Exploring the “Walking Tall Trail” in West Tennessee will take visitors on a journey that explores the lore of a sheriff, a railroad legend and rockabilly roots, as well as a stop at a small shop where a 100-year old tradition of hand-made broom work is continuing. This tour will provide a look at the unique history and larger-than-life legends of this area of Tennessee.
Start off with a stop in Selmer to see brooms being made the old-fashioned way. The Hockaday Handmade Brooms family business was established in 1916. Jack Martin continues the family tradition and was chosen as one of the top 12 folk artists in the nation to perform at the 1996 Olympics, as well as having his brooms sold in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. He uses the original equipment in making the Shaker-style brooms. Jack travels around the country sharing his folk art and enjoys telling visitors to his shop about the history of broom-making.
For more information, go to www.hhbrooms.com.
Next head over to the Buford Pusser Museum in Adamsville where you can walk in the footsteps of iconic Sheriff Buford Pusser, subject of “Walking Tall” films. Buford was sheriff of McNairy County from 1964 to 1970 and led a one-man war on gambling and other vices on the Mississippi-Tennessee border.
Visitors can walk through his home and look through items from Buford’s life, as well as from the movies that he inspired. While his daughter sold the home to the state, she has remained a vital part of the museum and often stops by.
For more information, go to www.bufordpussermuseum.com.
The next stop is in Jackson where you can trace the history of rockabilly at the International Rockabilly Hall of Fame which preserves and promotes rockabilly. Life-size portraits of Hall of Fame inductees Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Brenda Lee and others are featured in the museum, as well as mementoes from the artists.
Henry Harrison leads personal guided tours of the museum. He produced shows of Johnny Cash, the Statler Brothers, Hank Williams Jr., the Charlie Daniels Band, Tammy Wynette, Willie Nelson, Wayland Jennings and many other artists in Jackson, Tenn.
Since he knew so many of the artists personally, he provide an intimate glimpse into their musical history.
For more information, go to www.rockabillyhall.org.
While in Jackson, stop off for lunch at Royal Reds for some wonderful Southern cooking, including ribs, catfish and turnip greens. The ribs were some of the best I’ve had.
During your visit to the area, make sure to head to Pinson Mounds State Archaeological Park to view the prehistoric mounds of the Woodland Indians. Pinson Mounds is one of two state archaeological parks set aside to protect the prehistoric remains found there.
Your tour should include some time at the Brooks Shaw’s Old Country Store in the Casey Jones Village, preferably around meal time. The wonderful Southern buffet includes fried chicken, catfish, turnip greens, sweet potatoes, hobo stew and cracklin’ cornbread.
Our visit included listening to the sounds of bluegrass music throughout the village as small groups joined together to play, a tour of the Casey Jones home and museum and some time with a few Civil War re-enactors who fired a canon.
For more information, go to www.caseyjones.com.
During our stay to this area of West Tennessee, we stayed at Signature Boutique, which is centrally located to all of the attractions. It’s a comfortable, cozy place to stay and a continental breakfast is included. For more information, go to www.SignatureBoutiqueHotel.com.
The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development has a wonderful website, www.tnvacation, that is a great help when planning a trip to the state. It has suggestions for pre-planned trips, such as the “Walking Tall Trail.” If you are going to be in an area of the state, you can check out the preplanned trips and suggested activities for that area. You will discover some wonderful adventures that you might not otherwise find.
Angela Gary is an editor with MainStreet Newspapers Inc. She can be reached at AngieEditor@aol.com.
