Tennessee’s Mayberry: Explore Historic Granville

From the 1800s until 1920, Granville, Tennessee—which is located approximately one hour east of Nashville—was a thriving riverboat town. After riverboat travel declined, Granville transformed into a vibrant farm town. In the 1970s, much of Granville’s farmland receded into the Cumberland River and Granville steadily became a ghost town that risked fading into oblivion. In the 1990s, a group of volunteers banded together to preserve a quaint town that is regionally known as “Tennessee’s Mayberry.” For $7.00, visitors can purchase a ticket to historic Granville and tour a charming, retro rural town that is home to an old timey general store, a car museum, and a Mayberry-I Love Lucy museum.

Originally opened in the 1800s, the T.B. Sutton General Store sells granny candy, toys such a spinning tops, and Stetson hats. Visitors can order a root beer float from the ice cream counter and book a reservation to listen to some live Tennessee bluegrass at the Sutton Ole Time Music Hour on Saturday night. T.B. Sutton General Store patrons can also head upstairs to the Granville Artisans’ Gallery which features pottery, woven fabric, and metal work from several local artists.

If you really want to feel like you stepped into the past, consider visiting Granville’s Antique Car Museum. Located inside of a vintage service station, the Antique Car Museum showcases a constantly rotating cast of automobiles that range from the 1920s to the 1970s. Don’t be surprised if you spot a light blue ’57 Chevy parked under the awning of the service station. Every summer, the Antique Car Museum hosts a car show where automobile lovers can showcase vintage cars that they have lovingly restored. The car show also offers awards for particularly outstanding cars.

Since Granville is often referred to as Tennessee’s Mayberry, no trip to the historic town is complete without a stop at the Mayberry-I Love Lucy Museum. The museum features memorabilia from The Andy Griffith Show—which is set in the sleepy-yet-charming town of Mayberry—and the beloved comedy I Love Lucy. Visitors can view props, signed posters, and even a few character dolls from The Andy Griffith Show and I Love Lucy.

If you love the comforting beauty of small towns, a trip to Granville is an absolute must. In Granville, you can embrace the slower pace of previous centuries by putting your cell phone on silent, sauntering over to the general store, and enjoying a delicious scoop of ice cream.

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