Fentress County on the Cumberland Plateau in north-central Tennessee is bisected by U.S. 127. Before the interstate system, the highway was a major corridor through the region, then came I-75 to the east and I-40 to the south. In the mid-1980s, Fentress County Executive Mike Walker came up with an idea to get tourists to venture off the interstate and back through his county once again: host a giant yard sale for a few days along the 127 corridor. Unlikely as it seemed, the idea worked. This year, the 127 Corridor Sale, now more commonly known as "The World's Longest Yard Sale," is back for its 24th installment and stretches far beyond the borders of Fentress County, running 675 miles between Michigan and Alabama. It takes place over four days starting the first Thursday of each August. Traffic slows to a crawl along certain sections of the highway as travelers search for secondhand deals and hidden treasures in private yards, vacant lots, open fields and public parks where vendors set up tables and tents to hawk their wares flea market-style. The giant sale also provides a good opportunity to get off the interstate and do some exploring in the scenic small towns and natural sites that line the 127 corridor.
3 stops along the way
Jamestown, Tenn.
Jamestown is the county seat of Fentress County as well as the birthplace and headquarters of the yard sale. The tiny town contains many historic buildings and is home to Tennessee's oldest winery -- Highland Manor Winery (www.highlandmanorwinery.net), located on U.S. 127. This section of 127 is called the York Highway, after Sgt. Alvin York, the legendary World War I hero who called the area home. York's family farm is 10 miles north of Jamestown and now a state park that includes the gristmill York once operated on the banks of the Wolf River. Also nearby, the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area protects the Big South Fork section of the Cumberland River and its many tributaries. Outdoor recreational activities abound inside this National Park Service area, such as hiking along scenic bluffs and down into gorges and river paddling adventures.
Fort Payne, Ala.
U.S. 127 ends in Chattanooga, but the yard sale continues south along the Lookout Mountain Parkway all the way to Gadsden, Ala. Fort Payne makes a nice hub for exploring the natural wonders of the area. Some natural spots worth seeking out are 104-foot-high Desoto Falls and Little River Canyon, one of the deepest canyons east of the Mississippi River. The falls are part of Desoto State Park, and the canyon is protected as the Little River Canyon National Preserve. Be sure to take a detour from your treasure hunting for a drive on Ala. 176 along the west side of Little River Canyon. This winding stretch of rim-top road has many overlooks with waterfall views and colorful canyon vistas. Downtown Fort Payne is a good spot for antique shopping -- stop at the Big Mill Antique Mall, housed in a circa-1888 renovated factory building at 151 Eighth St. For country music fans, a museum dedicated to the multiplatinum group Alabama, which calls Fort Payne home, is one of the town's more popular attractions.
Harrodsburg, Ky.
When Harrodsburg was founded in 1774, it was considered to be the edge of the American frontier. Now it is a historic small town in the heart of the Bluegrass Region of central Kentucky, 32 miles southwest of Lexington. The rolling countryside is filled with farms, and the downtown area is a National Register Historic District with preserved buildings and streetscapes that conjure up bygone eras of American history. Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill (www.shakervillageky.org) is a restored 19th-century Shaker community nearby that is now a living history museum that also offers dining and overnight accommodations in period buildings. Shaker Village also maintains a 3,000-acre nature preserve with a large trail system for hikers, bikers and horseback riding, and operates the 115-passenger paddle wheel riverboat Dixie Belle for excursions along the Kentucky River to view the Palisades, a series of high tree-topped limestone outcroppings overlooking the river.
Visitor info
2011 yard sale dates: Aug. 4-7
Official website: www.127sale.com
Tips: Be prepared for slow-and-go traffic, even in rural areas outside the towns along the route, and be alert for heavy pedestrian traffic. Drive defensively; not all motorists will be treasure-hunting like you. Instead of just pulling off to the side of the road, look for designated parking areas when you come upon a large cluster of vendors. There are plenty of lodging options along or near the 127 corridor. Visit the official website above for a list of accommodations in Tennessee and Kentucky, and www.discoverlookoutmountain.com for choices on the Alabama section of the yard sale route.
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