What to see and do in McMinnville, Tennessee
Clayton Hensley
Weekend Getaways, Upper Cumberland, Road Trips, Small Towns
*During my time in McMinnville I was a guest of Upper Cumberland Tennessee Tourism. The opinions expressed in the article are my own.
Charleston, South Carolina has its “Angel Oak” tree, but on the western edge of Tennessee’s Upper Cumberland region you’ll find the legendary “Birthing Tree.” This 80+ foot tall tree sits on the edge of McMinnville. It served as a landmark for travelers along the Old Kentucky Trail. According to local folklore, weary travelers would stop under the tree’s sprawling branches, sometimes waiting for other settlers or for bad weather to pass. Some mothers were even said to give birth under the tree while waiting for an extended time.
The Birthing Tree sits along U.S. 70S, one of the main routes running through McMinnville. In the 21st Century a modern hospital sits across the highway from this fabled landmark. You can pull into a parking lot beside the tree to get a closer look, making it a good first stop on a visit to McMinnville.
Located halfway between Nashville and Chattanooga and only two hours from Knoxville, visiting McMinnville gives you plenty of reasons to make it a destination on a road trip. Here is a quick guide to visiting McMinnville and Warren County.
Downtown McMinnville Dining & Shopping
A good hearty breakfast of sausage, eggs and fried potatoes provides the perfect start to a day of exploring all McMinnville and Warren County has to offer. The Cumberland Biscuit Company sits across from the historic Park Theater with its grand neon lit marquee. Established in 2017, this eatery serves up hearty portions of country cooking and other tasty creations all morning long, but they don’t stop there. On Friday and Saturday nights The Cumberland Biscuit Company whets your appetite with signature platters, burgers and much more.
After you’ve enjoyed a hearty breakfast head out along Main Street and the rest of Downtown for unique shopping opportunities. Whether you’re in search of something for your home or for someone else the nearly two dozen boutiques, gift shops, antique shops and specialty stores provide plenty of options. For lunch or a snack, make a pit stop at Topz Deli and Frozen Yogurt or the Vanilla Bean Baking Company.
Tennesseans love their BBQ. In the heart of downtown you’ll find Collins River BBQ & Café where the slogan is “I’ll rub your ribs if you pull my pork.” (You can get a t-shirt with the slogan too!) The restaurant started as a food truck, opening up as a full-service restaurant in Downtown McMinnville in 2012. Order up BBQ classics like baby back Ribs, brisket and pulled pork or fill up on batter dipped catfish, grab a burger or try out the Collins River twist on Nachos or the Cuban sandwich.
In search of history
History lovers exploring Downtown McMinnville will treasure the charming Courthouse Square where they’ll find a decades old statue of the Greek goddess of Hebe, the county’s Bicentennial sculpture, historic churches and buildings and a marker honoring Charles Faulkner Bryan, a Tennessee composer known for his work to preserve folk music.
Photography plays an integral role in the life of travel bloggers like me. Did you know one of the earliest schools of photography operated in McMinnville in the early 20th Century?
William “Dad” Lively founded the Southern School of Photography and kept it running for around two decades. Lively was best known for constructing a camera which produced 30” x 60” glass negative. Some photographs made from those negatives are now part of the Smithsonian’s permanent collection.
While the school closed nearly a hundred years ago, the Southern Museum & Gallery of Photography, Culture and History provides a glimpse into the role McMinnville played in photography including historic photos of the school and some of the large cameras from that time period. This small museum also pays homage to Country Music Hall of Famer, Dottie West, a McMinnville native. A small collection of Dottie West memorabilia inside the museum pays tribute to this Country Music great. The Warren County Heritage Museum and Southern School of Photography Museum is another option for exploring the area’s history. (It was not open during my 2021 visit to McMinnville. I hope to go there on a future visit.)
Just a couple of blocks away, the Black History Museum helps tell more unique stories about the people of McMinnville and Warren County. Wayne Wolford, Senior, the director of the museum gave me a tour on my visit. He and many others worked diligently to get this museum open. In addition to featuring prominent Warren County residents like Carl T. Rowan (a journalist who at one point was the highest ranking African American in U.S. Government) and Mark Gwyn (a former director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, ) the museum also shows how the lives of everyday people helped shape the community. Along the way the artifacts in just about every room are sure to catch your attention, from old photographs of McMinnville to old electronics and sports equipment.
Exploring the outdoors
If you like quiet walks along the river, McMinnville has you covered. The Barren Fork Greenway runs between Riverfront Park and ends across the river from Pepper Branch Park. Along the way there are a few boardwalks and overlooks before the greenway crosses under a steel truss railroad bridge at a dam and historic powerhouse. To get to Pepper Branch Park on the other side of the river you’ll need to go up to S. Chancery Street, cross over on the bridge and then head down into the park. That area also offers up several places to access the river. Another option for walking along the river is Rocket Park, a less developed and more remote area along the river just off Highway 56.
The lazy nature of the Barren Fork River makes it great for float trips and that’s where a visit to Smooth Rapids Outfitters comes in. This business offers several different lengths of float trips along the Barren Fork and the nearby Collins River. There’s also a campground on site if you want to make it a vacation.
If you’re not into camping or kayaking, the Grill at Smooth Rapids serves up a wide variety of burgers, sandwiches and sides all in a scenic setting overlooking the river.
Nature’s Rock Stars
Long time fans of the show Bluegrass Underground remember the days when the show was taped deep underground inside Cumberland Caverns. Although the show has moved to another Tennessee cave, the Volcano Room still hosts artists from multiple genres as part of the Cumberland Caverns Live series. This cave is a true rock star in the natural world. Discovered in the early 1800’s this National Landmark contains more than 30 miles of caverns to explore.
Tours through the caverns help you experience a world of wonder. Waterfalls, spectacular cave formations and lots of history await people on the tour. There’s also Cumberland Caverns own version of “Hall of the Mountain King,” where you get a special light show and hear the unique story of Aaron Higgenbotham, the man who discovered the cave and how he spent three days in the cave alone with no light.
Above ground, the area’s biggest natural rock star is Rock Island State Park. Located at the confluence of the Collins and Caney Fork Rivers, this park is known for its rugged river gorge. Inside this spectacular area marvel at formations like Great Falls and Twin Falls (the result of an engineering miscalculation). You can read more about Rock Island in a blog post I wrote several years ago.
The lush farmlands that support the burgeoning nursery industry, the rolling hills and small communities spread throughout the county give you even more reasons to make a road trip to McMinnville and Warren County.
