Lawrenceburg

What sets Lawrenceburg, Tennessee apart from other small Southern towns is its own brand of

charm. Famous faces from American history and cinema have walked its streets. An entire

musical genre was born here. People with their eye on the future live side-by-side with those

who keep the past alive. Local restaurants offer up the best of international cuisine and down-

home cooking. Diverse neighborhoods and a growing business sector are minutes away from

some of the state’s most beautiful parklands. Thriving small-town life with a unique country

allure makes Lawrenceburg an ideal place to call home.

History Just Outside the Door

The town’s first appearance in the historical record involves a meeting with the conquistador

Hernando de Soto and the Chickasaw Nation. De Soto and his men spent the Christmas season

of 1540-41 in a place they called “Chicasa” (which may have been present-day Lawrenceburg)

before sweeping down into Mississippi. Shortly after the land for Lawrence County was

purchased from the Chickasaw in 1816, Lawrenceburg’s most famous resident, Davy Crockett,

moved to Shoal Creek. Crockett served in local government, law enforcement, and militia and

helped lay out the town and county boundaries. Today Lawrenceburg honors him with a statue

in the town square. A replica of the log cabin he used for an office is open to the public and can

be found next door to Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

The town square is home to one of the nation’s only two monuments commemorating the

Mexican-American war. In 1864, with Union troops campaigning in Tennessee, the monument

itself prevented the Courthouse’s destruction. Union Brigadier General Robert S. Granger had

fought in the Mexican-American War and was afraid the monument would suffer damage if he

allowed his men to fire the Courthouse.

Sweet Southern Sounds

Just a short walk from the monument is the James D. Vaughan Southern Gospel Music Museum,

offering an inside look on the early days of the genre. Vaughan’s contribution to music is

celebrated every year at the James D. Vaughan Quartet Festival, presented at the nearby Crockett

Theater and Creative Arts Center. Crockett Theater puts on a variety of musical performances

and, for those with a taste for the limelight, community theater productions.

Live music is a frequent draw to Lawrenceburg Second Saturdays, a family event on the square

falling on the second Saturday each month of the summer. Past events have featured the talents

of Shelby Lee Lowe, Jacob Powell, the Jeff Quillen Band, Dueling Pianos, and DJ Vinny Hoop.

The curious can listen to some picking-and-grinning, stop by a food truck or one of the square’s

restaurants for event-themed food, enter lawn game tournaments like beanbag toss or ping-pong,

or watch a truck parade showcasing fire engines, police and military vehicles, tractors, and more.

The kids can bounce the day away in a bouncy house or compete in Power Wheel races. Add

Christmas in July and communal sports viewing, and each Second Saturday has something to

offer everyone in the family.

Fresh Air and Festivities

For those with a love of nature, Davy Crockett State Park offers 1,319 acres of it. Visitors can

pitch a tent, park an RV, or rent a luxury cabin to enjoy woodland views and furry neighbors.

Hikers can choose from a number of trails, including a stretch of the historical Trail of Tears.

Anglers can cast their rods off the docks at Lake Lindsey, where boaters can rent kayaks, canoes,

and paddleboats. Every year the week of August 17 marks Davy Crockett Days, when

enthusiasts in pioneer dress demonstrate how early Tennessee settlers lived; food booths and

pioneer craft sellers give it the feel of an old-fashioned fair.

Fair aficionados with more modern tastes eagerly await autumn, when Rotary Park hosts the

Middle Tennessee District Fair, complete with rides and cotton candy. In winter it is home to

Christmas in the Country, featuring all manner of holiday crafts from fancy ornaments to

handmade soaps. At other times of the year Rotary offers tractor pulls, rodeos, and concerts.

The pool is open to the public in the warmer months, while the playground, which resembles a

small wooden city, is a favorite of children all year round.

The Old-Fashioned and the New-Fangled

Lawrence County is home to one of the largest Amish communities in the United States. The

Amish live close to the soil, striving to lead a pre-industrial lifestyle and rejecting modern

conventions like electrified homes and travel by car. Their horse-drawn buggies are common

fixtures in Lawrenceburg. Many make their living selling the fruits and vegetables they grow,

stocking the county with fresh seasonal produce. Others are known for their craftsmanship,

including custom wooden furniture and handmade saddles and bridles.

By contrast, Lawrenceburg’s business community is expanding. The town is home to the

national headquarters of Cabinets to Go, which has provided high-end cabinetry for a number of

television interior design programs like HGTV’s Urban Oasis and Dream Home and DIY’s Blog

Cabin. The aluminum machine parts manufacturer Modine is adding three new production lines,

expanding into stainless steel fabrication. The auto manufacturer Dura, the metal fabricator

AOC Metalworks, and the industrial printing firm 3D Systems each have facilities here. And a

number of high-speed Internet providers are available for those who work in or out of the office.

Busy training up the next generation of capable professionals, Lawrence County High School

offers quality public education and award-winning athletic teams. The Southern Tennessee

Higher Education Center tenders a full baccalaureate program. In Lawrenceburg, keeping an eye

on the future does not require leaving home behind.

Come Hungry

While country favorites will always have a place in our hearts—and stomachs—Lawrenceburg is

undergoing a culinary revolution. In addition to plate lunches and buffets, local restaurateurs are

putting their own spin on dishes from all over the country and around the world. Anyone with a

craving could fill up on steaming hot brisket or chilled sashimi, an expertly cooked ribeye or an

artisanal pizza, crawfish etouffee or street tacos. Some of the hotspots that draw in locals and

visitors alike are Society American Noshery, Strikers Steakhouse, Yamato, The Brass Lantern,

Stetar’s, and Cocina Real. The food-lover need not drive all the way to Nashville for a

memorable dining experience.

…

Lawrenceburg, Tennessee represents the best of small-town living. Whether you are inner-

tubing down Shoal Creek or tracing the footsteps of Davy Crockett, Fred Thompson, and

Michael Jeter, playing the back nine at the Lawrenceburg Golf and Country Club or feeling the

roar of souped-up tractor engines running through you at Rotary Park, enjoying a hibachi lunch

or exploring Amish Country, Lawrenceburg is a place you will want to call home. For

information on current listings, contact your Coldwell Banker agent today.