A Slice of Life
Bill Lites
Day 7 Continued (5/22/2022)
Next door to Willie’s Museum was the Nashville Palace, which is a live music venue that was once the home of ‘The Grand Ole Opry’ and TV shows like ‘Hee Haw’ and others. The Nashville Palace is a place where Country singing stars can come to relax and share some of their songs with visitors. Some of the greats who have appeared at the Nashville Palace, over the years, are Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Roy Acuff, George Jones, Randy Travis, and Mel Tillis just to name a few. Unfortunately, no performers were on hand while I was there, so the only music I heard was piped out from loud-speakers I could hear from the parking lot. That’s OK, as I liked what they were playing.
Photo Credit: Bill Lites
Now I headed northwest about 50 miles on I-24 to visit the L & N Train Station Museum located in downtown Clarksville, TN. This museum is situated in the old restored 1859 L & N Railroad depot, and displays many antique railroad artifacts and memorabilia related to the railroad’s influence on Clarksville and the surrounding Montgomery County area dating from the early 1800s. The museum also has a restored diesel locomotive and caboose on display outside.
Photo Credit: https://www.google.com.my/travel/l&ndepot/clarksville/
On the north side of Clarksville, I visited the Fort Defiance Civil War Park located on a bluff 200 feet above where the Red River and the Cumberland River converge. Over the years, the area around this famous site (originally Sevier Station) has been the focal point for Native Americans, early 18th century pioneer settlers, a long-standing trading post, and a stronghold for Confederate forces during the Civil War. The fort and interpretive center provide a wealth of information related to the use of this site, prior to, and during the course of the Civil War.
Photo Credit: clarksvilletn.com/fort-defiance-civil-war-park/
Now I headed north another 35 miles on US-41, across the border, to visit the Hopkinsville L & N Railroad Museum located in Hopkinsville, KY. This small depot was built by the EH&N Railroad in 1868. It was acquired and refurbished by the L & N Railroad in 1892. The station closed when the last passenger train left Hopkinsville (Hop Town) in 1968. However, the L & N Railroad merged with the CSX Railroad in 1982 and CSX still runs trains on the tracks alongside the museum. The L & N Railroad Museum displays many antique railroad artifacts and memorabilia dating from the early to mid-1800s.
Photo Credit: Bill Lites
Now I headed northwest 30 miles on SR-91 to check out the Adsmore Museum located in Princeton, KY. This Greek Revival style residence was built in1854 by John Higgins and served as the family home until, Katharine Garrett, the last surviving relative passed away in 1984. This living history museum consists of four acres on which one finds the original residence, filled with period furnishings, a carriage house (gift shop), a restored mid-1800s log cabin, and the Ratliff gun shop.
Photo Credit: Bill Lites
My motel was in Benton, KY tonight, which was about 30 miles west of Princeton. So, I gave Greta (My Garmin) the address and using I-24 she took me right to it. On the way I crossed the Cumberland River and then the Tennessee River before arriving in Benton. After I got to the motel and checked in, I carried my things in to my room and warmed up my leftover St. Louis Ribs from ‘Big Bob Gibson’s Bar-B-Q.’ I really enjoyed that delicious meal again. Yummm!! I tried to watch some TV, but there was nothing good on, so I recorded the day’s activities and went to bed. Boy, was I tired.
Photo Credit: yahoo.com/big+bob+gibson+bar-b-q+st.+louis+ribs
Just looking at this picture, and remembering, makes my mouth water!
—–To Be Continued—–
Bill is a retired Mechanical engineer living with his wonderful artist/writer wife, DiVoran, of 65 years in Titusville, Florida. He was born and raised in the Southwest, did a tour of duty with the U.S. Navy, attended Northrop University in Southern California and ended up working on America’s Manned Space Program for 35 years. He currently is retired and spends most of his time building and flying R/C model airplanes, traveling, writing blogs about his travels for Word Press and supporting his wife’s hobbies with framing, editing and marketing. He also volunteers with a local church Car Care Ministry and as a tour guide at the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum there in Titusville. Bill has two wonderful children, two outstanding grandchildren, and a loving sister and her husband, all of whom also live in Central Florida, so he and DiVoran are rewarded by having family close to spend lots of quality time with.
One of Bill’s favorite Scriptures is: John 10:10
Old Things R New 