Marble Springs, the home of the first governor of Tennessee, John Sevier, is located at the foot of Bays Mountain, about 5 miles south of Knoxville off U.S. Highway 441.  It received its name from Sevier because of the numerous springs and marble deposits nearby. The original 355 acres on which Marble Springs stands belonged to Sevier prior to 1795, and was one of many parcels which when combined made up a grant of 640 acres he had received from the State of North Carolina.  A pioneer station or outpost had been in operation on the site when Sevier acquired the property, and some buildings were still in existence. In 1796, John Sevier came to Knoxville from his home, Plum Grove, about six miles from Jonesboro to assume gubernatorial duties.  At first he leased a house from Charles McClung (the man who made the original survey of Knoxville) at the southwest corner of what is now Central Street and Cumberland Avenue.  It was know as the old capitol, and was razed in the early 1920's.  The first state Senate met upstairs in this building.  The lower house met at the courthouse, then a log building. About 1797, Sevier started construction of a large brick home at Cumberland Ave and Walnut (then Prince) Street but financial difficulties overtook him and he sold it in 1803 when the brick walls had been only partially built.  The new owners were the Park family, ancestors of the noted first Presbyterian Church pastor, Dr. James Park. While residing at Marble Springs, John Sevier built additional structures, such as a corncrib, springhouse, smokehouse, barn, stables, and

servants' quarters. In addition to these, several two-story guesthouses were constructed.  The eventual cluster of building has been likened to a hamlet and as such, made an ideal place to receive friends and official guests, as well as to accommodate his large family. Of all the original log buildings, only the main cabin remains.  The property passed from the Sevier family in 1818 through a succession of owners who farmed the land until farm operations proved unprofitable to small producers.   Through the years various changes were made.  In the 1930's, the exterior  logs were covered with weather-boarding and a tin roof was put on the cabin.  The interior walls were covered with pine ceiling boards.  In 1929, the kitchen was destroyed by fire. Marble Springs was sold at a court sale in 1818 to James Dardis, a leading Knoxville citizen.  The next owner was George W. Kirby in 1838.  The Kirby

heirs held it until 1932.  It was then sold to Samuel Sayne, the father of Mrs. Samuel Rudd, whose family, after the state bought the property, became its first caretakers. In 1941, the Tennessee legislature purchased the 35 acre tract for $6000 and created the John Sevier Memorial Commission to have charge of the restoration.   Little was done toward restoration until 1957 when a log caretaker's house was built.  In 1961 and 1962, work continued to repair and restore  the main building, including  replacing some logs, rebuilding the stone chimney and fireplace, replacing  some flooring and joists, and chinking and daubing the logs.  A new roof of hand-driven shingles from a large white oak on the property was put on the cabin. The two-story structure, made of pine logs, measures 20 feet by 24 feet, and consists of two rooms, one upper and one on the ground floor.  A narrow stairway in the northwest corner leads to the upper quarters where a single window afforded the light.  The flooring is native pine, and the rafters are made of pine poles. The kitchen, rebuilt in 1963 according to the original dimensions, is 13 feet by 17 feet, and is constructed of oak logs obtained nearby.  It is east of the main cabin, separated by a dogtrot, and a lean-to built on the back.  At the east end is a spacious hearth and fireplace.  The stick chimney is of heart poplar, plastered with mortar. Reconstructed outbuildings include a springhouse, smokehouse, and loom house.