Contributed PhotoAll eyes in the equestrian world are focused on small-town Shelbyville the first week in September.
The annual 11-day Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration is underway through Sept. 5, and fans of the high-steppers are watching to see whether history will be made again this year. Last year’s winner, I Am Jose, became the first back-to-back world champion walking horse chosen in the national event since 1956.
But there’s also plenty to do in Shelbyville the remaining 354 days of the year. Country music fans will want to check the town square where Miranda Lambert filmed a music video, as well as shop the boutiques, grab a bite and just enjoy small-town Southern hospitality.
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*Two Ways to See the Town*Visitors have a choice of old-school touring by foot or the new tech-friendly Jack Trail to discover Shelbyville. The Jack Trail is a 348-mile, self-guided tour that starts and ends in Nashville, but loops through 11 counties in between. It is part of a state initiative by Discover Tennessee to guide visitors to what lies off the beaten path. The geocaching feature went live in November.Walking Tour: Loop the historic courthouse square to visit the 19th-century Rock Jail, boutiques, restaurants, antiques shops and admire architecture dating to the early 1800s.The Jack Tour: Geochache boxes are hidden in 10 locations around Bedford County. Download the Jack Trail app from iTunes or download a trail map from tntrailsandbyways.com.*Source: Stephanie Crosslin, Shelbyville Chamber of Commerce
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Week of ‘Celebration’Horse lovers from around the world converge on Shelbyville at the end of August for the annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration — or just “The Celebration” for short.> More than a quarter-million tickets are sold each year.> A book of tickets for all 11 nights is $100. Reserved seats for individual nights run from $7 for opening night to $20 for the final night.> The Celebration grounds include an outdoor arena that seats 30,000; Calsonic Arena, which seats up to 7,000; and a stables area with 1,200 stalls.Source: twhnc.com
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Fun FactIn 1991, the world’s longest pencil was produced in Shelbyville: a plastic-case pencil 1,091 feet long, weighing 27 pounds.Source: Wikipedia
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Shelbyville at a Glance> Shelbyville is the seat of Bedford County, which encompasses 475 square miles in the center of the state. It’s about a 90-minute drive from Chattanooga.> Population: 20,335> Biggest employer: Tyson Foods with 1,337 employees> Century Farms: Bedford County is home to 26 farms classified as “century farms,” meaning these properties have been in the same family 100 years or more. n The oldest: The Roberts farm dating back to 1811> Famous residents: Rex Brothers, a baseball star drafted by the Colorado Rockies; actress Sondra Locke, who co-starred with her (then) boyfriend Clint Eastwood in six moviesSource: Shelbyville Chamber of Commerce, Salute magazine, imdb.com
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Hip to Be This SquareShelbyville’s town square, laid out in 1810, has served as the prototype for town squares throughout the South.> It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places.> The town square was the set for country superstar Miranda Lambert’s filming of her “Famous In a Small Town” video.Source: Shelbyville Chamber of Commerce, Tennessee Department of Tourist Development
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What’s In a Name?Shelbyville is named in honor of Isaac Shelby, Revolutionary War hero.Shelbyville began as a settlement in 1810 and incorporated nine years later.Shelbyville was nicknamed “Pencil City” by former Gov. Buford Ellington because of its history as a manufacturing center of wood-cased pencils. Writing instruments are still manufactured there.Source: Bedford County Historical Society, Shelbyville Chamber of Commerce
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Top 5 Places to EatTripadvisor.com users give top ratings to these eateries:1. Coffee Break (soup, sandwiches, salads)121 Southside Square931-680-25522. Legends of Shelbyville (steakhouse)1609 N. Main931-680-74733. Uncle Sonny’s Bar-B-Que (barbecue, fried pies)1505 N. Main931-684-90104. Huddle House (breakfast)1209 N. Main St.931-685-00825. Bocelli (Italian)102 E. Depot St.931-680-9579