Tennessee Town Squares

Explore our rich local heritage through the history, architecture and life of the Tennessee town square. This original NPT documentary focuses on the different roles that town squares play in local communities, discovers how the town square uniquely defines our local identity and explores the ways in which these physical spaces embody a sense of place.

Tennessee Town Squaresjourneys across the state, highlighting our most successfully preserved communities such as Clarksville, Franklin, Collierville, Jonesborough, and discovers the small town gems that define us as Tennesseans, such as Columbia, Wartrace, Gallatin and others.

Visiting Tips

• Drive through the main streets on the town square and then the back roads beyond the square.
• Wear comfortable shoes and walk the entire town square or main street.
• Look for details in the historic architecture. What has been restored? What has been updated?
• Call the main street contact for the town you’re visiting to get a list of things not to miss. They may have regularly scheduled architecture or history tours.
• Most stores on the squares are locally owned with a long history. Be sure to ask the owners questions about their past. You may hear an interesting story or two.
• Take advantage of what makes these towns unique and dine at a local eatery on the town square.
• Many town squares have a locally owned inn or a bed and breakfast. Stay at one of these available inns to experience the square over 24 hours.
• Shop on the square and support local ownership. Most of these stores carry items you can’t find anywhere else.
• Bring a camera to take pictures of the landscaping and the town square.
• Be sure to visit tnvacation.com to see if you’ll be visiting during a festival or concert. Or, plan your travels around these special events.
• Bring a friend so you can share the town square experience.

Watch

Original Music

Composed and Arranged by Jay Rockholt & Will Pedigo

Home

Home (Vocal)

Strolling Jim

The Palace

Credits

PRODUCTION

Will Pedigo
Producer / Original Music

Vince McVay
Editor

Jim DeMarco
Videographer

Mike King
Videographer

Bill Turner Sr.
Narrator

Kevin Crane
Executive Producer

Jay Rockholt
Original Music

MUSIC

Taylor Coker
Bass

Moriah Harris
Violin

Steve Kovalcheck
Guitar

Tim Lauer
Keyboard / Accordion

Todd Parks
Bass

Jack Pearson
Guitar / Resophonic / Banjo / Mandolin

Will Pedigo
Guitar / Percussion

Jay Rockholt
Vocals / Guitar / Dulcimer

Clint Ribble of On Digital Ground Studios
Mastering

IMAGES

Historic Images provided by:
Tennessee Crossroads
Michael Emrick
National Park Service Museum Management Program

Clarksville:
The Leaf Chronicle
Susan Bryant
Lane Lyle
Frank Stanfill
The Roxy Regional Theatre

Collierville:
The Paul Madison Wilson Collection
Main Street Collierville
McGinnis Oil Company
Clarene Pinkerton Russell
Family of Elizabeth Wilson Snow

Columbia:
Ted’s Sporting Goods
Columbia Main Street Corp.
Bill Willamson
Kim Jameson
Maury County Archives

Dickson:
Fussell’s

Franklin:
The Heritage Foundation
Calvin Lehew Collection

Gallatin:
Allen Haynes Collection
Sumner County Museum
R. Hartley Scott

Jonesborough:
Jonesborough Washington County History Museum
& Archives

McMinnville:
Jimmy Haley