History Happy Hour at the Chester Inn State Historic Site and Museum in Jonesborough

JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. – How did the Navajo tribe reclaim some of their territory in the southwest in 1868? What role did an East Tennessean play in the process? Find out at the History Happy Hour 6:30 p.m. June 21 at the Chester Inn State Historic Site and Museum. There will be free refreshments, and the program is free and open to the public.

This month’s History Happy Hour features Stephanie Steinhorst from the Andrew Johnson National Park in Greeneville. She will discuss the 1868 treaty between the Navajo and the United States.

Following the Civil War, the United States embarked on a series of negotiations, interactions, and conflicts with Native American tribes west of the Mississippi River. In 1863, the Navajo tribe was relocated from their native land in the Four Corners area of the southwest to the Bosque Redondo reservation in New Mexico. Many of the Navajo died on the forced journey, and more passed away while living on the reservation. In April 1868, a Navajo delegation petitioned President Andrew Johnson to allow the tribe to return to the Four Corners area, and in June 1868 a treaty was signed by both parties.

History Happy Hour is a collaborative program that features speakers and researchers from various local organizations, museums, and schools. Presenters for 2018 include independent researchers, National Park Service rangers, professors, and museum professionals from across the region. The programs are 6:30 p.m. on the third Thursday each month. All programs are free and open to the public.

For more information on the Chester Inn Museum, History Happy Hour, or the Heritage Alliance, call 423-753-9580, the Chester Inn Museum at 423-753-4580, via email at info@heritageall.org or www.heritageall.org.

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