Happy 4th Of July

Crossville, Tennessee

Weather: low 56 degrees, high 80 degrees, mostly cloudy skies

Today is the 233rd birthday of the Declaration of Independence. Even though we have many problems in our country, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. How many people are trying to get out of the US? It seems everyone is trying to get in. Happy Birthday, America.

We did a little brainstorming (that didn't take long) on what to do for the holiday. The decision was made to take a ride north on Tennessee 127 to the little town of Jamestown. Why go there? Well, it was a place we haven't been to on a road we haven't traveled. Enough reason for us. It turned out to be a good decision, as the route led through some beautiful rolling countryside dotted with farms and woods. About 35 miles up the road, we entered Jamestown, which was established in 1828 on the site of an old Cherokee Indian village.

This is a picture of the Fentress County Courthouse, located in Jamestown. The town is rather small, having less than 2,000 residents in the last census. Even though the town is that small, they have some interesting history, including the fact that John Clemens, father of Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) lived here before moving his family to Missouri. Alvin C. York, Medal of Honor winner in World War 1, was born, raised, and died in Fentress County. He established the Alvin C. York Agricultural Institute, a high school in Jamestown.

We continued north on Tennessee 127 when we left Jamestown, looking for Pall Mall, where Alvin York lived and is buried. Little did we know the kind of road that Tennessee 127 would become. About three miles outside Jamestown, we encountered signs that cautioned us about steep down grades, land slides, and falling rocks. The signs were not kidding. For just a moment, I thought we were back out west in the real mountains. The state appears to be building a new road to replace this bad section, but it will probably take 2-3 more years. Eventually, we made it to the bottom and soon after, saw the sign that directed us to the Alvin York memorial, located in the Wolf River Cemetery. It was easy to find the memorial, since it really stands out. Standing there and reading the words on the memorial, I could see how Alvin was content to spend his life in that peaceful little valley.

It was late in the afternoon by the time we returned to the RV. We were not with family today, but we can't think of a better way to celebrate the holiday than to relive some history and remember the life of an American hero on the 4th of July.

More later, be safe.

Today's Town - Jamestown, Tennessee: Hometown Of Roger Crouch, Astronaut

Not all who wander are lost.