Wartrace

This town's unusual name comes from "trace," an old word for road, and the fact that various Indians traveled up and down it to fight each other. Wartrace reached its peak as a railroad junction, when its one hotel was built. This hamlet is known as the "Cradle of the Tennessee Walking Horse," for the owner of the hotel trained a horse, Strolling Jim, who in 1939 became the first Tennessee Walking Horse Grand Champion. The event that eventually became the Walking Horse Celebration got its start in Wartrace, but was later moved to Shelbyville.

Eager to emulate the success of Bell Buckle, its neighboring town, Wartrace is beginning to recognize its heritage, spruce up its buildings, and attract visitors. Much of the downtown is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A steady stream of musicians come to Wartrace to buy Gallagher guitars, which are handcrafted here.

The center of town is the Walking Horse Hotel (931/389-7050). This is where many of the early decisions about developing the breed were made. The first grand champion, Strolling Jim, is buried behind the building, which displays Walking Horse memorabilia. The hotel, built in 1917, is on the National Register. The first floor contains the Strolling Jim Restaurant and the Chais Music Hall. The Hall, named for the late wife of the owner, offers dances on Saturday nights, and the restaurant is open Wednesday through Saturday nights with a brunch on Sundays.

Wartrace is also the home of a unique eatery/museum called Hillbilly Willy's, so named for the rustic character who adorned the early bottles of Mountain Dew. The food is basically sodas and ice cream, and the museum is full of items related to Mountain Dew and said to be the fourth largest such collection in the world. Hillbilly Willy's is located at 104 Main Street and is open Mon. - Sat. from 10:30 until 4:30. Call (931)389-0324.

Further information about Wartrace can be found at the Chamber of Commerce.