Dayton has a perfectly arranged layout in its downtown core. Park your car right outside the…read morecourthouse and walk around each block. It's super easy to navigate and everything is close by on foot. There are quite a few girly shops and antique shops that will make you linger longer. And of course you have to check out the Rhea courthouse widely known for the Scopes trial. Try to come on a weekday so you can check out the Dayton Coffee Shop! There is a terrific park right off the freeway so consider having a picnic during your pit stop. The park is so cute. Happy travels!

Today was amazing! We went to see a castle right here in Tennessee! Floyd "Junior" Banks built the…read morecastle out in Loudon County TN called the Greenback Castle or Fortress of Faith. He dedicated this castle to the Lord and encourages everyone to come out and see it for themselves. He never charges a fee to visit, but donations are very much appreciated. He was excited to meet us and take us for a tour. He is a fascinating gentleman with some really interesting stories. He built the castle himself with donated items over the past 30 years and still works on it. Junior told us he never used a level or measuring device, God guides him. He lives in a house nearby on the many acres of property. I highly recommend touring this incredible castle (AT YOUR OWN RISK) and spending some time listening to Junior. I immediately went on Amazon and bought 2 of his books because he was so intriguing. Fortress of Faith: Art, Science, and Divine Intervention at the Greenback Castle What In Another World Is Going On At The Greenback Castle?

(Not a restaurant) If you love the bizarre and unique visit…read morethe Greenback Castle. A retired old gentleman built this "art project " over 30+ years. And loves to greet people and explain the (mostly religious) meaning of all displays. Fun, weird, unique!

Most historical markers in the east commemorate Revolutionary War and Colonial era skirmishes. Most…read morehistorical markers in the south commemorate Civil War battles. This marker points out a much more contemporary battle, the 1946 McMinn County War, more familiarly called The Battle of Athens. It took place in August 1946. It was a rebellion of a tyrannical local government accused of political corruption and voter intimidation. As World War II veterans returned to their homes at the end of the war, they encountered a corrupt sheriff who preyed on tourists and travelers. There are documented cases of buses passing through the county being pulled over and random passengers ticketed for drunkenness regardless of their intoxication. But they could pay a "fee" to be released. The local sheriff had a system of electoral fraud where ineligible voters were permitted to vote for him and others who might have opposed him were intimidated from voting. When the GIs returned, they organized an opposition party. And as the election came up, the sheriff carried off some of the ballot boxes to the local jail to "count" them. The GIs surrounded the jail after breaking in to the local armory to take guns and other weapons. When the GIs demanded the ballot boxes be brought outside and the deputies refused, there was a firefight. According to local news, "In the end, the door of the jail was dynamited and breached. The barricaded deputies--some with injuries--surrendered, and the ballot boxes were recovered." The next day, the election results were properly counted and certified. The incumbent (corrupt?) sheriff had lost. This was the only successful "modern" rebellion in US history making this a case study of what empowered citizens can do against a government they feel does not represent them. Some more information: https://www.americanheritage.com/battle-athens https://youtu.be/-7KroeJmWHs The historical marker is here. The jail is gone, replaced with an office building and a coffee shop. [Review 18177 overall - 303 in Tennessee - 1699 of 2022.]

TELLIQUAH is a beautiful modern day covered bridge that stretches 230 feet across the Tellico…read moreRiver. It is a Cherokee name that is spelled Tailkwa when properly written and sometimes spelled Telliquo, Tahlequah and Tellico. While the original meaning has been somewhat lost, the word "Talikwa" is thought to be "the open place where the grass grows". The covered structure is approx. 125 feet, but the approaches add an additional 100 feet to the overall length. Completed in June of 2006, this steel and wood bridge sits on a stone-clad arching foundation that makes it very attractive and photogenic. It is actually gated (a covered bridge first for me) because it is a private entrance for the home just across the river, so be respectful and don't block it. We passed it on our way to Bald River Falls and sat eating nearby it @ Iron Works Grille, but I totally forgot to stop and take close up pics when passing it again on our return. Oh well, with the numerous waterfalls in the area, I'm sure I will be back sometime soon for a hike and I'll get better pics then. But if you happen to love covered bridges and find yourself on the 43-mile National Scenic Byway known as Cherohala Skyway (a blended word from Cherokee & Nantahala), its worth stopping. ENJOY! 2022 / 89

A great historic landmark. Books and movies are still produced about the Scopes Trial back in 1925…read more History buffs paradise. The museum exhibits and staff helped bring the Scopes Trial back to life. A great place for school field trips. I would enjoy going again with friends who enjoy history.

So much rich history in this beautiful town. I love most that it mattered to them enough to…read morepreserve not just the pretty things but even the not so pretty things so that we can reflect on where things started.

this ssi office is fantastic !! they are always friendly and helpful . we saw Danny or Denny today…read moreand he answered a plethora of questions I had . vey knowledgeable and helpful this is my favorite social security office!! thank you all for going above and beyond!

What a great place! The facility is impressive…read more The resources are thorough. The people are what really make it! Thoroughly integrated into the community, the library is a great resource. Groups gather for gaming, book clubs and events. Like everything in Athens, it's within 5 minutes of downtown. Adjacent to walking trails and across the street from a community pool and racquet courts. We look forward to seasonal events.

The librarians charged me for books I had already returned. They kept charging me for the books I'd…read morereturned for weeks. They also refused to talk to me about this issue, and seemed to have a bit of a mood when I tried reasoning with them. I haven't been back since. But anyway... The looks of the place are quite alright, though they did some moving about in the past year and it's been a challenge finding some of the books I had read before. Despite that, the place has a good look about it. Some areas do seem a bit dirty, but overall it's very easy to find a place to sit and read without much trouble. The older librarians I'd met seemed rather fine to talk with, and very friendly. I think a few quit some time before the book accident, though, bless them. The movies are also rather fun to watch and look at, but a lot of them are scratched or irreparable, and leaves one with a tiny fear they would be to blame for the damages. (If you are like me, anyway.) My favorite place in there is the back rooms, but only because it's very quiet there, and they showcase people's artwork. Many a talent is nice to look at. Not sure if they allow anyone back there much, but it's still my favorite place, even if I haven't been back in a long while. The internet last I'd been in there had this rather annoying thing where it would just shut off every 30 minutes and you would have to verify yourself or something. It made it hard for me to work and almost impossible to make large downloads. Hopefully they figure that out some. Still, it is how you think it is. Go take a look yourself and have a fun time with it. They have many books to browse over and they have some fine internet. Also there's a sweet desk in the corner by the back next to a plug. It's the best seat there. The holy corner seat. Have the seat of ultimate privacy, friends. B)

I love this library. This has been my main library since I moved within the county and I think it's…read morepretty neat. There's many seating options like tables and cubbies. It's clean and spacious. I love the large windows and natural lighting. There's a large book selection and whenever I'd need help finding a book, people were friendly. Everytime I would swing by though, it seemed like the coffee shop wasn't in use or opened. Maybe I would just come at the wrong times, every time. For the most part, their emails and text messages would be reliable when my books had to be renewed. But for some reason, I never got a reminder like I'd always get and I received a text that my books were overdue and I had fees. I went online and couldn't renew my books or even call in because it was a holiday and the library was closed. So I called when I got the chance after the next few days (it was a holiday WEEKEND, just my luck) and I was told that sometimes patrons don't receive renewal messages. I was also told that I can renew online despite the holds but the website couldn't even let me do that because of the holds I had. So there's some misinformed workers there depending on who you talk to. If the library was consistent and had a great communication service for renewals then I'd give this place 5 stars.

My second "office" for the day was spent here and it was most pleasant. The library is quite large…read moreand comfortable. After some wandering, I was able to find a nice workspace with power outlets in a quiet area. With laptops up and running, connected to their free wifi, I did a couple of Zoom calls, send a bunch of emails and even managed to write a Yelp review or two. Fiction, non-fiction, periodicals, reference, media, this is a large library and they seem to be ready to help. They even have computers, but I think you need to be a local resident to use those. The wifi? Free for anyone to use. [Review 18850 overall - 373 in Tennessee - 2373 of 2022.]