'Rockets to rock stars'

photo Alyssa Hollander of Brookville, Maryland cools off in the Centeroo Fountain during the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tenn., Saturday, June 9, 2012. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

In South Central Tennessee, Coffee County's Manchester has become synonymous with the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, while Tullahoma has long been linked to the U.S. military and Arnold Engineering and Development Center at Arnold Air Force Base.

Local officials tout the combinations as "Rockets to rock stars."

BEST THING TO DO:

Conjure the 'spirit' of Coffee County

• Belly up to the bar for whisky tours of one of the most famous distilleries in the world, George Dickel Tennessee Whisky near Tullahoma, Tenn.

• One difference from the product from nearby Jack Daniel's distillery is that Jack Daniel's is "whiskey" while George Dickel's is "whisky." Will a sip tell you why?

Source: Coffee County government, George Dickel Tennessee Whisky, dickel.com

BEST-KEPT SECRET:

Everybody knows, but if they tell you ...

• Arnold Engineering and Development Center in Tullahoma created the X-43 as part of NASA's Hyper-X program.

• The unmanned, experimental hypersonic aircraft design achieved a speed of Mach 9.68 during a 2004 test.

• Since its inception following World War II, Arnold has a rich heritage of development support to the U.S. military, NASA and commercial aerospace systems.

Source: Arnold Air Force Base, www.arnold.af.mil

3. FESTIVALS:

Bonnaroo a pilgrimage for music nation

Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. Say no more. It has become one of the nation's biggest music festivals.

• After 10 years the festival attracts more than 80,000 people to the four-day, multistage event on 700 acres of farmland.

• Bonnaroo marked its 10th anniversary in 2011.

Source: Coffee County government

BEST PLACE TO EAT AND WHY

Classic eats, atmosphere

• Jiffy Burger on Hillsboro Avenue in Manchester has authentic home-cooked hamburgers and sides combined with charming memorabilia and decor that complete the homey setting.

• The "Bonnaroo burger" is one of the hottest menu items when festivalgoers hit town.

Source: A Hamburger Today's website, aht.seriouseats.com

Aviation to archaeology

• Population: Manchester, 18,505; Tullahoma, 18,655

• Biggest employers: Arnold Engineering and Development Center, MTek, Batesville Casket

• Number of miles from Chattanooga: 72 miles to Manchester, 80 miles to Tullahoma

• Landmarks or geographical features: Tullahoma and Manchester sit on the edge of the Highland Rim, where the topography is flatter than much of the surrounding area in Central Tennessee.

• Date founded or incorporated: Manchester was incorporated in 1838. Tullahoma was chartered in 1852.

• Historic info: The earliest evidence of humans in the Manchester area dates back nearly 2000 years at Old Stone Fort, a Native American site located at the confluence of the Little Duck and Duck rivers. Tullahoma's beginnings hark back to the period after Tennessee obtained statehood when rail lines were extended into the area and Tullahoma became an important stop on the line from Nashville to Chattanooga. Founders included Gen. William Moore and Pierce Anderson, who named the new town Tullahoma.

• Most famous residents: Charlie Allen, a current country music singer and songwriter

• Odd/unique traditions: The Beechcraft Heritage Museum is a "living and working" aviation museum that traces the lineage of the Beechcraft family of airplanes built since 1932. The museum is adjacent to the Tullahoma Regional Airport and features more than two dozen aircraft, aviation artifacts and memorabilia.

• Unique characteristics/fun facts: Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park is dedicated to the preservation, protection, study and interpretation of the significant survival of ancient culture of the site. Park programs aim to increase understanding of the Old Stone Fort, archaeology and Native American cultures, while the museum teaches about the Old Stone Fort and its setting. The 876-acre park also has a variety of activities including fishing, camping and hiking.

Source: Coffee County Tennessee website

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