Springfield, Tennessee - World's Finest Dark Fired Tobacco

Sometimes you make a wrong turn; and as a result, you do indeed learn that every road tells a story....

Springfield, Tenn - World's Finest Dark Fired Tobacco (Photo courtesy of Volunteer Voices Collection - University of Tennessee Digital Archives)

That is how the subject for this feature came about. On a business trip, I took a wrong turn leaving the plant I was visiting to head back to my hotel. South of downtown Springfield, I came upon what is known as Old State Highway 11 and came across this unique historical marker below. Which of course I stopped to take a photo or two and investigate.

The historical marker reads:

After the 1928 tobacco crop netted local farmer five million dollars, Robertson County attained the designation of the largest & finest quality dark fired tobacco in the world. Local businessmen erected at this location on the Dixie Highway an illuminated sign which remained until 1972.

The historical marker is new, as it was erected in February 2016. Though attempts were made in the 1980s and 90s to restore the original sign and find a new home for it, the arch has since fallen into private ownership and repurposed.

Although the arch is no more, there is one piece of this unique entrance into Springfield remaining. One of the two stone pillars still stands.

There also appears to have been a second arch along what was once US 41 and the Dixie Highway. This arch to the North of town celebrated the $5 million tobacco windfall. Currently, there are no known photos of this particular sign. Both signs included light bulbs that allowed it to stand out and greet motorists day or night.

This small stretch of highway where I discovered this little piece of history has a unique story of its own. The stretch of highway which runs about eight miles from Springfield through Greenbrier before ending near Ridgetop once carried the Dixie Highway, TN 11, and finally US 41. During the Auto Trails Era, the Dixie Highway was one of the major North/South highways in the country. The western segment of this route would run through Springfield as it headed south towards Nashville. As states began to develop their own highway systems, the road gained the Tennessee State Highway 11 designation. Finally, in 1926, just prior to the signs being installed, US 41 would be routed through town on this alignment.

Though the sign is no more, this little piece of history made a wrong turn and what would appear to be a non-descript rural road have a story of its own.

How to get there:

Comments

Former US Route 50 and the Pioneer Route Lincoln Highway on Johnson's Pass Road

Johnson's Pass Road is one of the oldest highway corridors in California. Johnson's Pass was part of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road as it was completed during 1856 over the Sierra Nevada. The pass would later be incorporated into the Pioneer Branch of the Lincoln Highway in 1913 and US Route 50 in 1926. Johnson's Pass Road would be bypassed by a new alignment of US Route 50 over Echo Summit in 1938. A replacement of the Meyers Grade east of Johnson's Pass would be opened to traffic in 1947. Johnson's Pass Road remains accessible to traffic and is still signed by the Lincoln Highway Association. Pictured as the blog cover is the view from the top of Johnson's Pass Road overlooking modern US Route 50 and Lake Tahoe. Part 1; the history of Johnson's Pass Much of the history of what become the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road is discussed in the September 1950 California Highways & Public Works during its Centennial Edition. The or...

Former US Route 50 and the South Lincoln Highway from Folsom east to Placerville

The corridor of Folsom of Sacramento County east to Placerville of El Dorado County has been a long established corridor of overland travel dating back to the California Gold Rush. The Folsom-Placerville corridor was once part of the path of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road which became the first California State Highway and later the South Lincoln Highway. In time the South Lincoln Highway's surface alignment was inherited by US Route 50. The Folsom-Placerville corridor also includes the communities of; Clarksville, Shingle Springs and El Dorado. Part 1; the history of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road, South Lincoln Highway and US Route 50 through Folsom-Placerville Folsom is located on the American River/Lake Natoma of eastern Sacramento County. That lands now occupied by the City of Folsom were part of Rancho Rio de los Americanos prior to the finding of gold at Sutter's Mill during 1848. During the California Gold Rush the lands of Rancho Rio de los Americanos were p...

Old NC 10 - The Central Highway: Old Fort to Black Mountain through the Royal Gorge

A unique way of tracing the remnants of the Central Highway is through the mountainous terrain of Eastern Buncombe and Western McDowell Counties. From the east on US 70, you reach the base of Blue Ridge Mountains at the town of Old Fort. Old Fort is a tiny rail town that the old Central Highway and now US 70 goes through. The Central Highway can be followed via a right onto Mill Creek Road from US 70. Follow the highway as it takes you closer to the mountains. When Mill Creek Road bears right to head towards Andrews Geyser stay straight until the road ends at a gate. The nearby Piney Grove Church can be used for parking. At this point, the old Central Highway began a 3.5 mile climb of the mountain to Swannanoa Gap. NC 10 and later US 70 travelers followed this road for over 30 years until a new and modern four lane US 70 was built to the south. This same four lane road would eventually become Interstate 40. The Centra...

Gribblenation

Search This Blog