Marshall County Courthouse - Lewisburg, TN

The present Colonial Revival style courthouse was completed in 1929. This was the third to occupy this location in Lewisburg, TN. The first was built in 1838 an then burned in 1873. The second was completed in 1874 and burned in 1927. This courthouse was designed by the Nashville firm of Hart, Freeland and Roberts, and the same firm renovated and modernized the building in 1974.

Marshall County is named after Supreme Court Cheif Justice John Marshall.

Tennessee's 2010 Christmas Tree at the State Capitol

The 2010 Tennessee Christmas Tree is located in front of what I consider the main entrance of the State Capitol in downtown Nashville. This is the side that faces Charlotte Ave and Legislative Plaza. I suppose the 2011 tree will be unveiled any day now.

The Giant Knight of Cave City

This roadside attraction large metal giant knight has been along the road to the entrance of Mammoth Cave for many decades. Today, the people that own it are at Debbie's Rock & Gift Shop, but the business that's located there has changed hands several times over the years. How would you like to have your picture taken with a 15 foot tall knight in not-so-shing armor? I suppose since it's not made of fiberglass, it's made to last. They also have a 15 foot tall totem pole, in case that's your preference.

Biggest toes in Nashville

This is the Athena statue inside the Parthenon at Centennial Park. Alan LeQuire was the sculptor who designed Athena with the task to make her look just like the original at the original Parthenon in Greece.

Athena is 42 feet tall. To use easy math, think of a person who is 6 feet tall. Athena is 7 times as big as a person who is six feet tall, and that would make these toes 7 times as big as an average persons toes.

Pointing to Ruby Falls and ROCK CITY

This isn't just any billboard for Rock City, Ruby Falls and the Incline Railway. Instead, it's a guide for anyone travelling eastbound on Interstate 24 looking for the popular Lookout Mountain tourist attractions who followed the billboards to get off at exit 178.

People who want to go south on Broad St (US 11/41/64/72) are at the old Spagetti Junction and end up dumped on Williams Street, and then make a left on the one way 25th St. It's then a block away from Broad St. and this large billboard in the back of a KFC parking lot.

Toys. Lots of toys.

Today is Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year. Every year, my brother gets up early in the morning to be the first person in line at whatever store has the best deal, and plans his day accordingly. I instead choose to sleep in, and then leave home in the mid afternoon. When I go out I usually go shopping at thrift stores. While I do most of my shopping online these days, I like to look for knick-knacks, stocking stuffers, throw-ins and the occasional ugly tie as a gag gift when I go to these places.

Several years ago, I went to one of the largest thrift stores I'd ever been to. It was in Chattanooga along the Lee Highway. There seems to be a never-ending supply of toys here. As it turns out, the laws have changed slightly so that you might not see this many used toys out in the open like you used to, and then if you do purchase something, you may want to give it a good wipedown for germs sake.

Happy Thanksgiving!

If there's one fair contest that reminds me of Thanksgiving, it's the "cornucopia design" contest. A traditional cornucopia has the look of an ornamental container, usually shaped like an over-sized animal horn, overflowing of fruits and vegetables. Those ingredients can make large meals on days like today.

Hopefully, you have the day off and you don't have to fill your briefcase full of vegetables, like this cornucopia design shown here. This was entered at the Lincoln County Fair in 2010.

Mayfield Ice Cream faded wall ad - Harriman, TN

Mayfield's Jerysey Maid Ice Cream. This appears to be painted on top of an older, even more faded wall ad. This is along a side street and visible along northbound traffic along US27, Main St. in Harriman, TN. I wonder if the street was raised at some point - see the arched window along the sidewalk on the left?

Orme, TN Train Depot

There's no reason imaginable that anyone would want to see Orme unless you like looking for old train stations. To get to here, I started in South Pittsburg, TN and followed highway 156 as it winded up the mountain. From there, I turned onto Orme Mountain Rd. which was a gravel road that winded down the mountain. I later learned that if I drove from the other way, it's flat the entire drive and passes by Russell Cave in Alabama.

The tracks are long gone and it looks as someone has turned this station which probably looked very nice in it's day into a personal residence.

At one time, Orme was a huge coal mining town and had a population of thousands, but the 2000 census reports 124 in the city today. In 1902, the Sequatchie Valley Railroad built this depot and a 10 mile branch, known as the Orme Branch. The spur was completed in 1904 and connected Orme to Bridgeport, which was a major railroad hub. The tracks were removed in 1942.

Old Kentucky Home Motel - Bardstown, KY

Bardstown is home to "My Old Kentucky Home" and this well maintained Motel is a couple of miles away on W. Stephen Foster Ave. (US 62)

Although, it is really wise for a motel to have "old" in the title?

Uncle Sam's Loan Office neon sign

This great neon sign is located in Bristol along the Tennessee side of State St. through the heart of town. For such a relatively small town, Bristol has numerous old signs all throughout the middle of town.

Several people, both Democrat and Republican have suggested this sign makes for a good allegory to the country's economic condition

NC&StL Train, Centennial Park, Nashville

This is the NC&StL train that has been on display for many years at Centennial Park in Nashville, Tennessee. This train is here to commemorate the 107 years of service by the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway. When I was a child, instead of a protective shed, was surrounded by a chain-link fence, which never seemed to be open when I was there. If it was unlocked, guests could walk up stairs and go inside.

Tough to see Rock City Barn near Adairsville, GA

This Rock City barn goes way back on a highway that goes way back...

This is on an old but still drivable strech of the Dixie Highway, which later became US41. When traffic demands became higher, a newer Joe Frank Harris Pkwy was made parallel to the old Dixie Highway, but the stretch of Dixie Highway is still drivable.

As for the barn, it's tough to tell exactly how many decades ago this was painted, but it must have been a long time ago. Perhaps the only reason any of the letters on the side of the barn survived is because the barn owner added the extension to the barn, keeping the paint from the elements. If you look at the barn from the side, you can see the word Beautiful in script and then a large block ROCK CITY. Also, if you look closely at the roof of the barn, I can tell that it used to have part of the message too (The paint colors cause different shades of rust) but It is unreadable now.

This is located just north of Adairsville, GA in Bartow County about 1000 feet south of the Gordon County line.

Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge - Nashville, TN

This is the bridge which was originally known as the Gateway Bridge, which opened in Nashville in 2004 and crosses the Cumberland River close to downtown. This is also Nashville's first arch bridge. It carries the vehicular traffic which used to cross at the Shelby St. Bridge. According to the Plan of Nashville book which came out a few years ago, Gateway Blvd. will one day presumably be the best entrance into the city.

President James K. Polk Tomb

This is the tomb of James Knox Polk, the 11th president of the United States, and his wife Sarah Childress Polk. He dies in 1849, and was buried in this tomb in 1850. However, at the time, this was on his residence, Polk Place, but in 1909, was moved to the grounds of the Tennessee State Capitol hill. Polk Place was then torn down and the area became a YWCA. When the tomb was first built, old photos show the black description at the top with "10th" before the word "President."

NEWS: The World's Largest Cedar Bucket returns

The original World's Largest Cedar Bucket was built in 1887 as a promotion by the Tennessee Red Cedar Woodenworks Company in Murfreesboro, TN. Eventually, the bucket went many places, like the 1893 Chicago World's Fair and the 1904 St. Louis Worlds Fair. The company burned down in 1952 and a local market bought it for display for over a decade, until it was purchased by a Rossville, GA amusement park for another decade. In 1976, the town of Murfreesboro thought the bucket should come home and it became the centerpiece at the local park Cannonsburgh Village. The bucket had always been prominent in Murfreesboro's history and some even remember the nickname "Bucket town." Sadly, in 2005 someone thought it would be fun to set fire to the bucket leaving the charred, fragile remains.

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the new rebuilt World's Largest Cedar Bucket was brought back to the Village on Oct. 22, 2011. Ever since the original was burnt, the local Rutherford County Blacksmiths' Association were dedicated to rebuilding it. It took a little longer than expected to try to find Red Cedar that was the right hue, free of knots and could be cut into large enough planks. The new bucket was built to similar dimensions as the old bucket: 6 feet tall, 6 feet wide at the base up to 7 1/2 at the top, able to hold 1566 gallons. Now, it's kept locked behind a fence.

For the full story:
www.dnj.com/article/20111023/NEWS01/110230319/World-s-new...

Shepard's Inn - Dandridge, TN

All three of Tennessee's Presidents, Jackson, Polk and Johnson, stayed at this popular resting and eating spot for stagecoach travelers. Originally, it was built as a two story log home in 1814. Shadrach Inman added the frame exterior in ca. 1823. There are stepping blocks for ladies located in the front. Today, it's on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Dandridge Historic District.

Southern Terminal - Knoxville

This view was taken from the 2006 Gay St. Viaduct. There are 11 tracks here at its widest point.

Southern Railway was formed in the 1890s at the merging of two railroad companies. In 1902, Southern hired architect Frank Pierce Milburn to design new train stations at several of their major terminals. Two years later, the Southern Terminal opened in Knoxville. Many warehouses and factories surrounded this area because of its important shipping routes.

The station looks today much the same as it did in 1904, except a large clock tower was removed in 1945 wen deemed structurally unsafe. The last passenger train came through in 1970. Today, the building is on the National Register of Historic Places as the integral part of The Southern Terminal and Warehouse District, an area which is today known as Old City.

This passenger station and the freight depot next door are designed in a similar style with Classical Revival influence. Most notable is the corbel-stepped gabled roof.

Trousdale Place - Gallatin, TN

The following information was taken from the Trousdale Place website when they had a website. (If they have one now, I couldn't find it.)

Trousdale Place is a handsome old two-story brick house serenely shaded by large trees and has been proudly placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

It is located two city blocks west of the Gallatin, Tennessee Public Square. This historic home was built circa 1813 by John H. Bowen, a local attorney and member of Congress. Bowen died in 1822, and the house was later acquired by Governor William Trousdale. The city of Gallatin was developed on part of the original North Carolina land grant #1 awarded to James Trousdale, Governor Trousdale’s father, for his service in the Revolutionary War. In 1812, lots were sold for the construction of the jail, courthouse and other Gallatin city buildings.

In 1899, Annie Berry Trousdale, daughter-in-law of William Trousdale, deeded the home to the Clark Chapter #13 of the United Daughters of the Confederacy to honor all veterans and in particular, veterans of the Confederacy. Then the mansion became known as The Trousdale Place

U.S. Highway 11

Today is 11/11/11 and I figured the best way to celebrate on the blog is by posting about U.S. Highway 11.



11 runs from New Orleans to New York State. While it doesn't run through Middle Tennessee, it comes close and I have driven along the route several times. From the south, on the west side of Chattanooga, it meets up with highways US41 from Nashville, US64 from Memphis and US74 from Huntsville to be part of the Cummins Highway.



On the north side of Chattanooga, along with US64, US11 follows the path of the old Lee Highway to Cleveland. When US64 heads toward the Ocoee, 11 continues north through Athens, Sweetwater, Loudon and Lenoir City until it reaches the historic crossroads called Dixie Lee Junction, where it intersects with US70 from Nashville. Both highways pass through Knoxville, where on the other side it splits into 11E and 11W.



11E runs through Jefferson City, Morristown, Greeneville, Jonesborough and Johnson City. 11W passes through Rutledge, Bean Station, Rogersville, Surgionsville, Church Hill, and Kingsport along the Lee Highway route, Both routes come back together at Bristol.

The US Highways that are two digits, odd numbered and end in a 1 are the primary North-South highways across America. I personally have driven from Gadsden, Al to Roanoke, VA. If you like old highways, there's plenty to see.

if you like Rock City barns, there are several on either side of Chattanooga.



If you visit Sequoyah Caverns, when you leave, this barn gives you you're Highway 11 choice: Do you want to go to the Big Apple or Big Easy?



In Cleveland, if you're heading south on the old US11 route into the heart of town, there's this Civil War statue in the middle of the road to split the north and southbound lanes:



Like neon signs? All of these are in Tennessee, except for the Robert E Lee Motel which is north of Bristol.



Finally, just outside of Bristol is this old Roadside Attraction along US11W, the world's largest guitar.

Cannon County Courthouse - Woodbury, TN

Woodbury is one of those small towns that's close to where I live, so I pass through often. There's been a change since my last visit here: All the big trees have been removed and replaced with small trees. While I like a nice tree, they do get in the way if you are concentrating on the building behind it. Also new is the addition of nice benched, decorative fencing, and a main sidewalk of concrete and brick pattern.

This courthouse was completed in 1936, and in my opinion is one of the nicest great depression era courthouses. Designed in a Neo-classical style of brick on a stone foundation, the courthouse features two story stone pilasters and corner quoins on the barely taller central section. The gable roof is topped by a tall clock tower. The courthouse replaced an 1838 courthouse, which burned down in 1934 and was also located at the center of the town square.

TN State Capitol & Jackson Statue at night

Along Capitol Hill in Downtown Nashville, at night the Tennessee State Capitol is illuminated with Yellowish lights, while the base of the Jackson Statue is given a greenish appearance.

The Capitol was built in a Greek Revival design by Philadelphia architect William Strickland and completed in 1859.

The Jackson Statue was designed by sculptor Clark Mills and placed in 1880 with duplicates in DC and New Orleans.

Newport's miniature village

I have no info about who made this or really what it is. It's a little miniature village made of pebbles inside of Newport City Park. Someone went to a lot of effort to make it.

Donoho Hotel Neon Sign

The Donoho Hotel is one of three old-fashioned resort hotels in Red Boiling Springs, TN. It is the only one with an old crusty neon sign.

Ruby Falls / Broad St. Machine Co.

Experience Breathtaking Ruby Falls

Broad Street Machine Co. Inc
Manufacturers of Tufting Machines.

two murals, one building - Broad Street in the gritty south of downtown area of Chattanooga. Apparently, this building is the Broad Street Machine company and they look to still be in business. I believe this is also the first time I've come across the word Tufting.

Shelby Reinhart Bridge

Built in 1981, the Shelby Reinhart Bridge is used to carry highway TN156 across the Tennessee River to connect the towns of South Pittsburg and New Hope in Marion County, Tennessee. Before the bridge, there was a ferry just a few thousand feet south of here.

The big blue bridge is a metal through arch bridge and is 1,514 ft. long.

This view was taken from a now hard-to-find "Old Jasper Road" which leads out of town.

Allandale Mansion - Kingsport, TN

The Allandale Mansion was the dream home of Ruth and Harvey Brooks. The mansion's distinctive portico has caused the mansion to be nicknamed "The White House of Kingsport." The mansion was built in 1953 and from the 500 acre property the Brooks raised Black Angus cows and Tennessee Walking Horses. In their will, they deeded the mansion to the city of Kingsport so that it could be used by the community.

The mansion is designed in a Georgian architecture style. There are four chimneys, formal fireplaces in each main room, and a hipped roof. A grand wooden curved staircase is the main feature in the foyer.

The Barn is located along US 11W (the old Lee Highway) in Kingsport, where the city extends into Hawkins County.

Hickerson Hotel - Charlotte, TN

built ca. 1856 and located in Charlotte's town square. Today it is part of the Charlotte Courthouse Square Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places.

Commerce St. Pedestrian Bridge - Clarksville

A segment of the Cumberland Riverwalk takes advantage of an old abandoned train bridge over Commerce Street. Old passenger and freight depots are just up the street and now used as government offices

I haven't spent as much time in Clarksville as I'd like, but I'm wanting to go back. There seemed to be a few of these old bridges just south of the center of town that I would like to examine when I have more time.

Erin, TN Caboose and Boxcar

The city of Erin was initially inhabited by Irish laborers working to contruct the railroad and the city has remembered its Irish heritage. When the railroad completely pulled out, the town decided to constuct a park in the heart of town where the tracks used to be. This park is Betsy Ligon Park.

Among the things you can see in the park are a blue L&N Boxcar and Red L&N Caboose (both seen here) and a picnic pavilion made to look like a train depot, and Doc the Leprechaun.