Exploring East Tennessee : Anderson County perfect destination for families

LAKE CITY

Our headquarters for our four-day visit was Clinch River House, located between Lake City and Clinton on the banks of the Clinch River. Our cabin overlooked the river and features a large deck with rocking chairs. It’s a peaceful place to sit with a cup of coffee and enjoy the natural beauty of the area. There is also a hot tub on the lower deck and a large pavilion with an outdoor fireplace, plenty of comfortable chairs and even a television and stereo system. It’s a great place to spend outdoors with your family enjoying the property. Two cabins are offered for rental with accommodations for up to 11 people. The pavilion is located between the two cabins and makes a great place to meet for the evening meal or to just spend time together. The property is secluded and offers plenty of privacy, while still being a short drive from the attractions in the area. The cabins are located in a wonderful fly-fishing spot and information is provided on local fishing guides.

For more information, go to www.clinchriverhouse.com or call 1-865-250-9361.

CLINTON

A highlight of a visit to Anderson County, Tenn., is a stop at the Museum of Appalachia, where you can easily spend the day enjoying the historic homes and structures and delving through all of the historic artifacts and information in the museum. Farm animals on the grounds add a charming touch to the property. Also plan to spend some time checking out the local items offered in the gift shop and having a traditional Southern lunch at the restaurant on the site.

The Smithsonian Institute has recognized the collections as among the most significant in the country as they “tell the story of a brave and hardy people who carved out lives of joy and toil, often in isolation and often with too little money.” There is an extensive collection of guns, war exhibits, musical instruments, furniture, pottery, toys, quilts and baskets.

John Rice Irwin collected the items in the collection and can tell visitors the history of most every item. His written note cards with personal anecdotes about the people who owned the items, as well as his reflections, are what makes this museum stand out from others. It’s truly a moving and personal experience to tour the Museum of Appalachia and experience the people’s lives.

Special events are planned on the grounds, including: Days of the Pioneer, Sept. 14-15; annual homecoming, Oct. 12-14; and Christmas in Old Appalachia, Dec. 1-24. At the annual homecoming, traditional craftsmen will be demonstrating the old-time traditions and ways of life.
For more information, go to www.musuemofappalachia.com.

For some more history of the area, make a stop at the Green McAdoo Cultural Center in the downtown Clinton area. It depicts the historic day of Aug. 27, 1956, when 12 Clinton teenagers were the first students to desegregate a state high school in the south. It was at Clinton High School where the first black graduated from a public high school in Georgia.

For more information, go to www.greenmcadoo.org.

While in the downtown area, also plan to spend some time browsing through the great antique stores in Clinton. You will find quality antiques and lots of variety. I found an interesting glass bowl to add to my collection.

OLIVER SPRINGS

Families will love Coal Creek OHV in Oliver Springs, which also has a quaint downtown area. Coal Creek has over 300 miles on the 72,000 acres of off-road adventure trails for the family, offering beautiful views of the mountains and countryside of East Tennessee. It is here that you will find some of the most scenic views and natural beauty of the area. Visitors to Coal Creek can explore the trails on ATVs, motorcycles, mountains bikes, horses, jeeps and rail buggies. There are also hiking trails.

While on the property, be sure to check out the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Windmill farm, which has 18 huge, white windmills that are providing electricity to 3,000 homes. A campground, cabins and concession area are also on the grounds.

For more information, go to www.coalcreekohv.com.

OAK RIDGE

With rubber balls dancing in the air and a hair-raising experience with the “Atom Smasher,” the American Museum of Science and Energy will delight children and entertain adults. At the nearby Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge, youngsters will love climbing in a tree house, playing in a rain forest and exploring a child-size doll house.

The American Museum of Science and Energy has hands-on exhibits that are popular with younger visitors, as well as plenty of photos and history on the fascinating town of Oak Ridge, known as the “Secret City.” During World War II, more than 75,000 people kept the secret of Oak Ridge, where the Manhattan Project was headquartered. It is in this town where the world’s first atomic weapons were developed. The project, as well as the lifestyles of the families who lived in the “Secret City” are all depicted through amazing photos by Ed Westcott, the U.S. Army’s official Manhattan Project photographer.

For more information, go to www.amse.org.

The Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge is located in a large complex that once housed an elementary school. Children will love exploring the winding hallways to find the next exhibit. An outdoor garden is also on the grounds, providing kids an up close look at gardening.
For more information, go to www.childrensmuseumofoakridge.org.

NORRIS

The Norris Dam State Park has an informative welcome center, the Lenoir Museum, is filled with history and artifacts from the area. The Norris Dam was the first dam built in the TVA System and provided electricity for the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge. It’s a beautiful recreational area with hiking paths, boating, fishing, swimming, special programs and picnic areas, as well as cabins and camping sites. The property also has tennis courts, badminton, basketball, horseshoes, a playground and volleyball.

For more information, go to www.state.tn.us/environment/parks/NorrisDam/

WHERE TO EAT

Anderson County has plenty of great restaurants, with barbecue, seafood, Southern cooking and pizza among the options. Among those we recommend are:

•As soon as you enter and see all of the locals at Golden Girls, you know the food must be great. We had breakfast and the pancakes and omelets are both great options. It’s also a popular lunch spot with homemade cakes and Southern cooking offered.

•Jefferson Soda Fountain is another fun spot for breakfast or lunch. We were there for breakfast and had a great vegetable omelet. Lunch choices include hamburgers and sandwiches.

•The restaurant at the Museum of Appalachia has the most amazing meatloaf, just like my Mother makes, as well as a great grape salad. With a table facing the farm yard where the animals are roaming, it makes a wonderful place for a relaxing lunch.

•Big Ed’s Pizza in Oak Ridge is known for its homemade pizzas and we enjoyed the special of the day, which was covered with pepperoni, sausages, vegetables and cheese on a thick crust. It was delicious.

•Gondolier offers Italian dining, including lasagna, manicotti, ravioli and chicken Parmesan. The tortellini with sausage was a great choice and was a huge serving with plenty of leftovers for later.

•Riverview Grill has lots of seafood and barbecue options. Both are favorites, so I had a hard time deciding which one to order. I went with barbecue and was very pleased with the succulent ribs.

•Harrison’s has a wide variety of fish and steak options, but I went with the salmon. It was cooked and seasoned perfectly and went well with rice and broccoli.

This is just a glimpse into all that is offered in East Tennessee’s Anderson County. For more information on all that the area has to offer, go to www.yallcome.org.

Angela Gary is an editor with MainStreet Newspapers Inc. She can be reached at AngieEditor@aol.com.

Jake says: Science museum a highlight of visit

BY JAKE MYLER

One of my favorite stops on the trip was the American Museum of Science and Energy in Oak Ridge. I loved the ping pong ball illusion. It was fun to see the balls flying up in the air and trying to figure out how it worked. It was also fun to go into the house that the Oak Ridge people lived in years ago. It was interesting to see how they lived.

I also loved the Museum of Appalachia. The historic buildings and beautiful landscaping and property made it as special place to visit. I liked going into the old one-room school house and sitting at one of the desks. It was so different than school today. I also liked the animals on the property. There was a very cute black lamb that was on the sidewalk and it let us get very close to it. I lived the museum buildings that had all of the interesting things in them — especially the small match stick house, iron horse shoe chair and doctor’s office. We ended our visit with a stop in the restaurant where I ate a great hot dog!

Other things I liked on the trip were the amazing Norris Dam and riding through the ATV trails at Coal Creek OHV. It was really neat to check out an old coal mine entrance on the property. The views of the mountains and the big windmills were also beautiful.

At the children’s museum in Oak Ridge, I loved the train exhibit that had bunnies hidden among the display. It was fun to try and find all the bunnies. I did find them all and got a discount in the gift shop. I bought a small glass animal.

The cabin we stayed in was so cool. I loved being so close to the Clinch River. It also had some decorations that hunters and fishermen will love. I liked the hammock outside the cabin too.

Jake Myler, 10, often accompanies his aunt on trips and writes about his experiences, giving our readers a youth perspective.