Interstate 81 is over 800 miles of history, natural wonders, and quirky tourist attractions. Beginning just northeast of Knoxville, Tennessee, I-81 travels through six states, and ends at the border with Canada.
A noble Doberman pinscher represents hundreds of heroic war dogs that served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II. Although most were Doberman pinschers, German shepherds, Labrador retrievers and occasionally, a collie served during the war as sentries, messengers, and scouts. But they also served other roles to the Marines who served with them...devoted friend, confidant, trusted companion.
The War Dog Memorial, an exact replica of the official memorial in Guam, was donated to the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine by Dr. Maurice Acree July 17, 1998. It honors not only the war dogs, but symbolizes the special connection people share with dogs.
The Airplane Service Station, also known as the Powell Airplane, is a service station built in 1930 in the shape of an airplane. Located at 6829 Clinton Highway in Powell, a neighborhood in Knox County, Tennessee, it is on the National Register of Historic Places.The station was built by brothers Elmer and Henry Nickle. Their intent was to increase business by having a service station that was visually unique, both to area residents and to travelers on newly widened U.S. Highway 25. Elmer Nickle had a strong interest in airplanes, and so the station was constructed in the Fantastic architectural style in the shape of an airplane. It just reopened as a barber shop.
Davy Crockett is a genuine American hero. As a frontiersman, politician, and warrior, he won acclaim and a permanent place in the lore that forms the history of America. He may be best known a martyr at the Alamo in Texas' battle for independence.
A replica of the Crockett family well was constructed on the site of the original (located in 1949) for the Centennial celebration. Representatives from the Alamo visited the city. Leaders from Morristown visited San Antonio, TX. Proceeds from the Centennial celebration were sought by the local APTA chapter to build a memorial to the Crockett family. Groundbreaking for the site was held on August 17, 1956. The initial idea was to build a formal museum with a statue of the Alamo hero out in front.
I tent camped there and had a good experience. It was on grass which is my favorite surface. The camp hosts were friendly and helpful. They have a trail that overlooks the river and some information on Davy Crockett in the museum. They have showers too. It costs $15 to tent camp without electricity. It was quiet at night; I did not here any road noise from road warriors since it's not near an interstate. It's in the foothills of the mountains and is not that scenic, but pretty enough.
Bays Mountain Park, located in beautiful Kingsport, Tennessee, is a 3,550-acre nature preserve and the largest city-owned park in the state of Tennessee. Offering a variety of features, visitors to Bays Mountain Park can enjoy a picturesque 44-acre lake, a Nature Center with a state-of-the-art Planetarium Theater, Animal Habitats featuring wolves, bobcats, raptors and reptiles, and anAdventure Ropes Course complete with a 300-ft. zip line. Outdoor enthusiasts can take advantage of the park’s 38 miles of trails forhiking, running, sight-seeing, exploration and mountain biking.
Interpretive exhibits on 18th-century history plus a trail with signs detailing events of the area. The historic Sycamore Shoals State Park is located along the banks of the Watauga River flowing through Elizabethton, Tennessee --- before and during the American Revolutionary War, this area in present day Northeast Tennessee was actually within the western frontier of North Carolina.
Sycamore Shoals State Park showcases a reconstruction of a colonial frontier fort that was the setting of both the Transylvania Purchase and the September 26, 1780 mustering of the "Overmountain Men" American Patriots who undertook a trek over the Appalachian Mountain range to find, attack, and defeat British American Loyalist troops under the command of British Major Patrick Ferguson at the October 7, 1780 Battle of Kings Mountain, North Carolina.
Stop over to Mountainside Cemetery to see the grave of Dr. Pepper. To be sure, the fabled doctor had no role in the making of the delicious soft drink, rather the inventor chose to honor the beverage with his namesake.
The Museum’s collection includes approximately 2,500 objects, including more than 50 pieces of rolling stock—locomotives and other rail cars—including the largest collection of diesel locomotives in the South. The Museum has expanded its collection to include automotive, aviation, transit, and other artifacts and frequently exhibits loaned objects.
A pretty cool sight although the entry fee is a little steep for just a viewing of the bridge. I recommend going to the National Bridge Zoo thats just down the way from the bridge. The zoo is low budget zoo that outshines any other zoo including the San Diego zoo! If your a hands on type a person you'll have a blast. Llamas followed us through out the park and baby flamingos on their daily walk, climbed right over my feet!Beautiful spot for a walk, and you'll get some great nature photos along the way. The butterfly museum is small, but they have a wide variety. Be sure to enjoy a hotdog at the snack stand! hundreds of years from twenty stories of solid limestone rock; then descend 34 stories and explore the deepest caverns on the East Coast; and see colorful, exotic butterflies flutter in the new Butterflies at the Bridge - Virginia's largest indoor butterfly garden.
Stopped here yesterday. We loved going through all the period houses, many of which have been carefully disassembled from their original locations and reassembled on the museum grounds, otherwise have been constructed in accordance with archaeological and historical records. You'll see workers in costumes reenacting daily jobs such as spinning thread, gardening, splitting wood, iron forging, tending to animals. Worth checking out! Adults are only $10 and it's just off the highway. The Frontier Culture Museum tells the story of the thousands of people who migrated to colonial America, and of the life they created here for themselves and their descendents. These first pioneers came to America during the 1600s and 1700s from communities in the hinterlands of England, Germany, Ireland, and West Africa. Many were farmers and rural craftsmen set in motion by changing conditions in their homelands, and drawn to the American colonies by opportunities for a better life. Others came as unwilling captives to work on farms and plantations. Regardless of how they arrived, all became Americans, and all contributed to the success of the colonies, and of the United States.
To tell the story of these early immigrants and their American descendents, the Museum has moved or reproduced examples of traditional rural buildings from England, Germany, Ireland, West Africa, and America. The Museum engages the public at these exhibits with a combination of interpretive signage and living history demonstrations. The outdoor exhibits are located in two separate areas: the Old World and America. The Old World exhibits show rural life and culture in four homelands of early migrants to the American colonies. The American exhibits show the life these colonists and their descendents created in the colonial backcountry, how this life changed over more than a century, and how life in the United States today is shaped by its frontier past.
The Wishing Well is a 6-foot deep pool of water at Luray Caverns where visitors toss coins and even paper money. Once a year, all of the coins are removed and donated to various charities. So far, since 1954 almost a million dollars has been collected and donated.
Since discovery in 1878 by a tinsmith and a local photographer, visitors by the millions have made Luray Caverns the most popular cave in Eastern America and an internationally acclaimed destination.
Luray Caverns, a U.S. Natural Landmark, is noted for the profuse variety of formations and unsurpassed natural color. From well-lighted, paved walkways explore cathedral-sized rooms with ceilings 10 stories high, filled with towering stone columns and crystal-clear pools.
Also, hear the haunting sounds of the Great Stalacpipe Organ, the world’s largest musical instrument. This most unique one-of-a-kind instrument uses stalactites covering 3 1/2 acres of the surrounding caverns to produce tones of symphonic quality when electronically tapped by rubber-tipped mallets.
The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley interprets the art, history, and culture of the great valley for which it is named. This regional museum complex includes a historic house dating to the 18th century, six acres of spectacular gardens, and a museum designed by internationally recognized architect Michael Graves. The museum is open year-round, and the house and gardens are open March through November. All are open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday; closed Mondays and major holidays. An admission fee is charged. Gorgeous gardens, great for a scenic route.
Tatiana Danger
Roadtrippers co-founder. When I grow up I'm going to be Indiana Jones or a professional pizza tester. Current Status: Mom to Bruce and Nina.