11 Stunning Small Towns In Tennessee

Tennessee is one of the most popular states to visit for those living within or just outside of the Mid-South, because of its stunning landscapes and culture. The mountains of Eastern Tennessee soar up into the clouds, creating a beautiful vibe in towns like Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, while natural cave springs provide water for celebrated Tennessee distilleries such as Leiper’s Fork Distillery and the Jack Daniel Distillery in Lynchburg.. Much of the stunning beauty in Tennessee is found among its people, too. These hardy Southerners are incredible storytellers who keep their culture and legends alive, especially at the storytelling paradise of Jonesborough. These 11 stunning small towns in Tennessee will give you some stories to tell of your own.

Harriman

This lesser-known Appalachian Mountain Tennessee community of Harriman is called The Town that Temperance Built, as it was founded by a Methodist minister named Frederick Gates in 1889 as an alcohol-free utopia. Although that experiment ended in the 1990s, many of the buildings from Harriman's early days remain, such as the three story Romanesque style 1905 Temperance Building, the former home of the American Temperance University. Town residents back then had fun by going to The Princess Theatre, an Art Deco style building that is still in operation to this day. With its position in the mountains, there are a few parks nearby when you can escape into nature. The biggest one is the David Webb Riverfront Park, featuring trails, fishing docks, gazebos, and a playground. You can visit a small lakeside beach at the Roane County Park as well.

Jonesborough

Jonesborough has many stories to tell. Those stories come both from its history as the oldest founded town in Tennessee, but also its deep storytelling tradition. Founded in 1779, 14 years prior to Tennessee becoming a state, the town has a long tradition of storytellers who use their voice, facial expressions, and gestures to craft the scene. The International Storytelling Center hosts these creative people year round for visitors and residents to enjoy. During October, the National Storytelling Festival takes over the town with vast tents where the greatest storytellers in the world come to enchant audiences. You can tell stories of your own while relaxing with a glass of whiskey at Tennessee Hills Distillery or learn about the history of Jonesborough at one of its oldest homes, the 1777 Christopher Taylor House, a log cabin built for frontier officer and Revolutionary War general Christopher Taylor.

Franklin

By driving 30 minutes to the south of Nashville, you'll find Civil War history, an industrial facility converted into an artisan's village, and backcountry trails in Franklin. The town played a crucial role in the American Civil War during the Battle of Franklin on November 30, 1864. You can still see the scars of the Civil War at the Carter House, a Federal-style farmhouse turned museum. You can still see bullet holes in the outbuildings surrounding the property. Another beautiful home to tour is Carnton, an 1826 two story house, which was turned into a field hospital during the Battle of Franklin. Some of the floors are still stained with the blood of soldiers treated here. Not all of Franklin's attractions are so haunting, as one of its best is a converted stove manufacturing plant into a mixture of artisan shops, dining, and farmers market at The Factory at Franklin. The town is filled with beautiful natural landscapes, from the rolling hills at Arrington Vineyards to the Wilkins Branch Mountain Bike Park and the Owl's Hill Nature Sanctuary, with hiking trails and nature workshops with the owls that are protected here.

Leiper's Fork

Just a short distance away from Franklin is the lovely village of Leiper's Fork. It was settled after the American Revolutionary War by veterans who received land grants from the U.S. government. Due to the village's position on the Natchez Trace Parkway, many travellers came through the region, especially to pick up whiskey from the Leiper's Fork Distillery. This distillery prides itself on its small-batch production, which you can sample at a 1829 log cabin tasting room. Leiper's Fork may be a traditional town, but it keeps an experimental attitude with its art, which you can see at Leiper's Creek Gallery. This art gallery has abstract paintings, sculptures, and many other styles. The gallery has a Lawnchair Theatre in the back for events, musical performances, and movies. Before you leave Leiper's Fork, you'll want to step out onto the double arch bridge on the Natchez Trace Parkway for stunning views of the Tennessee woodlands, or go out for a short hike on the Garrison Creek Loop right off the parkway.

Union City

Founded in 1854 as a railway town, Union City gets its name from the junction of the Nashville/Northwestern Railroad and the Mobile, Alabama/Ohio Railroad. Its most striking feature is Reelfoot Lake, a 15,000 acre natural lake. It's a flooded forest with cypress trees rising above the water line with boardwalks allowing you to walk among these trees. Within the lake is the Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge, with hiking trails to view waterfowl and American Bald Eagles during the winter. Union City is dedicated to education, as can be seen with its 70,000 square foot Discovery Park of America. This museum stands tall with a 120 foot observation tower and three stories of exhibits on nature, history, science, and art. Speaking of history, Dixie Gun Works in Union City preserves vintage and antique firearms including old black powder weapons.

Bell Buckle

Bell Buckle has one of the quirkiest names of any town in the state. There are contradicting stories of where the town got its name, although some claim the first white man to come to the area saw a carving of a cowbell and buckle on a tree and the name stuck over the years. Bell Buckle has a delightful downtown area with fun town festivals held throughout the year. If you visit during March, you'll see the charming Southern town light up with daffodils for Daffodil Day. One of the best ways to experience Bell Buckle's hospitality is to go to the Bell Buckle Cafe, an award-winning restaurant carrying every Southern comfort food dish. After you've had your fill, walk it off at the Bell Buckle Park, a small cute park with a pond, trail, and an arboretum. Speaking of food, Bell Buckle celebrates the southern classics of RC Cola and MoonPie during the RC Cola-MoonPie Festival in June, while the Webb Art & Craft Show puts the best southern art on display in October.

Pigeon Forge

If you're traveling to the Great Smoky Mountains by car, odds are you'll come to the town of Pigeon Forge first. This stunning resort town is worth stopping in for its country music attractions and quirky museums. Country music legend Dolly Parton, a country music legend, continues to support the area through her Dollywood theme park and Dolly Parton’s Stampede dinner show in Pigeon Forge. Surprisingly, Pigeon Forge is also home to the Titanic Museum Attraction, a ship-shaped museum that displays hundreds of artifacts connected to the Titanic and its passengers.

Gatlinburg

Once you pass through Pigeon Forge, you'll discover the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Gatlinburg. This town is a mystical place with the misty mountaintops soaring above you. The town center has all manner of fun places from the Ole Smoky Distillery for moonshine, and the walkable Village Shops with multiple shops and boutiques from the Celtic Heritage Co gift shop to The Donut Friar. Once you get into Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you’ll have a large range of hiking trails and vistas to choose from, such as the magnificent 360-degree views from Kuwohi (formerly Clingmans Dome) or the steep climb up the Chimney Tops Trail to its new overlook facing the rocky pinnacles that resemble chimneys.

Townsend

There are many entry points to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and one of the more peaceful ones is Townsend. It calls itself the peaceful side of the Smokies, which fits the town well as it's the closest to the magnificent Cades Cove. This Appalachian Mountain valley has an 11 mile driving loop trail with multiple points to pull off and go hiking or wildlife viewing. If you're lucky, you might see a black bear or cubs. Within Cades Cove, you can find several simple country churches like the Primitive Baptist Church or Cades Cove Methodist Church with still operating pianos for you to play a country hymn. In the town center, you can explore several cute museums and eateries from the Peaceful Side Social restaurant to the Little River Railroad/Lumber Museum, preserving the town's history as a logging and railway hub in the mountains.

Lynchburg

Around 5,500 people call the Southern Tennessee town of Lynchburg home. It's also the home base of the oldest distillery in the U.S.: the Jack Daniels Distillery. All of its whiskey is still made from a spring water cave, which you can visit during your tour of the facility, as well as sample Tennessee whiskey. Other than the distillery, there are other intriguing spots and events to attend. One is the Moore County Old Jail Museum, which operated from the late 1800s to 1990. Today it contains artifacts, clothing, and the two jail cells used by the small community. Every June, the community comes together for the Frontier Days Festival, with a rodeo, carnival games, street dance, crafts, and other activities. Motorcycles have good reason to pull off the exit onto Lynchburg as there's a Harley-Davidson Motorcycles chain here. You can also pick up Jack Daniel's souvenirs from the Lynchburg Hardware & General Store.

Greeneville

Founded in 1783, Greeneville is the second oldest town in Tennessee, just behind Jonesborough. It took its name from Nathanael Greene, a Revolutionary War General known for his guerrilla tactics. Later on, a U.S. president would be born here: Andrew Johnson. He served as the second VP under Abraham Lincoln and became President after Lincoln's assassination. His presidency was controversial due to him being impeached. You can visit his humble home at the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site. There's a great deal of vintage places in Greeneville from the City Garage Car Museum to the renowned Greeneville Antique Market, a 3 story facility.that reviewers have described as the best place to find unique items. For hikers, the best trail to take in Greeneville is the Margarette Falls Trail, a 2.5-mile hike up the West Fork Dry Creek to a 60-foot waterfall.

The many stories of Tennessee

There are many types of stories you'll hear in these Tennessee small towns. In Lynchburg, you'll hear about how Jack Daniel's has survived and thrived throughout the years by selling the oldest whiskey in Tennessee. Harriman, however, will tell you a different story, of a group of teetotalers who forbade alcohol and flourished as a quaint mountain town. Jonesborough's residents and expert artists will tell you many tales, some of which are true or at least teaching true lessons. Just make sure you take your time to hear all the stories you can in these stunning Tennessee towns.