You Could Spend Forever Exploring This Tennessee Small Town, But We'll Settle For A Weekend
By Chris Dodge|Published June 06, 2023
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Chris Dodge
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My name is Chris Dodge and I love to bring my family along for many adventures. We love to inspire others to get outside too. We have a whole YouTube Channel dedicated to it called Adventuring in the Moment. With videos or writing, I try to bring the best that the outdoors has to offer.
From east to west from north to south, Tennessee is certainly filled with amazing small towns. The southern charm, friendly people, and interesting history make Pulaski, Tennessee, the destination of choice for today’s article. This small town is filled with life and the deeper you dig the more and more you can uncover. It is almost impossible to experience it all in one trip, so I will give you what a perfect weekend looks like for me in Pulaski. I have been playing catch up with the Only In Your State podcast called Not Your Average Bucket List and the first season features small towns across America. My favorite section is where the hosts walk through what a perfect day looks like for them in the town they are featuring for that episode. It has inspired me to write my own itinerary for our very own middle Tennessee gem.
First off, we will start with a couple of fun facts... because who doesn’t love fun facts?
They are fun, it's in the name. (Sorry - bad dad joke...) The town of Pulaski got its name from the American Revolutionary War hero, Kazimierz Pulaski. This Polish warrior saved the life of George Washington during combat and was awarded honorary U.S. citizenship, which has only happened seven times in our country. The town is also known as the turkey capital of Tennessee, because of the large amount of turkeys that roam around the town's rural areas. See, wasn’t that fun?
Once I start my day the first course of action has to be the historic Milkyway Farm.
There is something magical about visiting a farm early in the morning but this isn’t just any old farm, no this is the original home of Frank Mars, the creator of a popular candy bar. After the success of these tasty chocolates, he bought a farm right here in Pulaski. Tours are offered and allow you to walk through the restored and carefully maintained farm manor and property. The land is beautiful and getting a chance to see this incredible piece of history is sure to be a fascinating experience.
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When it comes time to grab something to eat there is no better place than The Southern Table. Ryann Yokely is a Pulaski native who got a masterclass in culinary expertise from Nashville and brought that big-city flavor back to his hometown.
The menu is filled with flavorful delicacies. Each meal and dish is plated to perfection and almost too beautiful to eat... almost. I would have to wrestle with the choices for a bit, but because I am such a carnivore I might settle for a bacon pimento burger. Then again, the fried catfish looks way too tasty to pass up -- after all, it is a Southern classic. Either way, I would definitely be finishing off with a signature dessert, because who could not want something so tasty?
Resist the urge to take a big nap after such an amazing meal; I suggest some more historical exploring. The town is filled with historically significant places. Several people in town feel it necessary to preserve the past so we can learn from it.
A couple of must-see places would include the Giles County Courthouse. This building is often revered as one of the most impressive courthouses in the state and would have to agree with that assessment. Built in 1811, this building underwent three reconstructions over the years after extensive fire damage *and* survived the Civil War. Other places that would be must-sees for my visit would be the Trail of Tears Monument and learn more about the Civil War at the Sam Davis Memorial Museum.
You can really learn a lot by tracing the path of history. For better or worse, the past can shape the future -- and remembering these things is vital to moving forward.
Fortunately, Pulaski is filled with places like this to glean a little of that understanding. When it comes to retire for the night I would stay in a log cabin to relive the pioneering days of our state. This log cabin was built in the 1800s and will be an amazing place to rest my head after an exciting day of historical immersion.
The next morning, I'd seize the opportunity to explore a bit more of the downtown district.
I would hit up any more historical sites I might have missed the day before and do a little perusing around the unique shops. With more historical finds at antique stores or crafty one-of-a-kind gifts, you can easily spend the day wandering the lovely downtown area of Pulaski, Tennessee!
The small town of Pulaski, Tennessee, might not seem like much at first glance, but it is a town busting with historical value and unique things to see and do. If you catch your trip at just the right time you can join in on one of their annual events like the famous Here Is The Beef Festival. With barnyard-themed fun for the whole family, you can easily make this a weeklong stay. What would you do with just a weekend in Pulaski? Let us know in the comments below.
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