Clarksville

Judge William O. Beach paved the way for wine production in Tennessee when he opened this winery in 1987. While Beachaven produces a number of sweeter, fruit-flavored wines, it also produces a strong assortment of drier wines. For starters, consider sampling the Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. For anyone unsure about the wine, the tastings are free, as is a brief tour of the grounds. The winery’s highly popular Jazz on the Lawn series in summer months features free music at the winery.

To take advantage of its best asset, the city built a mile-long walkway along the Cumberland River. The walkway provides visitors with nice views of the traffic traversing the river and offers a nice respite from the city’s usually congested streets. The river is also the backdrop for many events, including an annual music festival and also the home to the Christmas on the Cumberland celebration.

By the 1930s and 1940s, Dunbar Cave was a popular destination, not so much because of its natural splendor, but because of the musical acts that performed at the cave entrance. The 8-mile-long Dunbar Cave was formed millions of years ago and has always attracted people. During digs at the site, archeologists found Paleo-Indian artifacts buried near the cave entrance, and in 2005, Indian glyphs were discovered on the cave walls.

The city of Clarksville, Tennessee, unveiled the Frank Sutton Statue on Franklin Street in May 2017. Local sculptor Scott Wise created the statue of Sutton, a Clarksville native best known for portraying Sgt. Vince Carter on the 1960s CBS show “Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C.” Sutton in the South Pacific with the U.S. Army during World War II. The statue stands along Franklin Street across from the Roxy Regional Theatre. Sutton, who died in 1974, also appeared in “Gunsmoke” and “The Twilight Zone.”

A statue honoring John Montgomery, the namesake of Montgomery County, was erected in 2002. While on a hunting expedition, Montgomery claimed Clarksville, Tennessee’s second oldest city. The city is named for Gen. George Rogers Clark.

In April 2007, a statue was unveiled in downtown Clarksville, Tennessee, honoring Lenora “Nora” Witzel, who has been described as a pioneer and a rebel. Witzel (1875-1968) photographed Clarksville’s architecture and people for nearly three decades. She worked out of her photography studio at the ML Clothing Store on Franklin Street and is considered a pioneer of early 20th century small-town photography. Andrea Lugar of Lugar Art and Bronze Foundry in Arlington, Texas, created the life-sized bronze cast of Witzel and her dog Nettie.

Clarksville firefighter and sculptor Scott Wise created “The Day After,” also known as “The Seated Piece.” Main Street Clarksville commissioned the public art, the group’s last. The statue’s title refers to January 23, 1999, the day after a tornado struck downtown Clarksville. The statue, described by the artist as “Joe Public,” is reading a replica of the January 23, 1999 edition of The Leaf-Chronicle newspaper, which is located across Commerce Street from the statue. The statue was formally unveiled on October 30, 2003, and Main Street Clarksville donated it to Montgomery County after its unveiling.

The Upland Trail is a walking path in the heart of downtown that dates to the late 1990s. The trail currently links the Riverwalk to an overlook bridge at the north end of Valleybrook Park. The initial portion of the project extended the trail from the pedestrian overpass on Riverside Drive and College Street, alongside many of Clarksville’s historical buildings and homes, and uses a former railroad bridge near the park. The remainder of Phase II will eventually continue the trail into Valleybrook Park.