American Temperance University

Temperance Hall, the main structure, displays architectural features typical of late 19th-century educational buildings in Tennessee. Today it serves as the municipal office building for the city of Harriman.

The institution was founded in 1890 as a center for education and the temperance cause. It permanently closed in 1908 as national support for the movement declined.

The building was part of a movement that linked education with opposition to alcohol consumption during a reform era. Visitors can still sense how this cause shaped the purpose and character of the place.

The building is accessible from outside as it now houses city government offices and is easy to view from the street. Keep in mind it is an active municipal building, so interior access may be limited.

Two former students went on to become members of the United States House of Representatives, showing how influential its graduates became. John Jennings Jr. and James Willis Taylor exemplify the quality of education provided there.

Location: Harriman

Inception: 1890

Part of: Cornstalk Heights

Address: Roane and Walden Streets

GPS coordinates: 35.93389,-84.55194

Latest update: December 14, 2025 09:40