Big South Fork Tennessee is renowned horse country, but it's so much more than just that. As visitors drive through Fentress County, they'll see bright quilt blocks hung on local barns. In fact, they may come here just to see the quilt blocks, following the Quilt Trail through 27 states and parts of Canada!
The concept of Quilt Barns started with a woman in Ohio who wanted to honor her mother's Appalachian heritage by having a painted quilt hung on her barn. The idea spread, not only brightening up barns but bringing tourists; now there are over 2,000 quilts participating in the Quilt Trail.
Under the auspices of the Sew Sweet Quilting Group in Jamestown, The Fentress County Quilt Trail took shape. After several local barn owners agreed to have a quilt block installed on their barns, art instructors at the Alvin C. York Institute, one of the area's high schools, volunteered to help with the designs and the Volunteer Electric Cooperative assisted in hanging the quilt blocks.
There are 17 barn quilts here in Fentress County now. These three are on Highway 52, between Allardt "four corners" and Jamestown. The Upper Cumberland Tourism Association is preparing brochures and maps for placement in local businesses and in rest stops along Tennessee's interstates.
The Quilt Trails have developed a large following as people plan their vacations to tour the country in order to see the quilts.
For information about Big South Fork real estate or horse properties in Jamestown, Tennessee, go to www.trailridersrealestate.com
There's also a lot of information about the are on Tennessee Recreational Properties' website.
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