Cherokee hunting grounds
Local history described on the ranch's existing site places the land within an area once used as Cherokee hunting grounds, with an oral tradition of a sacred ceremony near what later became known as Swan Pond.
Established 2012
Our ranch story.
A working horse farm, a place to learn and ride, and a piece of East Tennessee land with stories that reach back long before JSA Ranch.
Family-run in Knoxville
Fun today and growth for the future.
JSA Ranch opened in 2012 as a local family-run horse farm. Today the ranch offers training, guided trail rides, lessons, camps, special activities and vacation rentals.
The goal has stayed simple: make the most of the outdoors, share the ranch with families and visitors, and create experiences that feel personal rather than packaged.
Plan a Visit1786 — Swan Pond
Colonel Francis Alexander Ramsey acquired a game-rich, beaver-dammed wetland known as Swan Pond. More than 100 acres of the original farmland are preserved in the broader historic landscape today.
The Ramsey family
Francis Ramsey was a surveyor, early Knox County settler, court clerk, and founding trustee of what became the University of Tennessee. The property later passed to his son, William B. A. Ramsey.
William B. A. Ramsey
William Ramsey became Knoxville's first popularly elected mayor, published the Knoxville Register, served as Tennessee secretary of state, and used the property where JSA Ranch sits today to breed horses.
Civil War traces
The current ranch history notes findings of Civil War bullets and tent stakes near the old wagon road, suggesting troops may once have camped on the property.
2012 — JSA Ranch
The modern chapter began when JSA Ranch opened, bringing horses, lessons, riding experiences, camps and guests back into daily life on the property.
Come see it for yourself
A ranch feels different when you experience it from the saddle.
Schedule a ride, book a lesson, or stay on the property and make JSA Ranch part of your next East Tennessee trip.
Explore Experiences