Bowl-O-Rena neon sign - Dickson, TN

Bowl-O-Rena, a beloved family entertainment venue in Dickson, Tennessee, has been a staple of local leisure since its establishment in 1980 as one of the area's premier bowling centers, located at 726 E. College St. in the heart of this historic community founded in 1803 and known for its early iron industry roots. Operating as Bowl-O-Rena Inc., it features multiple lanes for open bowling, leagues, and tournaments—including hosting high school events like the 2024 Division I Region Bowling Tournaments—alongside a snack bar serving popular local favorites that has passed routine health inspections as recently as March 2024. Over its 45 years in business, the alley has cultivated a reputation for its welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere, with friendly staff and no-tap games on Friday nights drawing bowlers of all ages, though some visitors note its traditional, older-school vibe compared to newer competitors in Dickson. As a community hub, it continues to thrive, offering affordable fun and fostering social connections in a town rich with Tennessee heritage.

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Sevier County Courthouse (Northwest Corner 2015) - Sevierville, TN

The Sevier County Courthouse was completed on November 10, 1895 with Kenneth McDonald as the supervising architect. This is the fifth courthouse for Sevier County and was built for a little over $22,000. Limestone came from a nearby quarry and Isaac Dockery, a notable African American brick mason in Sevierville, manufactured the bricks. The centerpiece of the courthouse is the Seth Thomas clock which is located in the 130ft tall tower. This clock cost more than $1,300 and is still in flawless operation today. Several finishing touches were made over the next several months and the first court was held on October 5, 1896.

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Hebron Presbyterian Church - Jefferson County, TN

This church was founded in 1874 amid a contentious split from the Mt. Horeb Presbyterian Church, which had been established in 1851, with the new congregation purchasing the church building for $200. The two groups frequently clashed, leading to multiple name changes for the new church and a decline in membership that resulted in its closure, though they eventually reconciled and reunited with the original Mt. Horeb congregation. In 1986, a private investor acquired the white board frame building, initiating extensive repairs, and it is now celebrated as the Hebron Presbyterian Church, renowned for its stunning arched windows and shutters, making it one of the most beautiful churches in the county.

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Greyhound Bus Station - Dyersburg, TN

Dyersburg's Greyhound Bus Station is on the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing structure to the Dyersburg Courthouse Square Historic District. (Note in 1991, it was a Dominos Pizza, but today is known as Bus Stop Dyersburg. The Bus Stop sign is not vintage.) Here is the text of that listing:

24. 304 West Court Street. Greyhound Bus Station (Domino's Pizza) ca. 1938. Art Deco. One-story brick building with a stone foundation. Facade is dominated by a vertical spire on a series of gradually stacked horizontal platforms over a double-leaf glass door. The spire, doors, and a pair of triple disk motif elements are extended in brick from the remainder of the building. Each side of the building is flanked with a flat sheet metal awning. Parking lot once served as the driveway for busses, and thus connects the property with the district. (C)

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Austin Peay Mural - Clarksville, TN

This is located at the back of the parking lot for the school's bookstore along College St.

Elements of this mural:

A megaphone with their chant "Let's Go Peay!"

Browning Administration Building

A mother and child next to a doctor.

Their Governors mascot

A Fort Campbell Soldier

Behind the soldier is the railroad bridge over the Cumberland River.

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Hines Dam - Tracy City

Hines Pond is a nearly forgotten scenic spot in Tracy City, TN. It's located along highway US41 on the west side of town, and there's a small paved parking lot and a picnic table. The stream becomes Big Fiery Gizzard Creek and eventually becomes some of the best waterfalls in the Cumberland Plateau.

To see more of the area, check my video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgNslQRah18

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JT's Flag Barn

There's a facebook page for this barn where the flag was painted for the background of a 2013 Country Music Video.

www.facebook.com/groups/132351087316009/

The barn is located along Spencer Mill Rd. in southern Dickson County, TN.

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Minnie Pearl Made Out of Chicken Wire

I believe this is an amazing piece of Southern country culture. Ifrst, it's part of the legacy of how the town of Centerville has honored the local legacy. But it's also from a local artist using a rare art form and it appears in a quaint location.

The story begins with this statue from 2005: flic.kr/p/h243t

Unhappy with the way city leaders treated the town square traffic leading to the statue, it was moved several times. The city fixed town square traffic and in 2016 then commissioned this chicken wire statue to placed in the same spot as the first.

Recently, a more traditional statue was placed on the square: flic.kr/p/2pvxXxq

The Chicken wire statue needed a new home. A local garden club had the perfect spot. On the east side of town where highway 100/48 cross the Duck River, there's an intersection with the old highway runs between a rock bluff and the river. At that intersection is the Centerville Bluff Garden and this art has been moved to a natural ledge halfway up the bluff.

Map: www.google.com/maps/@35.7851792,-87.4571496,3a,75y,354.66...

The Artist is Ricky Pittman. He intended to make more or Pearl, but the project was unfunded. However, he was commissioned to make a Dolly Parton out of Chicken Wire for the Graduate Hotel in Nashville. He has a website here: egrapevinestore.com/blog/

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Tims Ford Dam & Spillway

Tims Ford Dam was built by the TVA from 1966 to 1970, stands 175 feet high and 1580 feet long at its crest, and impounds the Elk River for an average of 36 megawatts of hydroelectric power. The reservoir has a flood storage capacity of 219,600 acre-feet.

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Pink Elephant with Martini Glass

Seen in Cross Plains, TN at Exit 112 Antique Mall.

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