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Tennessee Trails routes travelers to lesser known

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Tennessee tourists and locals alike know to visit Graceland, Dollywood and the Ryman theater, but what about the authentic etouffee at Papa Boudreaux's Cajun Cafe in Santa Fe, or the blood-stained floors of the Lotz House, which once served as a Civil War hospital in Franklin?

These and many other lesser-known sites will be highlighted through the state Tourism Department's new Discover Tennessee Trails and Byways program, which features 15 pre-planned tours around the state. The trails, which range from 80 to nearly 400 miles, feature dozens of stops including historical locales, shopping, restaurants, bed and breakfasts, scenic overlooks and more.

"We want people to get off the beaten paths and into these smaller communities," said Susan Whitaker, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. "The joy is to watch people discover these hidden jewels.

" Whitaker believes the program will be a boon to not just the small communities, but to the big cities as well.

"This is really giving people a reason to stay longer in Tennessee," she said.

The first tour - Old Tennessee: Settlers to Soldiers Trail - launched Tuesday, and the rest will be introduced over the next several months. While still in the planning stages, several of the trails will have themes such as "Proud Mary," a tour with a strong music emphasis.

"It's a way for people to learn about places they didn't even know existed. Or maybe they've heard of some of these places, but weren't sure how to get there," Whitaker said. Dorothy Buzek, a Nashville retiree, said the tours are appealing to her because she's on a budget, but loves to travel. "With the economy everyone is watching their money," Buzek said."Fortunately, there are so many wonderful things to see in the state."

Buzek said she loves history and is particularly interested in visiting Civil War sites in the area.

"I love the idea of getting to know Nashville and the surrounding towns. I just like new things," Buzek said. "No matter if you've lived here a long time or a short time, there's always something new to learn."

J.T. Thompson, executive director of the Lotz House, said many Tennesseans are unaware of the history that's all around them. For example, the Lotz House was in the center of the Battle of Franklin. Inside the once private residence, you can still see where a cannonball fell through the roof and landed on the second floor.

"A lot of people don't realize that on this ground there were 10,000 casualties in five hours' time," Thompson said. "To put it in perspective, that's three days of 911 back-to-back."

In its 151-year history, the Lotz House Museum has been a sub shop, bakery and haunted house. Most recently, it almost became a Mexican restaurant.

"Playing off the name, they were going to call it Lotz of Tacos," Thompson said.

Thompson said that "it's a huge shot in the arm" for the museum to be included in the tour. He said it's one of many sites in Tennessee that simply doesn't have a large budget to spend on advertising.

Whitaker said $370,000 will be spent on brochures and marketing for the Discover Tennessee Trails and Byways program. The total cost is expected to be $670,000, which is covered through a Tennessee Department of Transportation federal grant.

The program is a joint effort between the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, the Tennessee Department of Transportation and the Byways Program, the Tennessee Dept. of Environment and Conservation, the Economic and Community Development's Main Street and Three-Star Programs and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, among others.

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(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)