Tennessee Historical Commission

Headquartered in Nashville, it is an independent state agency, administratively attached to the Department of Environment and Conservation.

Its mission is to protect, preserve, interpret, maintain, and administer historic places; to encourage the inclusive diverse study of Tennessee's history for the benefit of future generations; to mark important locations, persons, and events in Tennessee history; to assist in worthy publication projects; to review, comment on and identify projects that will potentially impact historic properties; to locate, identify, record, and nominate to the National Register of Historic Places all properties which meet National Register criteria, and to implement other programs of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 as amended.

After a decade of inactivity following the death of its first Chairman John Trotwood Moore in 1929, it was re-energized in 1940 by Governor Prentice Cooper.

Since 1994 the Commission's offices have been located in Clover Bottom Mansion, an 1850s-era National Register-listed Italianate-style house in the Donelson area of Nashville, Tennessee.

The historic outbuildings, including two former c. 1858 two slave cabins, a c. 1850s carriage house, and an 1890s horse barn were restored in 2015-16.

The grounds are open to the public during daylight hours, but there are currently no tours of the house (which does not contain period furnishings or exhibits.)

For many years, the Director of the Tennessee State Library and Archives was also by virtue of the position the Chairman of the Commission.

Herbert L. Harper joined the staff of the Commission in 1969 as Field Services Representative and served from 1975 to 2006 as the executive director.

Four sites are in Castalian Springs, a small Sumner County community that has been referred to as the "Cradle of Tennessee History" for its importance.