What are the opening hours?

Monday 8am - 5pm Tuesday 8am - 5pm Wednesday 8am - 5pm Thursday 8am - 5pm Friday 8am - 5pm

McKinney Center

The McKinney Center at Booker T. Washington School is a multi-use facility providing arts education The McKinney Center is housed in the historic Booker T.

Washington School. The Center is named after the McKinney family, members of which made great contributions to the town, and is dedicated to continuing the McKinney’s legacy of service to the area. Ernest L. McKinney served as principle of Booker T. Washington School and served as the first African American alderman of Jonesborough. He was voted into office on April 4, 1968. He also served on and

became the chair of the Washington County School Board. His wife Marion served for two decades as a social worker in the county and was a high school guidance counselor. Their son, Kevin McKinney, served as the first African American Mayor of Jonesborough, Tennessee. Booker T. Washington School was originally completed in 1939 as part of the WPA program and opened its doors in 1940 for the purpose of instructing African American children in grades 1 – 8. The school operated until integration in 1965 and then sat dormant until 2010 when the town of Jonesborough decided to restore the building. Officially opening on November 8, 2013 the McKinney Center is now operated by the town of Jonesborough and offers programming through the Mary B. Martin Program for the Arts created through a generous donation by James C. Martin on behalf of his wife. The arts program is designed to inspire area residents through appreciation for and participation in the various forms of art and expression. The comprehensive arts program offers a variety of educational opportunities for learning, such as, drawing, painting, mosaics, theatre, dance, and music. The program also includes other venues such as the Jonesborough Repertory Theatre and the International Storytelling Center. With an excellent Fine Arts Faculty students receive world-class instruction. The Center is also available as a venue rental. The newly renovated auditorium is perfect for weddings, parties, and special events. The classrooms, equipped with Wi-Fi, are excellent for meetings and small gatherings.

06/08/2026

We're just two weeks away from StoryTown Radio Show: Dear Old Dad featuring Thee Tim Smith of the Tim Smith Band. Get your tickets now at jonesborough.com/tickets

06/05/2026

We have been having a blast at 🎭 Play-In-A-Week 🎭 camp this week!
Want to see what these kids have been working hard to create? Come see their show tomorrow, Saturday, June 6, at Noon! It's incredible what they can do in a week!

06/04/2026

Have you seen the work being done on our windows?
J. Ross Painting & Drywall. have been hard at work the past couple of months restoring our historic windows! We are so thankful for the work on our building and that we're able to keep the historic charm of this building. We are thankful to J. Ross Painting & Drywall and the Tennessee State Preservation Grant for making it possible.

06/03/2026

🎭Play-In-A-Week Camp performance!🎭
Join our campers from Play in a Week Camp on Saturday, June 6th, at Noon, as they premiere their new play! This camp is supported by an Arts Build Community grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission and the Wild Women of Jonesborough.
These campers can't wait to share with you, "The Time Loreley Tried to Watch Television: 17 Short Plays About Trying Again."

06/02/2026

🗣️✨Listening Day!✨🗣️
The McKinney Center and StoryTown Radio Show will be hosting their first “evening edition” of Listening Day on Thursday, June 11th, from 5:30 – 7:30 pm at the Jonesborough Senior Center. “We hope this later time will encourage people who might work or have other obligations during the day to swing by and share their stories after work,” says Program Manager Anne Mason. Area residents are encouraged to come and share stories about farming or growing up on a farm, stories about being a teacher, service stories from the Armed Forces, and memories of your father or a father figure in your life. If any of these topics spark memories, come by the Senior Center that evening to share a story. Other stories are welcome, too. Everyone has a story to tell.
These stories may be used as source material for the monthly StoryTown Radio Show or for the annual community play. To schedule a time during Listening Day, call the McKinney Center at 423-753-0562 to reserve a thirty-minute time slot. You can also call the Senior Center at 423-753-4781 or stop by there in person. Groups and families are also welcome to come and share stories together. If you’re not available that day but would like to share a story, please contact the McKinney Center directly

06/01/2026

🎙📻StoryTown Radio Show!🎙📻🎙
Get your tickets at jonesborough.com/tickets today!
The StoryTown Radio Show will be sharing stories about fathers and father figures on June 22nd at the McKinney Center. From sporting rivalries, to life lessons, and even “dad jokes,” we’ll be celebrating “Dear Old Dad” in a myriad of ways. We’ll also be sharing stories from Jonesborough’s father figures over the years, including Alfred Greenlee. This show will be a great way to cap off the Father’s Day weekend. This show is sponsored by Mauk's of Jonesborough. The music guest is Thee Tim Smith, making his Radio Show debut.
Get your tickets now at jonesborough.com/tickets

05/29/2026

We had a wonderful and educational time at our first-ever workshop partnership with the Heritage Alliance! We learned how weavings were made in the past and then got to make our own. Keep an eye out for more of these workshops in the future!

05/28/2026

We had a great night last Thursday, celebrating the work of our Coalition For Kids, Inc. art class, which we were able to host this Spring! Great work, everyone!

05/27/2026

Join The Jackson Theatre and the McKinney Center for a series of programs celebrating local history and America’s 250th birthday. Tales of Our 250th includes skits, historians, re-enactors, musicians, and much more in a tapestry of Jonesborough stories and community history. These events will run from June to October and start at 7:00 pm at The Jackson Theatre, located at 121 W. Main Street in downtown Jonesborough. They are Pay What You Can, but go ahead and reserve your seats at thejacksontheatre.com.

Each evening will include a scene or scenes from the original play "The First and Last Town in Tennessee", written by Anne G’Fellers-Mason, which premiered earlier this year at the McKinney Center and was featured in The New York Times. Join Jonesborough historian Paul Fink, portrayed by Tim Herron, as he walks you through the big and small moments that make Jonesborough an important part of the American story.
● June 25th – Historic Preservation in Jonesborough with Dr. William Kennedy and a performance by The Ozone Rangers

● July 23rd – Revolutionary War History featuring re-enactors from Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park and a performance by the Watauga Valley Fife and Drum Corps

● August 20th – African American History in Jonesborough with a special performance of the original play Nancy presented by the Heritage Alliance - Student program at 10:00 am

● September 24th – The Lost State of Franklin with a presentation by Dr. William Hardy from MTSU and the stories behind the Battle of the State of Franklin with Tipton-Haynes State Historic Site

● October 22nd – Civil War History in Northeast TN with Dr. Tom Lee from ETSU and a performance by the 52nd Regimental String Band. - Student program at 10:00 am

This programming is supported in part by the Tennessee Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial and the Historic Jonesborough Arts Foundation.

05/26/2026

✨CALL FOR PROPOSALS!✨
Deadline - June 20th!
mckinneycenter.com/art-wraps
OPPORTUNITY and PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The Town of Jonesborough’s McKinney Center invites proposals from regional artists, art teams and community organizations, for the opportunity to provide artwork to be displayed on the traffic control box at the corner of 11E and Boone Street. This control box is in the area of Cook Out.
Artists may submit up to three designs. Given the significant placement of this control box the artwork must provide motorists and guests with the first impression of Jonesborough and must visually represent Jonesborough, its history and culture. Content must be appropriate for all audiences. Artwork must be designed to fit within specific dimensions for the control box to ensure that the image is not distorted or off-center. The artwork may be designed of any size if it is proportionally suited to the traffic box. After the proposed design is selected and finalized, the artist will upload/scan/photograph their work as specified below and send it to the McKinney Center. Design will be printed on durable, vinyl wraps and installed on the specified control box. The McKinney Center will oversee the processing and installation of the wrap. Following the proposal selection, the selected artist will be allotted one week to finalize the design if they have not already done so. Priority will be given to regional artists.
A local fabricator will provide a template and measurements for the artist to use as a guide. Artwork must be properly sized to ensure a high-quality final product.

Address

103 Franklin Avenue
Jonesborough, TN
37659

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm

Telephone

(423) 753-0562

Website

http://mckinneycenter.com/

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