Winchester puts you right in the heart of serious recreational opportunities, whether you like fishing, boating, horseback riding or golfing. Visitors can also find a variety of places to eat and shop in the downtown area, getting a taste of the city's old and new traditions. If you want a taste of Tennessee heritage, y0u can find a healthy portion at one of the local festivals.
Located at the edge of the Cumberland Plateau and about an hour's drive west from Chattanooga or 45 minutes northeast of Huntsville, Ala., Winchester also offers a welcoming place for overnight stays within day tripping range to nearby Monteagle Mountain or the Nashville scene.
Sources: franklincountychamber.com, suburbanstats.org, winchester-tn.com, tennesseeencyclopedia.net, tnstateparks.com; winchester-tn.com/things-to-do/festivals/thunder-over-the-lake--firework-extravaganza
FAST FACTS
* Location: Franklin County* Population: 8,530* Time zone: Central Time Zone* Founded: Nov. 22, 1809* Famous residents: Frontiersman and folk hero Davy Crockett (stationed during the War of 1812); financial investment pioneer Sir John Templeton; entertainer Dinah Shore; College Football Hall of Famer Phillip Fulmer
WHAT TO DO
* Rising Sun Redbud Music Fest: Check out live music, food, craft vendors and more at the second annual celebration of the Rising Sun redbud tree, created by Jackson’s Nursery. All works exhibited and sold at the festival must be original, designed and constructed by the exhibiting artists. The event kicks off Sept. 9 at 3 p.m. (Winchester Kiwanis Club Amphitheater, 135 First Ave. NW; winchesterdowntown.com)* Fall Heritage Festival: Nearby Cowan, Tenn., hosts the Fall Heritage Festival the third week of September. It features food, music, juried arts and crafts, Civil War presentations, a beauty pageant, and a cruise-in with classic and antique automobiles. This year the event takes place Sept. 15-17. (108 Front St. S, Cowan, Tenn.; 931-563-3868; fallheritagefestival.info)* Merchants Christmas Open House: Downtown stores get in the mood for seasonal shopping with pre-holiday window displays. This annual event invites visitors to take a stroll downtown, sample refreshments and check out the Christmas bargains. Merchants Christmas Open House happens the first weekend in November. (winchester-tn.com/things-to-do/festivals/merchants-christmas-open-house)* High on the Hog Festival: This annual barbecue event has been going strong for over 30 years and takes place in the third week of April. The High on the Hog Festival features a Kansas City Barbeque Society-sanctioned competition, family attractions, a motorcycle run and a free concert in Winchester City Park. The next one happens April 20-21 in 2018. (1561 Phillip Fulmer Pkwy.; 931-607-7879; highonthehogfestival.com)* Thunder over the Lake: The Winchester Fourth of July “fireworks extravaganza” begins at dark on Independence Day each year. Winchester City Park and boats on Tims Ford Lake offer the best views. Bring lawn chairs and picnic goodies and enjoy the show.
WHERE TO EAT
Local restaurant cuisine has just about anything you’re hungry for, whether you want down-home cooking, burgers, barbecue, Italian, Mexican or Chinese. Coffee hounds and the sweet tooth crowd can get their fix, too.* Camino Real Mexican Restaurant (1106 Dinah Shore Blvd.; 931- 968-9930)* Designer Cakes and Cookies (9 S. College St. #2; 931-308-6372; designercakesandcookies.com)* Evergreen Chinese Super Buffet (2625 Decherd Blvd.; 931-967-0988)* JD’s Country Buffet (626 David Crockett Hwy.; 931-967-9952)* John T’s BBQ (115 First Ave. NE.; 931-967-9600; johntbbq.com/Home_Page.php)* Oasis Steakhouse (708 S. College St.; 931-962-4411)* Raphael’s Pizzeria & Restaurant (2659 Decherd Blvd.; 931-962-4997)* Reggie’s Fish-N-Chicken (11 S. College St.; 931-967-8809)* San Miguel Coffee Co. (18 S. Jefferson St.; 931-967-9197)
BE SURE TO CHECK OUT
* Downtown Winchester: Visitors can find shopping and entertainment in the city’s revitalized downtown spaces, which offer classic architecture mixed with natural beauty. The Winchester Downtown Facade — the results of a 2010 rehabilitation program for buildings surrounding the courthouse square — features two clothing boutiques, a dance studio and a furniture and decor store. The landmark Oldham Theater, a renovated movie house, shows new films.Winchester also offers a number of tranquil grounds dedicated to the memories of those who have gone before, including the Old Winchester Cemetery, the Confederate Cemetery and Harvey’s Garden, dedicated to the late Harvey Templeton.* Tims Ford Lake: Winchester snuggles right up against the 1,321-acre Tims Ford State Park, home to one of the most picturesque lakes in the state and at the top of the list of lakes for recreation and fishing in the Southeast. Inside the park, Lakeview Marina offers pontoon boat rentals, a boat launch and courtesy dock. Visitors can also rent from a small inventory of kayaks and canoes. (lakeviewmarinatimsford.com) Other amenities include a snack bar, bait shop and fish-cleaning space.Golfers can hit a few rounds at Bear Trace, a Jack Nicklaus Signature Course. (tngolftrail.net/beartrace/timsford)For overnight stays, the park has 20 cabins — complete with appliances, cooking/serving utensils and linens — on the wooded slopes above the lake. Two campgrounds can accommodate tent or RV campers. Permits may be obtained from the park office to camp on any of the lake’s six islands. (tnstateparks.com/parks/about/tims-ford)* Old Jail Museum: Located within walking distance of downtown Winchester, the Old Jail Museum houses artifacts dating back to the pioneer and Civil War eras. The museum collection, described as “a unique time capsule,” also includes hometown celebrity Dinah Shore memorabilia. Admission is $1 for adults, 50 cents for children. The museum is closed November-February. (400 Dinah Shore Blvd.; 931- 967-0524)* Cowan Railroad Museum: Located in nearby Cowan, Tenn., the museum gives visitors a glimpse at the town’s railroad roots. The site has a 1920 Porter steam locomotive, a General Electric diesel switch engine and a collection of artifacts. The museum is open May-October. (108 Front St., Cowan, Tenn.; 931- 967-3078; cowanrailroadmuseum.org)
HISTORY
Winchester was named in honor of pioneering entrepreneur James Winchester (Feb. 26, 1752 - July 26, 1826) of Westminster, Md., who served as a captain in the American Revolution and a brigadier general in the War of 1812. He was the first speaker of the Tennessee Legislature and on the commission tasked with regulating the boundary between Tennessee and Missouri. With Andrew Jackson and John Overton, he founded Memphis in 1819. In the last decade of his life, Winchester established a steam boat company and surveyed the boundary between the Chickasaw Nation and Tennessee.