Celebrating America 250: The Tennessee State Library & Archives Launches Updated “Patriot Paths” Resource Highlighting Revolutionary War Veterans Who Settled in Tennessee

July 2, 2026

CONTACT:
Ben Hill
615.253.1811
Ben.Hill@tnsos.gov

NASHVILLE, Tenn – The Tennessee State Library & Archives has unveiled an upgraded website – Patriot Paths: Mapping Tennessee’s American Revolution Pension Applications. Patriot Paths is an interactive digital resource developed by the Tennessee State Library & Archives (TSLA) to trace the journeys of Revolutionary War veterans who migrated to Tennessee after the war.

Using geographic information drawn from Revolutionary War pension applications submitted between 1818 and 1836, the site maps the migration patterns of more than 2,200 veterans who later settled in Tennessee. These records often contain detailed personal accounts from veterans describing their military service, places of residence, and the routes they traveled as they moved westward following the war.

By combining these historical records with modern geographic information systems (GIS) technology, Patriot Paths visually reconstructs the movement of these veterans from the communities they left behind in the original colonies and other early American settlements to the places where they eventually established new lives on Tennessee’s frontier.

Locations featured in the project were extracted from pension application files housed at the National Archives and supplemented with information from other historical sources. The resulting interactive maps allow users to explore how Revolutionary War veterans moved across the early United States and contributed to the settlement and development of Tennessee.

“Patriot Paths offers Tennesseans a powerful way to explore our state’s Revolutionary War history,” said Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett. “As our nation celebrates the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, this project helps illuminate the lives of the men who fought for independence and later helped build communities across Tennessee.”

The site builds upon the original Patriot Paths website that was made available in 2019. The updated version incorporates a modern platform with improved navigation, enhanced research tools, including a brand-new story map illustrating one patriot’s journey, and full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), making the site more accessible and user- friendly for researchers, educators, and the public.

The project was developed through a collaboration between the Tennessee State Library & Archives, the State of Tennessee’s Geographic Information Systems Services, and a grant made possible through the Tennessee Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial. The updated site includes several new user-friendly features designed to help researchers better visualize migration patterns and explore the historical context surrounding these veterans’ lives.

Patriot Paths also supports Tennessee’s broader efforts to commemorate the upcoming America250 anniversary, marking the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026.

To explore the updated Patriot Paths resource and learn more about the veterans who helped shape Tennessee’s early history, visit Patriot Paths HERE.

About the Tennessee State Library & Archives

The Library & Archives is located at 1001 Rep. John Lewis Way North on the northeast corner of Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, across from the Tennessee State Museum. Parking is available for guests in the Library & Archives garage on Junior Gilliam Way. The Library & Archives is open for research from Tuesday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT. The interactive exhibit lobby is open to the public Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT.

For more information, visit: Plan Your Visit | Tennessee Secretary of State (tn.gov), call 615- 741-2764, or email ask@tsla.libanswers.com.

###