Small Towns of Tennessee

Cory Plowman

Instagram: @cplowmanphotog

coryplowmanphotography.com

Every state has an abundance of little towns, and Tennessee is no exception. More recently, I’ve begun to venture out and explore more of the small towns within two hours of my home. Over the years, I’ve visited a handful of towns, and once I started to research more, I didn’t expect the list to be so long. I have already visited over 15, and I have at least 12 more to go. Some were so tiny, all they had was a post office, while others had only a few abandoned buildings. 

The ones with a historical district and a town square truly caught my attention. I adore discovering colors, consequential structures, and places that tell a story. After editing my images, I occasionally looked up more information about particular buildings, such as when they were built and what they were used for.

I would go straight to the city square (if there was one), find a parking spot, and start exploring. The square was home to many interesting buildings, but I would also explore the side streets to see what else I could discover. Once I finished walking around the historic areas, I would look for other unique spots around. Finding old, distinctive theaters or gas stations was a plus; they were some of my favorites. 

Petersburg is perhaps one of my favorite towns. Despite its small size, the buildings and the day’s light brought out the colors. They had an old red firehouse and a modest yellow post office. Fayetteville is another spot that is high on my list of favorites. You can find the old Lincoln movie theater there. These towns and others I have traveled to are full of old brick buildings, aged churches, and multiple murals. Each one is unique in its way for that town. 

Both Linden and Pulaski featured vintage gas stations with colorful character. It was an even better day for photos because one of the stations had several vintage automobiles out front.

Traveling to Lebanon, which is about one hour away, was worthwhile. The square is crowded with eateries, shops, and establishments, and is bigger than others I have visited thus far. Additionally, you can travel back in time while exploring the Fiddlers Grove Historic Village, less than ten minutes from the square. It is situated on the city’s fairgrounds with more than 60 buildings and museums. A few of them even date back to the late 1800s. 

Every town I’ve been through has left a lasting impression on me, despite the sheer number of them. Centerville featured a notable department store on the square. Cowan has an old vintage gas station, Watertown has a drive-in theater, Shelbyville has a retro popcorn stand, and Winchester has a cool old theater. The list could go on. 

Discovering these hidden treasures around me has taught me that we should all take the time to explore the areas where we live. We may discover locations we never knew existed and ones we would like to return to.