Western Tennessee

Western Tennessee, more often known as West Tennessee, is the region of Tennessee west of the Tennessee River. The region also includes all of Hardin County, a rural county on the state's borders with Alabama and Mississippi that is bisected by the Tennessee River.

Cities

• 1 Bartlett
• 2 Jackson
• 3 Memphis — First city of the blues and the home of rock 'n' roll.
• 4 Paris
• 5 Brownsville
• 6 Savannah
• 7 Union City

Other destinations

• 1 Kentucky Lake
• 2 Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area

Get in

There are many roads that lead in and out of the region. The to main interstates that come into West Tennessee is I-40 through Nashville, I-155 into Dyersburg from Missouri, and I-40 and I-55 into Memphis from Arkansas and Mississippi, respectively.

Get around

The only way plausible way to get around West Tennessee is to drive.

See

• 1 Fort Pillow State Historic Park, 3122 Park Rd, Henning, ☏ +1 731 738-5581. Daily 8AM-4:30PM. Site of the Civil War Battle of Fort Pillow, where some 300 African American Union soldiers were brutally massacred by Nathan Bedford Forrest's men upon his orders after surrendering. (updated Aug 2021)
• 2 Alex Haley Museum and Interpretive Center, 200 Church St, Henning, ☏ +1 731 738-2240. Tu-Sa 10AM-5PM. Boyhood home of the author of the intergenerational African American epic Roots. (updated Aug 2021)
• 3 Tipton County Museum, 751 Bert Johnston Ave, Covington, ☏ +1 901 476-0242. Tu-Sa 9AM-5PM. Regional museum, military artifacts, mounted animals, etc. (updated Sep 2021)
• 4 Patsy Cline Memorial, 2082 Mt Carmel Rd, Camden. Marks the site where the country western star and several of her contemporaries perished in a plane crash in 1963. There is not much here, but for the ardent fans it may mean a lot. (updated Aug 2021)
• 5 David Crockett Cabin, 219 N Trenton St, Rutherford, ☏ +1 731 665-6195. Replica of David "Davy" Crockett's last home, before he went to Texas and died at the Alamo, along with the grave of his mother. (updated Sep 2021)
• 6 West Tennessee Agricultural Museum, 3A Ledbetter Gate Rd, Milan, ☏ +1 731 686-8067. M-F 8AM-4PM. This place is notable for its exhibits on the no-till technique in farming devised here that drew attention internationally. Free. (updated Oct 2021)

Do

• 1 Nathan Bedford Forrest State Park, 1825 Pilot Knob Rd, Eva. In spite of the somewhat galling name, this park offers the opportunity to experience Kentucky Lake and the Tennessee River Folklife Interpretive Center. (updated Aug 2021)
• 2 Tennessee Safari Park, 618 Conley Rd, ☏ +1 731 696-4423. M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su noon-5PM (Last car in at 4). A drive-thru zoo where some 80 species roam about and where ungulates such as baby giraffes will want to eat from your car. $20 adults, $12 kids, $3 food cup. (updated Oct 2021)

Eat

Expect Southern cuisine; that is, don't be surprised if asking, "What is grits?" gets some funny looks.

Drink

While you're in West Tennessee, or the South in general, you should try sweet tea.

Stay safe

If driving, with the exception of the interstate in most cases, at dusk or night, keep an eye out for deer. West Tennessee has a large population of deer and they will cross the road. Deer are usually the most active between 6-10PM If a deer does try to cross while you are driving, aim your car to where the deer is at, not where the animal is going.

Go next

• East Tennessee - The Eastern Grand Division of Tennessee with valleys and ridges plus several ranges of the Appalachian Mountains
• Middle Tennessee - The Middle Grand Division extends east from the Tennessee River including both the Central Basin and the Highland Rim. It is the state's most prosperous area, including cities such as Nashville.