Fort Adair (Knoxville (Fountain City), Tennessee)
Knoxville (Fountain City) · Tennessee · Cherokee–American wars
History & Significance
Fort Adair was built on the Broadway Road, which was the Indian path to the Clinch River, a strategically significant location. Established in 1788, the fort served as a depot of supplies for the Cumberland Guard, the militia organization which supplied armed protection for parties of emigrants to the Cumberland Settlements, later the town of Nashborough, now Nashville.
The existence of a supply depot attracted European settlers to the area and contributed to the development of a settlement around the fortification, with nearby springs providing a constant source of fresh water. In 1788, John Adair was also named commissary agent for the route through the Cumberland Gap, reflecting his broader role in frontier logistics.
The settlement, originally named Grassy Valley, was renamed Fountain Head and later to Fountain City to avoid confusion with another settlement of the same name. The exact location is unknown, but research indicates it could have been near modern Lynnhurst Cemetery at the confluence of Adair Creek and First Creek, where Adair and his wife are buried. The fort was abandoned in the 1810s.
Key Facts
Map
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🧳 Visiting
What you’ll see when you visit:
- Historical marker and monument at original fort site
- Late 18th-century Cherokee–American frontier conflict history
- Confluence of Adair Creek and First Creek in Grassy Valley area
- Role as supply depot and settler protection station
- Connection to founding of present-day Fountain City
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Adair
- https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=95270
- https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=32531
- https://www.ncpedia.org/biography/adair-john
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fountain_City,_Knoxville
- http://fortwiki.com/Fort_Adair