Things To Do

Andrew Johnson, former U.S. President

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Welcome to the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site

We look forward to sharing a pivotal time in American history with you. There are four areas of the park, spread about the picturesque town of Greeneville, Tennessee. Follow in Johnson's footsteps as you explore them all:

• The Visitor Center, Museum, and Tailor Shop
• The Early Home
• The Homestead
• The National Cemetery

 

The Visitor Center and Memorial Building complex

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Get Oriented - the Visitor Center

At the Visitor Center, park staff or volunteers will greet you and provide an overview of what is available for you to do. Depending on your time or interests, you can:

• View the orientation film, "Andrew Johnson: Defender of the Constitution,"
• See original artifacts pertaining to Johnson's presidency, impeachment, and national & international policy,
• Vote for Andrew Johnson's acquittal or guilt at the impeachment display, and
• Stand before Andrew Johnson's iconic Tailor Shop & listen for sounds of the tailoring trade emanating from it.

The Visitor Center is where you learn about the current status of Homestead tours and receive directions to the National Cemetery. You can also learn more about the 17th President & his times and find mementoes of your visit at the site's Eastern National bookstore.

 

A reward notice for Johnson's return as a run-away apprentice

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Explore How it all Began - the Early Home

Andrew Johnson's Early Home in Greeneville sits adjacent to the site parking lot and could be your first stop en route to the Visitor Center. It is an appropriate beginning place - this is where Andrew and Eliza started their own family and Johnson experienced his first successes in local and national politics. This is also where he lived when he purchased his first enslaved people.

Three downstairs rooms are available to tour. This house contains exhibits that explore Andrew Johnson's life prior to becoming President. Learn about his apprenticeship to a tailor in Raleigh, NC, his journeys throughout a young America before settling in East Tennessee, and his start in the business world & political sphere.

 

Andrew Johnson Parlor

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Feel a Sense of Place - The Homestead

The historic Andrew Johnson Homestead, located at 209 South Main Street, is currently open for guided tours at 10:00 & 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 & 3:00 p.m. within park operating hours. For visitor safety, the number of people inside the Homestead is limited to 10.

Please Note: On days with limited staffing, Homestead tours may be offered at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., with the Visitor Center temporarily closed during tour times.

There is no admission charge, but tickets are required and available at the Visitor Center on a first come/first served basis. Tickets are available until 15 minutes prior to tour time, as the Homestead is 2 1/2 blocks away. Tours begin on the back porch of the Homestead, and visitors may either walk or drive to the house from the Visitor Center. Parking is available.

When you enter into the Johnson family home, you will see it much as it was when the family returned home from Washington. The house was inhabited by three generations of the Johnson family after the president's death, and they took care to preserve everything associated with the 17th President. Today it is a treasure trove of original family belongings.

 

Early morning at the cemetery

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Pay Homage - The Andrew Johnson National Cemetery

The National Cemetery is the final resting place for Andrew Johnson and his family, as well as for the nation's veterans. The high hill containing over 2000 graves provides a stunning view of the mountains.

Feel free to walk the hilly sidewalks and stairs through the cemetery. The main gates are open daily. Pets are allowed on sidewalks on a leash.