residents compelled to leave places such as Cades Cove.In Cannon County, the vicious partisan warfare surrounding Short Mountain, from across the Dekalb County line in Liberty, and near the former community of Prater deserves further examination—including the Confederate guerrillas associated with Pomp Kersey and Jack Neely and the local accounts of the deadly attack upon their camp.The narrative episodes also left stories behind.Our episode about the Sultana concentrated largely upon the former Union prisoners of war returning from Andersonville and Cahaba. It said much less about the civilians aboard the steamboat, including a newlywed couple separated after leaping into the Mississippi River, or the Confederate civilians along the riverbanks who risked themselves to rescue Union soldiers and recover the dead.Additional material concerning John Sevier remained after the State of Franklin episode, and even the lengthy Scopes Monkey Trial episode could not accommodate every worthwhile part of that story.These omissions do not mean the material was unimportant. They demonstrate how much history remains to be told—and how every finished episode represents only a portion of what the research uncovered.Next week, we will examine When the Sources Disagree: what happens when historical markers, published accounts, maps, eyewitnesses, and local traditions offer conflicting versions of the same event?🎙️ CreditsHosted by Big John SummersProduced by Summers Media EnterprisesMusic by Big John Summers📣 Follow & SupportFollow The Tennessee History Nerd on Facebook, Instagram, and X for additional Tennessee history content, including on-location videos, historical interpretation, behind-the-scenes research, and stories from across the Volunteer State.Questions, comments, corrections, or story suggestions may be sent to:📧 john.summers@summersmediaenterprises.com🔗 Links🧢 Merch & Apparel:https://www.summersmediaenterprises.com/merch📘 Follow on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/TheTennesseeHistoryNerd/🏝️ Check out Dauphin Island Diaries:https://www.summersmediaenterprises.com/podcasts/did🎧 Visit The Tennessee History Nerd:https://www.summersmediaenterprises.com/podcasts/tthnCheck out and follow Mr. Murfreesboro on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Enter BIGJOHN as the discount code in the comment field when you reserve a cabin or cottage at Birdsong for 20% off the reservation price! Be sure to listen each week in October to the latest update for The Tennessee History Nerd...and catch up on any Season 1 episodes you may have missed! Check out our sister podcast Dauphin Island Diaries wherever you're listening right now! Be sure to click follow or share in your podcast app to make sure you never miss an episode of The Tennessee History Nerd...and share your favorite episode with someone!If you enjoyed this episode, follow the show, share it with someone who loves history, and leave a review—it helps more folks discover the stories of the Volunteer State.
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    31 min
  • TTHN Season Interim Content (1) - The Value of Visiting the Physical Locations

    TTHN Season Interim Content (1) - The Value of Visiting the Physical Locations
    Oct 5 2026

    We'd love to hear what you think!

    Season One of The Tennessee History Nerd may be complete, but new content continues throughout October as we prepare for Season Two to launch in November.

    In this first interseason release, I lift the veil and offer a look behind the scenes at the work that goes into creating the podcast. The Tennessee History Nerd is a one-man operation: research, writing, travel, recording, editing, marketing, guest scheduling, and everything else all pass through the same person—Big John.

    More importantly, I discuss why original fieldwork matters. Maps, books, photographs, and historical accounts provide indispensable information, but some aspects of history become clear only after visiting the places where the events occurred and seeing the terrain firsthand.

    At Horseshoe Bend, the ground reveals both the potential and the limitations of Andrew Jackson’s position on Gun Hill, the strength of the Red Stick fortifications, and the importance of the Cherokee attack across the Tallapoosa River.

    On Mud Island, the modern landscape helps explain how the construction of Interstate 40 ended the island’s role as an airport, why E.H. “Boss” Crump wanted the growing mud and silt bar removed, and how sediment from the Wolf River helped create what eventually became a permanent peninsula.

    In Athens, the remarkably short distances among the precincts, the veterans’ campaign headquarters, Veterans Hill, the jail, and the hospital provide a clearer understanding of how tightly concentrated the Battle of Athens really was.

    At Stones River, the limestone formations of the Slaughter Pen, the bluffs beside the river, the Round Forest, and the artillery position overlooking McFadden’s Ford help explain why some Union positions held, why others became so difficult to escape, and why the Confederate assault on January 2, 1863, ended so disastrously.

    This episode is about what changes when history is no longer confined to a page or a two-dimensional map—and what can be learned by standing where the story happened.

    Next week, we will look at The Stories That Wouldn’t Fit: worthwhile material left out of Season One episodes because of time and narrative constraints.

    🎙️ Credits

    Hosted by Big John Summers
    Produced by Summers Media Enterprises
    Music by Big John Summers

    📣 Follow & Support

    Follow The Tennessee History Nerd on Facebook, Instagram, and X for additional Tennessee history content, including on-location videos, historical interpretation, behind-the-scenes research, and stories from across the Volunteer State.

    Questions, comments, corrections, or story suggestions may be sent to:
    📧 john.summers@summersmediaenterprises.com

    🔗 Links

    🧢 Merch & Apparel:
    https://www.summersmediaenterprises.com/merch

    📘 Follow on Facebook:
    https://www.facebook.com/TheTennesseeHistoryNerd/

    🏝️ Check out Dauphin Island Diaries:
    https://www.summersmediaenterprises.com/podcasts/did

    🎧 Visit The Tennessee History Nerd:
    https://www.summersmediaenterprises.com/podcasts/tthn

    Check out and follow Mr. Murfreesboro on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

    Enter BIGJOHN as the discount code in the comment field when you reserve a cabin or cottage at Birdsong for 20% off the reservation price!

    Be sure to listen each week in October to the latest update for The Tennessee History Nerd...and catch up on any Season 1 episodes you may have missed!

    Check out our sister podcast Dauphin Island Diaries wherever you're listening right now!

    Be sure to click follow or share in your podcast app to make sure you never miss an episode of The Tennessee History Nerd...and share your favorite episode with someone!

    If you enjoyed this episode, follow the show, share it with someone who loves history, and leave a review—it helps more folks discover the stories of the Volunteer State.
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    31 min
  • TTHN Ep 30 - Up, Up and Away in My Beautiful Balloon - The Story of Camp Tyson

    TTHN Ep 30 - Up, Up and Away in My Beautiful Balloon - The Story of Camp Tyson
    Sep 28 2026

    We'd love to hear what you think!

    Camp Tyson rose from Henry County, Tennessee farmland in 1941 as the U. S. Army prepared for a war the United States had not yet entered. Built to train barrage balloon crews, the post brought soldiers, construction workers, and new opportunities to the Routon community and nearby Paris. Its construction also forced families from land they had called home for generations.

    In this Season 1 finale, we follow the roads that still reveal the camp’s layout, learn how barrage balloons defended against low-flying aircraft, and meet men of the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion. The 320th trained at Camp Tyson before serving on the beaches of Normandy, even as its Black soldiers faced segregation and danger at home.

    Camp Tyson briefly held German prisoners of war as its balloon training mission declined. By August 1944, the Army had declared the installation surplus. We examine what its closure meant for Henry County, including the chance some former owners had to buy back their land, the later sale to the Spinks Clay Company, and the traces of the camp that remain today.

    The surviving hangar is part of an active industrial facility on private property. It is not open for public visits or tours.

    📚 Sources

    • Shannon McFarlin, As If They Were Ours: The Story of Camp Tyson
    • Shannon McFarlin, Camp Tyson, from the Images of America series
    • James R. Shock, The U.S. Army Barrage Balloon Program
    • John E. Kreis, Air Warfare and Air Base Defense, 1914–1973
    • U.S. Army field manuals FM 4-117, FM 4-184, FM 4-187, FM 4-188, and FM 4-196
    • Linda Hervieux, Forgotten: The Untold Story of D-Day’s Black Heroes, at Home and at War
    • Antonio S. Thompson, Axis Prisoners of War in Tennessee
    • Major Franklin J. Hillson, When the Balloon Goes Up: Barrage Balloons for Low-Level Air Defense
    • “Camp Tyson,” Tennessee Encyclopedia
    • The exhibits and collections of the Paris-Henry County Heritage Center, with thanks to executive director Catharine Clark Perritt
    • On-site observations of the former Camp Tyson area and its surviving road layout

    🎙️ Credits

    Hosted by Big John Summers
    Produced by Summers Media Enterprises
    Music by Big John Summers

    📣 Follow & Support

    Follow The Tennessee History Nerd on Facebook, Instagram, and X for additional Tennessee history content, including on-location videos, historical interpretation, behind-the-scenes research, and stories from across the Volunteer State.

    Questions, comments, corrections, or story suggestions may be sent to:
    📧 john.summers@summersmediaenterprises.com

    🔗 Links

    🧢 Merch & Apparel:
    https://www.summersmediaenterprises.com/merch

    📘 Follow on Facebook:
    https://www.facebook.com/TheTennesseeHistoryNerd/

    🏝️ Check out Dauphin Island Diaries:
    https://www.summersmediaenterprises.com/podcasts/did

    🎧 Visit The Tennessee History Nerd:
    https://www.summersmediaenterprises.com/podcasts/tthn


    Check out and follow Mr. Murfreesboro on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

    Enter BIGJOHN as the discount code in the comment field when you reserve a cabin or cottage at Birdsong for 20% off the reservation price!

    Be sure to listen each week in October to the latest update for The Tennessee History Nerd...and catch up on any Season 1 episodes you may have missed!

    Check out our sister podcast Dauphin Island Diaries wherever you're listening right now!

    Be sure to click follow or share in your podcast app to make sure you never miss an episode of The Tennessee History Nerd...and share your favorite episode with someone!

    If you enjoyed this episode, follow the show, share it with someone who loves history, and leave a review—it helps more folks discover the stories of the Volunteer State.
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    52 min
  • TTHN Bonus INTERVIEWSDAY Material (17) - Interview with Russell Summers (Topics Discussed: A 43-Year Career in Rural/Small-Town Healthcare in Cannon County, Tennessee)

    TTHN Bonus INTERVIEWSDAY Material (17) - Interview with Russell Summers (Topics Discussed: A 43-Year Career in Rural/Small-Town Healthcare in Cannon County, Tennessee)
    Sep 22 2026

    We'd love to hear what you think!

    Russell Summers spent 43 years working in medicine in Cannon County as a laboratory and X-ray technician.

    In this final INTERVIEWSDAY offering of Season One, I sit down with my dad to preserve his firsthand memories of Good Samaritan Hospital, Stones River Hospital, and Woodbury Medical Center.

    Born at Good Samaritan Hospital in 1946, Daddy later returned there to begin his career in the mid-1960s. He remained until the hospital closed in 1980, worked briefly at Stones River Hospital, and then spent nearly three decades at Woodbury Medical Center.

    Our conversation explores the transformation of rural medicine during the second half of the twentieth century—from reusable steel needles, frog-based pregnancy tests, manually interpreted laboratory results, and hearse-style ambulances to automated equipment, federal regulation, outside laboratories, and modern medical technology.

    We also remember the physicians, nurses, technicians, and patients who made Good Samaritan more than a hospital. This is not simply the story of one man’s career. It is an oral history of medicine in a small Tennessee community—and a record of experiences that might otherwise disappear.

    🎙️ Guest

    Russell Summers worked continuously in Cannon County medicine for 43 years. He served as a laboratory and X-ray technician at Good Samaritan Hospital, Stones River Hospital, and Woodbury Medical Center.

    🎙️ Credits

    Hosted by Big John Summers
    Produced by Summers Media Enterprises
    Music by Big John Summers

    📣 Follow & Support

    Follow The Tennessee History Nerd on Facebook, Instagram, and X for additional Tennessee history content, including on-location videos, historical interpretation, behind-the-scenes research, and stories from across the Volunteer State.

    Questions, comments, corrections, or story suggestions may be sent to:
    📧 john.summers@summersmediaenterprises.com

    🔗 Links

    🧢 Merch & Apparel:
    https://www.summersmediaenterprises.com/merch

    📘 Follow on Facebook:
    https://www.facebook.com/TheTennesseeHistoryNerd/

    🏝️ Check out Dauphin Island Diaries:
    https://www.summersmediaenterprises.com/podcasts/did

    🎧 Visit The Tennessee History Nerd:
    https://www.summersmediaenterprises.com/podcasts/tthn

    Ensure that you never miss a Tennessee story. Please make sure you’re following The Tennessee History Nerd in your podcast app. Just tap the Follow button, and each new episode will be waiting for you when it is released

    Birdsong Resort, Marina, and Campground on scenic Kentucky Lake on the Tennessee River is one of those places that makes Tennessee special. To start planning your getaway, visit birdsong.com or call 731-584-7880. That's birdsong.com or call 731-584-7880. And tell them Big John sent you.

    The Tennessee History Nerd will take a brief break from regular episodes during October. Season Two begins Monday, November 2, with full-length weekly episodes returning every Monday.

    You can support the show by subscribing to our Facebook page...for just ninety-nine cents a month. Your subscription helps to fund the research, travel, equipment, and production behind every episode—and you’ll receive monthly subscriber-only content. Look for the Subscribe button on The Tennessee History Nerd Facebook page, tap it to subscribe, and become a part of what we’re building.

    A personal recommendation is still one of the best ways for any podcast to find a new listener. Think of just one person who enjoys Tennessee history as much as you do—and send that person this episode.

    If you enjoyed this episode, follow the show, share it with someone who loves history, and leave a review—it helps more folks discover the stories of the Volunteer State.
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    1 ora e 30 min
  • TTHN Ep 29 - Driving Across Tennessee - Cannon County Edition

    TTHN Ep 29 - Driving Across Tennessee - Cannon County Edition
    Sep 21 2026
    We'd love to hear what you think!Cannon County may be one of Tennessee’s smaller counties, but its history is remarkably deep.Beginning along Jim Cummings Highway, we travel through a landscape shaped by the Highland Rim, the Central Basin, and Short Mountain—the highest point between the Appalachians and the Ozarks. Near the mountain’s base, the East Fork of the Stones River begins its journey across Middle Tennessee.Along the way, we encounter communities whose names changed, overlapped, or disappeared; roads that succeeded where proposed railroads failed; and institutions that transformed life in the county. We explore Woodbury, Auburntown, Gassaway, Readyville, Bradyville, and the smaller communities surrounding them.The episode also examines Cannon County’s experiences during the Trail of Tears and Civil War, its once-prominent distilling industry, its reputation as “Shotgun County,” and the influence of figures including Dr. Jesse Adams, J. B. Kirk, Uncle Dave Macon, and Mister Jim Cummings.This is the story of a small county with an unusually rich history—and a place where the past remains visible in its roads, buildings, cemeteries, communities, and people.📚 SourcesWorks by R. L. MurrayBackwoods TippleJ. B. Kirk—Farmer, Merchant, DistillerMurder, Moonshine & General Mayhem in Shotgun CountyThe Elusive Iron HorseThe Place Where They CriedSworn ToThe Poor House and County Farm of Cannon County, TennesseeThe Shotgun AssassinAdditional Books and Historical MaterialsRobert L. Mason, History of Cannon County, TennesseeRobert L. Mason, Prater, Tennessee: The Life and Death of a Community—A History and ReminiscenceSterling S. Brown, History of Woodbury and Cannon CountyRobert D. Bush, BradyvilleGary Hancock, Gassaway HistoryAuburntown Historical Society, The History of Auburntown, TennesseeGene Graham, One Man, One VoteDr. and Mrs. J. F. Adams Memorial Library genealogy and local-history collectionsHistorical markers located throughout Cannon CountyFamily and community recollectionsField research conducted in Woodbury, Bradyville, Gassaway, Auburntown, Readyville, the Short Mountain area, and other Cannon County communitiesOnline SourcesCarroll Van West, “Cannon County,” Tennessee Encyclopedia“Cannon County,” Tennessee History for KidsHistorical Marker Database🎙️ CreditsHosted by Big John SummersProduced by Summers Media EnterprisesMusic by Big John Summers📣 Follow & SupportFollow The Tennessee History Nerd on Facebook, Instagram, and X for additional Tennessee history content, including on-location videos, historical interpretation, behind-the-scenes research, and stories from across the Volunteer State.Questions, comments, corrections, or story suggestions may be sent to:📧 john.summers@summersmediaenterprises.com🔗 Links🧢 Merch & Apparel:https://www.summersmediaenterprises.com/merch📘 Follow The Tennessee History Nerd on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/TheTennesseeHistoryNerd/🎧 Visit The Tennessee History Nerd:https://www.summersmediaenterprises.com/podcasts/tthn🏝️ Check out Dauphin Island Diaries:https://www.summersmediaenterprises.com/podcasts/didEnsure that you never miss a Tennessee story. Please make sure you’re following The Tennessee History Nerd in your podcast app. Just tap the Follow button, and each new episode will be waiting for you when it is released Birdsong Resort, Marina, and Campground on scenic Kentucky Lake on the Tennessee River is one of those places that makes Tennessee special. To start planning your getaway, visit birdsong.com or call 731-584-7880. That's birdsong.com or call 731-584-7880. And tell them Big John sent you. The Tennessee History Nerd will take a brief break from regular episodes during October. Season Two begins Monday, November 2, with full-length weekly episodes returning every Monday. You can support the show by subscribing to our Facebook page...for just ninety-nine cents a month. Your subscription helps to fund the research, travel, equipment, and production behind every episode—and you’ll receive monthly subscriber-only content. Look for the Subscribe button on The Tennessee History Nerd Facebook page, tap it to subscribe, and become a part of what we’re building. A personal recommendation is still one of the best ways for any podcast to find a new listener. Think of just one person who enjoys Tennessee history as much as you do—and send that person this episode.If you enjoyed this episode, follow the show, share it with someone who loves history, and leave a review—it helps more folks discover the stories of the Volunteer State.
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    57 min
  • TTHN Bonus INTERVIEWSDAY Material (16) - Interview With Dr. Michael R. Bradley (Topics Discussed: Nathan Bedford Forrest, his alleged role with the Klan, his war record, Dr. Bradley's upcoming book on him, and Dr Bradley's battlefield observations)

    TTHN Bonus INTERVIEWSDAY Material (16) - Interview With Dr. Michael R. Bradley (Topics Discussed: Nathan Bedford Forrest, his alleged role with the Klan, his war record, Dr. Bradley's upcoming book on him, and Dr Bradley's battlefield observations)
    Sep 15 2026

    We'd love to hear what you think!

    Dr. Michael R. Bradley has spent decades studying, teaching, and writing about the Civil War—and few people know the war in Tennessee better.

    In this INTERVIEWSDAY offering, Dr. Bradley joins me for a wide-ranging conversation about Nathan Bedford Forrest, historical memory, and the importance of returning to the original evidence behind familiar stories.

    We begin with his forthcoming book, tentatively titled Wizard of the Saddle, but Not of the Klan, which reexamines the traditional account connecting Forrest with the Ku Klux Klan.

    From there, our conversation travels across Tennessee—from Fort Pillow and Johnsonville to Parker’s Crossroads, Fort Donelson, Hoover’s Gap, and Chickamauga. Along the way, we discuss battlefield terrain, conflicting historical accounts, the dangers of judging the past only through the standards of the present, and the importance of logistics in determining the outcome of a war.

    🎙️ Guest

    Dr. Michael R. Bradley taught United States history at Motlow State Community College for thirty-six years and has written extensively about the Civil War in Tennessee.

    Questions about his work may be sent to:

    📧 michaelrbradley@lighttube.net

    Information about Wizard of the Saddle, but Not of the Klan will be shared through The Tennessee History NerdFacebook page as it becomes available.

    🎙️ Credits

    Hosted by Big John Summers
    Produced by Summers Media Enterprises
    Music by Big John Summers

    📣 Follow & Support

    Follow The Tennessee History Nerd on Facebook, Instagram, and X for additional Tennessee history content, including on-location videos, historical interpretation, behind-the-scenes research, and stories from across the Volunteer State.

    Questions, comments, corrections, or story suggestions may be sent to:
    📧 john.summers@summersmediaenterprises.com

    🔗 Links

    🧢 Merch & Apparel:
    https://www.summersmediaenterprises.com/merch

    📘 Follow on Facebook:
    https://www.facebook.com/TheTennesseeHistoryNerd/

    🏝️ Check out Dauphin Island Diaries:
    https://www.summersmediaenterprises.com/podcasts/did

    🎧 Visit The Tennessee History Nerd:
    https://www.summersmediaenterprises.com/podcasts/tthn

    Ensure that you never miss a Tennessee story. Please make sure you’re following The Tennessee History Nerd in your podcast app. Just tap the Follow button, and each new episode will be waiting for you when it is released

    Birdsong Resort, Marina, and Campground on scenic Kentucky Lake on the Tennessee River is one of those places that makes Tennessee special. To start planning your getaway, visit birdsong.com or call 731-584-7880. That's birdsong.com or call 731-584-7880. And tell them Big John sent you.

    The Tennessee History Nerd will take a brief break from regular episodes during October. Season Two begins Monday, November 2, with full-length weekly episodes returning every Monday.

    You can support the show by subscribing to our Facebook page...for just ninety-nine cents a month. Your subscription helps to fund the research, travel, equipment, and production behind every episode—and you’ll receive monthly subscriber-only content. Look for the Subscribe button on The Tennessee History Nerd Facebook page, tap it to subscribe, and become a part of what we’re building.

    A personal recommendation is still one of the best ways for any podcast to find a new listener. Think of just one person who enjoys Tennessee history as much as you do—and send that person this episode.

    If you enjoyed this episode, follow the show, share it with someone who loves history, and leave a review—it helps more folks discover the stories of the Volunteer State.
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    1 ora e 21 min
  • TTHN Ep 28 - The Massacre of the Orphans (The Battle of Stones River)

    TTHN Ep 28 - The Massacre of the Orphans (The Battle of Stones River)
    Sep 14 2026
    We'd love to hear what you think!The Battle of Stones River was one of the bloodiest major engagements of the Civil War—and one of the most consequential battles fought in Tennessee for multiple reasons.In December 1862, Braxton Bragg’s Army of Tennessee waited around Murfreesboro while William Starke Rosecrans prepared the Army of the Cumberland to advance from Nashville. Rain, mud, swollen streams, and Confederate cavalry under Joseph Wheeler turned the roughly thirty-mile march into a difficult four-day ordeal.By the evening of December 30, approximately seventy-five thousand Union and Confederate soldiers were camped outside Murfreesboro. In some places, only a few hundred yards separated them.That night, military bands answered one another with patriotic songs before reportedly joining together to play “Home, Sweet Home.” Thousands of soldiers listened and sang along. Many would be dead before the following night.Both Bragg and Rosecrans planned to attack the other army’s right flank on December 31. The Confederates moved first. After success on almost the entire battlefield on December 31, Bragg believed the Union army was retreating. But Rosecrans had merely fallen back to consolidate his forces.On January 1, Rosecrans tightened his lines and moved Samuel Beatty’s division across Stones River onto high ground above McFadden’s Ford. The following day, Bragg ordered Major General John C. Breckinridge to drive the Federals away.What resulted from that order ultimately decided the battle.The human cost was staggering. Of approximately seventy-six thousand men engaged, more than twenty-three thousand became casualties. That was roughly three out of every ten men who fought at Stones River—one of the highest casualty rates of any major battle of the Civil War.In this episode, we follow the fighting from the Slaughter Pen and Hell’s Half Acre to the climactic assault at McFadden’s Ford—the Massacre of the Orphans.📚 SourcesLarry J. Daniel, Battle of Stones River: The Forgotten Conflict Between the Confederate Army of Tennessee and the Union Army of the CumberlandPeter Cozzens, No Better Place to Die: The Battle of Stones RiverJames Lee McDonough, Stones River: Bloody Winter in TennesseeDaniel A. Masters, Hell by the Acre: A Narrative History of the Stones River CampaignCaroline Ann Davis and Robert M. Dunkerly, Force of a Cyclone: The Battle of Stones RiverMatt Spruill and Lee Spruill, Decisions at Stones RiverMichael R. Bradley and Shirley Farris Jones, Murfreesboro in the Civil WarMajor Henry Myron Kendall, The Battle of Stone River, presented before the District of Columbia Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States in 1903Peter Cozzens, The Battle of Stones River, illustrated history published by the National Park ServiceThe Battle of Stones River: The Soldiers’ Story, National Park ServiceThe Stones River National Battlefield website, battlefield markers, visitor-center exhibits, and interpretive movieBattle summaries, biographical material, and related articles from the American Battlefield TrustWilliam B. Kurtz, “The Battle of Stones River,” Essential Civil War CurriculumThe Tennessee EncyclopediaHistory.comArticles preserved by the Rutherford County Tennessee Historical Society, including its account of the Battle of the BandsConversations with Civil War historian and artifact dealer Larry Hicklen and Bill Wilson—better known as Mr. MurfreesboroIf you’re interested in contacting Larry Hicklen about Civil War artifacts and relics:www.midtenrelics.comlarryhicklen@comcast.net615-893-3470🎙️ CreditsHosted by Big John SummersProduced by Summers Media EnterprisesMusic by Big John Summers📣 Follow & SupportFollow The Tennessee History Nerd on Facebook, Instagram, and X for additional Tennessee history content, including on-location videos, historical interpretation, behind-the-scenes research, and stories from across the Volunteer State.Questions, comments, corrections, or story suggestions may be sent to:📧 john.summers@summersmediaenterprises.com🔗 Links🧢 Merch & Apparel:https://www.summersmediaenterprises.com/merch📘 Follow on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/TheTennesseeHistoryNerd/🏝️ Check out Dauphin Island Diaries:https://www.summersmediaenterprises.com/podcasts/did🎧 Visit The Tennessee History Nerd:https://www.summersmediaenterprises.com/podcasts/tthnEnsure that you never miss a Tennessee story. Please make sure you’re following The Tennessee History Nerd in your podcast app. Just tap the Follow button, and each new episode will be waiting for you when it is released Birdsong Resort, Marina, and Campground on scenic Kentucky Lake on the Tennessee River is one of those places that makes Tennessee special. To start planning your getaway, visit birdsong.com or call 731-584-7880. That's birdsong.com or call 731-584-7880. And tell them Big John sent you. The Tennessee History Nerd will take a brief ...
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    41 min
  • TTHN Bonus INTERVIEWSDAY Material (15) - Interview with Kyle Dickson (Topics of Discussion: John Sevier, His Life and Role in our Statehood, and Marble Springs, His Final Home)

    TTHN Bonus INTERVIEWSDAY Material (15) - Interview with Kyle Dickson (Topics of Discussion: John Sevier, His Life and Role in our Statehood, and Marble Springs, His Final Home)
    Sep 8 2026
    We'd love to hear what you think!It’s INTERVIEWSDAY!This week on INTERVIEWSDAY (Interview Tuesday), we visit with Kyle Dickson, executive director of Marble Springs State Historic Site in Knoxville, for an extended conversation about historic preservation, life on the Tennessee frontier, and John Sevier—the first governor of Tennessee and one of the central figures in the founding of our state.Marble Springs was Sevier’s final home and the place from which he conducted much of his business while serving as governor. Today, the 36-acre property preserves historic structures, natural springs, walking trails, and a landscape closely associated with Sevier’s life and legacy.Our conversation begins inside a nineteenth-century tavern relocated to Marble Springs before becoming something of a walking tour. Kyle explains how early Tennessee structures were built, altered, preserved, and sometimes unintentionally damaged by earlier restoration practices. Along the way, we also meet a restoration specialist introduced simply as Kanjo, who describes some of the work currently being performed on the Sevier cabin.After returning indoors, Kyle and I turn our attention more fully to Sevier himself—from the Watauga settlements and Kings Mountain through the State of Franklin, Tennessee statehood, the War of 1812, and Sevier’s final journey into Creek territory.Points of discussion during the interview:The history of Marble Springs and the structures preserved there;The importance of taverns in frontier communities;Log construction, clapboarding, chinking, daubing, and early preservation methods;The challenges of restoring historic buildings without erasing their stories;The myths and realities of everyday life on the Tennessee frontier;Sevier’s early life and leadership in the Watauga settlements;The siege of Fort Watauga and the story of Sevier and “Bonny Kate” Sherrill;The Overmountain Men and the Battle of Kings Mountain;The rise and fall of the State of Franklin;Sevier’s role in Tennessee statehood, his rivalry with Andrew Jackson, and the final years of his life.This conversation was recorded on location at Marble Springs State Historic Site. During the first portion of the interview, Kyle and I move through several of the site’s historic structures as rain moves through the area around us.After we return from one of the later ads, listeners may notice bit of a change in the audio. After two interviews that day, the batteries in the wireless microphones were exhausted, and the remainder of the conversation was captured using the recorder’s built-in microphones. Our voices consequently sound farther away, and the balance between them is occasionally uneven until the recorder could be repositioned. The conversation nevertheless remains clear throughout.Learn more about Marble Springs State Historic Site, its tours, programs, and upcoming events—and join its mailing list to receive updates directly—at marblesprings.net.Questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes? Email John at john.summers@summersmediaenterprises.com.🎙️ CreditsHosted by Big John SummersProduced by Summers Media EnterprisesFoley/Sound Effects recorded by Big John Summers📣 Follow & SupportFollow The Tennessee History Nerd on Facebook, Instagram, and X for additional content, including on-location videos, historical interpretation, interviews, and stories from across Tennessee.🔗 Links🏛️ Marble Springs State Historic Site:https://www.marblesprings.net/🧢 Merch & Apparel:https://www.summersmediaenterprises.com/merch📘 Follow The Tennessee History Nerd:https://www.summersmediaenterprises.com/podcasts/tthn⚓ Check out Dauphin Island Diaries:https://www.summersmediaenterprises.com/podcasts/didEnsure that you never miss a Tennessee story. Please make sure you’re following The Tennessee History Nerd in your podcast app. Just tap the Follow button, and each new episode will be waiting for you when it is released Birdsong Resort, Marina, and Campground on scenic Kentucky Lake on the Tennessee River is one of those places that makes Tennessee special. To start planning your getaway, visit birdsong.com or call 731-584-7880. That's birdsong.com or call 731-584-7880. And tell them Big John sent you. The Tennessee History Nerd will take a brief break from regular episodes during October. Season Two begins Monday, November 2, with full-length weekly episodes returning every Monday. You can support the show by subscribing to our Facebook page...for just ninety-nine cents a month. Your subscription helps to fund the research, travel, equipment, and production behind every episode—and you’ll receive monthly subscriber-only content. Look for the Subscribe button on The Tennessee History Nerd Facebook page, tap it to subscribe, and become a part of what we’re building. A personal recommendation is still one of the best ways for any podcast to find a new listener. Think of just one person who ...
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    2 ore e 21 min