Thursday, October 29, 2015
Tennessee Tourism Commissioner Visits Lawrence County Attractions
Press release/ Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce
Tennessee’s Commissioner of Tourist Development was in Lawrence County Wednesday to experience the attractions that draw visitors to this area.
Commissioner Kevin Triplett met briefly with officials at the Chamber of Commerce then toured the historic Crockett Theatre, the Old Jail Museum, and Amish Heritage Farm. He wrapped up his visit with a meal at Shaffer Farms Texas Bar-B-Q.
“I’m very encouraged to see economic development and tourism under the direction of the Chamber of Commerce,” he said. “Tourism creates economic development; it is the second-largest industry in the state. It generated $17.7 billion last year, and that is huge because we are a sales tax-based state, not an income tax-based state.”
Although Tennessee is among the most visited states, tourists average only a 2.9 day stay, Triplett said. His goal is to increase that time and get closer to the seven days that are the average for top states like Florida and California.
The Tennessee Music Pathway is one way he hopes to accomplish that. Visitors who follow the “unbroken circle” will visit sites related to the seven genres of music with Tennessee roots: blues, bluegrass, soul, rockabilly, country, Southern gospel, and rock, and can search for live music events with an associated smart phone app.
“Lawrence County is very excited to be officially represented on the Tennessee Music Pathway, which was announced in early October at the Governor’s Conference on Hospitality and Tourism,” said Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Ethan Hadley. Thanks to the father of Southern gospel, James D. Vaughan, Lawrenceburg is designated as a stopping point on the Pathway on U.S. 64.
The Amish community near Ethridge is already a popular stop along Highway 43. Carlos Wilhite, a Cullman resident who built the Heritage Campground and RV Park and opened the Amish Heritage Farm this year, said about 40,000 visitors came to the area in 2014.
“Last week we had nine people here from Belgium,” he told the Commissioner. “That’s the country of Belgium – not Belgium, Tennessee.” The group had planned their trip, with Internet help, to include visits to Amish Country in Ethridge and New Orleans, period. Wilhite added that the nearby Amish Market’s guest book shows that people from 30 different countries visited that store during the 30 days of September.
He said he invested in the area because he saw an opportunity here to preserve history. His business includes the first home built by the Amish in the area, restored and furnished as an authentic Amish home. Visitors tour it because they cannot go inside Amish residents’ homes, as many want to do.
“I tell people, ‘Would you like a Greyhound bus to pull up outside your house, and people come in and go through your closet? They’re living their lives. This isn’t a zoo up here. These are human beings living their lives, in the way they want to. You have to respect that.’”
Loretto Vice Mayor Ray Methvin talked with Triplett about the many attractions south of Lawrenceburg. He stated that Lawrence County’s position on U.S. 43, between Nashville and Muscle Shoals also opens up the opportunity to serve “transit tourists,” those who stop on their way between two points.
The Commissioner said any of the attractions he saw, and heard about, would add to the time visitors spend in Tennessee.
“We want to take tourism to the next level,” said County Executive T.R. Williams. “I watched people work together to host the Babe Ruth World Series, which was a great success and brought hundreds of people here. We have a lot of momentum now.”
