Oldest Town in the Forgotten State of Franklin

Eastbound and headed for the Smokey Mountains we left Nashville on a bright summer morning. Interstate Forty runs back up onto the Cumberland plateau.

Cookeville, home of the pink elephant has a small  district of shops. Antiques, coffee and ice cream shops exist in the original footprint of the town. The Tennessee Central Railroad ceased passenger operations through the town. The Cookeville train station is now a restored museum complete with one of the old locomotives and a couple of passenger cars.

Jonesborough, the Storytelling Capital is the oldest town in the state of Tennessee.  On this early summer evening preparations were underway for the weekly Music in the Square.

Having driven over from Nashville the timing was perfect to take a stroll down a wooded path that lead from the hotel to the town square. Twenty five miles from the Interstate highway this little town is not yet 'built out' and flanked by every big box retailer known to man. There seems to be a practical amount of new commercial development on the edges of town.

The downtown streets are un-molested and appear to have been frozen in time.

There is nothing in the downtown area that doesn't seem to belong there. The town square was closed off to cars. The main street in front of the Cumberland County Courthouse was radiating with folks riding folding chairs of every description.

After the first couple of songs the four piece ensemble reluctantly paused. Event coordinator 'Jim' took the stage and welcomed the crowd. Kids were gyrating with the municipal hula-hoops. Ice cream cones and hot dogs were being hoovered as 'Jim' cordially invited the crowd to enjoy the show. Support the musicians, and have a great evening.

'Jim' reminded the enthusiastic crowd that the band will play until nine o'clock. When the music is over he told everyone that "You don't have to go home after the music, but you can't stay here!" 
Sure enough, the sidewalks were empty by nine-fifteen and the street was asleep.

In the bright sunshine of the morning the town square transformed into a farmer's market. This walk about led us to the only venue to purchase a frosty beverage. There is a tucked away craft brew house just a mile of so out of town.




















As we prepared to leave the mountains in our rear view mirror a voice from the King of the Wild Frontier was heard in the hollows and hills just south of Jonesborough. Sure enough the Davie Crockett birthplace is sitting next to a creek, now a state park.

The drive to Nags Head is a scenic adventure on good state highways over the Smokey Mountains and out across the low land of eastern North Carolina. The drive took most of the day and we arrived in time to check out the beach and have early bird special at a local bay front restaurant.