(soft dramatic music) - Hi, I'm Katelyn Steakley, your host for "Wish You Were Here," adventures in Tennessee's Upper Cumberland.

Join us next time for more adventures where we go on a pontoon tour of Center Hill Lake, work on our pizza making skills, and get in the theater spirit, all right here in Tennessee's Upper Cumberland.

You know the adventure doesn't stop there.

Join us for an all new episode of "Wish You Were Here."

(bright upbeat rhythmic music) - This program was made possible by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

- [Announcer] "Wish You Were Here," produced under an agreement with the Upper Cumberland Development District and made possible in part through support from the United States Department of Agriculture.

(soft dramatic music) (water rushes) - [Narrator] In the heart of Tennessee, there's a little slice of heaven you've just gotta see.

Oh man, wish you were here.

- Hi, I'm Katelyn Steakley, your host for "Wish You Were Here."

If you're here, that tells me one thing.

You're ready for more Upper Cumberland adventure, and boy do we have some adventure in store for you.

But before we meet up with our correspondents, let's do some exploring of our own right here in Pall Mall, Tennessee at the Forbus General Store.

(upbeat fiddle music) - [Narrator] From the screen door you enter through to the counter you check out at, not much about the general store has changed since 1892.

Forbus served not only as Commerce of Trade but also acted as the post office and courthouse at one point in time.

- I'm here today in Pall Mall, Tennessee at the Forbus General Store with owner James West.

James, thank you so much for having us today.

- You're welcome.

We're glad you came.

- [Katelyn] What are some of the products that you've seen traded and sold here at the general store?

- Well, I got my first pair of Levis at this store back when I was probably eight or nine year old.

I hung my overhauls on a nail and tore my overhauls off of me.

Well, my uncle came the next morning with a pair of Levis, and that's the first pair of Levis I owned, and they came from here.

They sold overalls, plow points, just bolt, nails, whatever you needed.

They had it here at this store at that time.

- [Katelyn] It's a true general store then.

- [James] True general store.

- The general store is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as well, is that correct?

- [James] That's correct.

That's where we get a lot of our trade.

Tourists come through, and they wanna stop at the historical building.

Of course, this 127 is the historical route, so a lot of people traveled it.

And far is inside part, it has not changed that much.

We might have added a few more shelves, but other than that, it's original.

- What products are offered here today at the general store?

- Well, we offer jellies, jams, all kinds of candy.

We have pictures, we have a lot of decor, lotions, perfumes.

Well, of course, we've got our fudge.

That's- - I've heard about the fudge!

- [James] That's one of our main products, our fudge.

It's made in house.

It not hauled in from somewhere else.

We make it here.

That is probably our number one seller.

(gentle upbeat fiddle music) - [Narrator] Try the homemade fudge or one of the mason jar shakes dipped in fudge.

On any given day of the week, you will find the back of the store filled with locals grabbing a bite to eat and playing a game of Pig.

- We're gonna try a game that originated here locally that you're gonna tell me about.

- It's called Pig.

You pay it with poker cards.

It's played different ways.

Some folks plays with one joker.

Some plays with two jokers.

Some plays with no joker.

It's a lot like Rook.

So you've got a partner, and you bid just like you do with Rook.

Of course, we've got the pigs is the fives.

You've got an off pig and a main pig, and that's what you've gotta catch to make your bid.

A guy that we know had done a lot of research on it, and it originated around in Fentress, Pickett, and Clinton County.

- Now the gains aren't the only source of entertainment here.

You guys also have live entertainment, correct?

- Yes ma'am.

Every first Saturday of the month, we have live entertainment, and another thing that we have, we put on a fireworks show 4th of July for our customers.

We usually have the roads full far as you can see that way and others you can see that way.

- Well, that's a lot of entertainment.

I'm excited to walk around and explore the store.

It really feels like you're stepping back in time here.

We appreciate you so much for having us today.

- I'm tickled to death you all are here.

- [Narrator] Get a glimpse of what life was like in Appalachia during the 19th century and experience the rural culture and history of Pall Mall, Tennessee.

- Relationships renewed, new ones forged.

Magic always happens around the campfire, and that feeling rings true for this Upper Cumberland business.

Field correspondent Rafferty Cleary visited Campfire Coffee in Jamestown, Tennessee to get a coffee making crash course.

I wonder how it went.

(uplifting upbeat music) - I'm at Campfire Coffee in Jamestown, Tennessee, and hanging out with us today is Janelle Smoker and father Ben Smoker.

Thank you all so much for letting us be here today.

This is a great setup.

What's the backstory to this business?

Had you always wanted to own a coffee shop?

- I always kind of wanted to, but I didn't want to as early as I did, but for the past like few years when we moved here, I kind of was like, "You know, someday I would like to like having a coffee shop."

You know, never really thought that I was going to for a couple years, and then Chris and Jessica Riley, the previous owners, reached out to us and they're like, "Hey, we're thinking about selling.

Would you be interested?"

And they were really good friends with our dad and with our family, and so he was always like, "You know, if you ever wanna like sell the coffee shop, you know, just kind of reach out to me and let me know," and so that's why he reached out to us, and then it was kind of history from that point on, so.

- Ben, what has this experience been like for you to be able to, you know, open this up and do this with your daughters?

- I love doing business with my daughters.

I have four daughters and I enjoy doing businesses with them.

So it seems like a wonderful opportunity.

We also enjoy trying to create more interesting things to do here in Jamestown, and it's just a great way to build community 'cause it's kind of like the local watering hole, so to speak.

People come in here and get to know each other that wouldn't have met otherwise.

So it's neat to see that.

- So what would be some of your specialty drinks or maybe a favorite drink or most popular drink that comes outta Campfire Coffee?

- My favorite is the Bees Knees Honey Vanilla Latte.

That's what I make for him a lot of the time, too, so you like that one most of the time.

That's definitely one of our customer favorites.

We probably sell that one and probably the most, and then there's another one, it's called the Sassy Cow.

We always try to come up with cool like names that people can remember them by, but it's just a cold brew coffee with caramel and sweet cream on top.

- You mentioned baristas.

Is there any chance I can get up front and see if I've have what it takes to- - We could make that happen.

- Okay.

- I'm looking to hire the next months, so.

(everyone laughs) (soft bright jaunty music) - [Rafferty] All right, Janelle, what are we making?

- I think we're gonna make a Bees Knees since that's the best one anyway, so.

- All right, the Bees Knees.

- It's honey and vanilla in a latte.

First thing first, we're a specialty coffee shop, so we weigh everything out.

When you come in, your coffee tastes the exact same as the other day, you know?

- Okay, I gotcha.

- Tastes the same every time.

Our espresso is 22 grams.

Oh, one more.

All right, so then go ahead and kind of make it a little bit flatter.

Yeah.

- I'm getting fired already.

Are we good?

Okay.

- Yeah.

- All right.

- There we go.

Yep.

- Okay.

- Now set it in there, and you wanna try to keep it level on both sides.

So you're gonna wanna kind of push on it until the coffee pushes back.

Yeah, that's probably good.

(laughs) I'll let you do it.

Yep.

- Run water?

- Wanna run water through it, and then it's good to go.

You can stop it.

- Oh okay.

- Yep, yep.

Now try it.

There you go.

So you wanna make sure it's snug tight.

Okay, go ahead and grab one of the mugs from up top.

- Oh no, it's crunch time.

- If you pull a good shot the first time, usually.

- Oh!

- 31.

Have you ever pulled a shot of espresso before?

- No.

No.

- He got 31 first try.

- Oh, is that good?

- That's good.

That's like - Does it work?

- one second away from perfect.

- Okay.

- That's pretty good.

I'm impressed.

- Oh yeah.

Well.

Nice.

Oh!

25.2!

There we go.

- [Janelle] Oh, it's perfect.

- All right.

- So just go ahead and mix it.

- All right.

Andy, are you getting this?

- [Janelle] All right, so then go ahead and grab your cup.

All right.

- You know what?

(laughs) There's a blob.

(laughs) All right, it's gonna spill if you don't put it back on the table.

- [Rafferty] All right, that was awful.

- (laughs) Hey, first try.

Oh, how did that happen?

It's hard to explain.

- I'm making a mess here at Campfire Coffee right now.

- [Janelle] So think you could do it?

(laughs) - [Rafferty] Yeah!

- I have to go upstairs and grab something.

Are you okay to hold down the fort?

- Absolutely!

Yeah!

- All right, thank you.

(phone rings) (up-tempo saloon piano music) - Hey, did you say 41 pumps of salted caramel?

It's a bit thick, but we'll make it happen.

Did you say skim milk?

Why?

Go matcha or go home.

That's what I always say.

Marshmallow milk?

Yeah, the wifi password is Rafferty is the greatest.

- Man, that's a lot of orders.

How's everything going?

- I think I did a really good job.

(up-tempo saloon piano music) - Nestled in the headwaters of Center Hill Lake at the confluence of the Caney Fork, Collins, and Rocky Rivers lies Rock Island State Park.

Its wild and untamed beauty is a sight to behold.

Recently, field correspondent Shan Stout traveled to Rock Island to talk with park rangers about the sites and learn more about the many recreational opportunities they offer.

(upbeat music) - [Narrator] "Playful river, ever laughing, pleading river, always calling.

Rushing river, now unwieldy, wild, deep river oft defiant."

Local poet RP Hudson described the wild untamed temper of the Caney Fork River in his "Ode to the Caney Fork."

From the cascading waterfalls to the changing colors of the leaves, each season in the Upper Cumberland offers its own beauty and natural wonder.

- We are here on a beautiful fall day in McMinville, Tennessee at Rock Island State Park, and I'm here with park manager Damon Graham.

Rock Island is host to lots of things to do in every single season.

- Yeah, so we're very busy during the summer.

I mean, we've got a lot of activities to do, everything from fishing to hiking, and one thing that's been really popular is kayaking.

We have a huge campground, cabins, lots of overnight facilities and things like that.

- [Shan] Now Rock Island is not only full of natural beauty.

It also is a geographical anomaly because there's multiple bodies of water that come together.

- [Damon] We are the headwaters of Center Hill Lake, which is on the Caney Fork River system.

We also have the Collins River, which we do pontoon floats on, and we also have the Rocky River.

So they all kind of come together into the Caney Fork, which then creates Center Hill Lake below the dam.

- Let's talk about the variations in the water levels and safety for people who visit Rock Island.

- The water levels are really low right now.

They draw those down in the winter, but in the summer, dependent on rainfall, the water can rise.

We also have a TVA powerhouse on the park.

So if you get here and you hear sirens, that could mean water is getting ready to be released.

So definitely we suggest coming to the visitor center, getting all those warning information from our clerks or our park rangers, just so you know where you're at.

- Now one thing I like about Rock Island is the fact that it has drivable waterfalls.

What I mean by that is some waterfalls you have to hike to at multiple state parks across our area, but here, e you can simply drive into a parking lot and see your first waterfall.

- [Damon] We're fortunate in the Cumberland Plateau.

We've got tons of waterfalls at different state parks, but ours are some of the most accessible.

Like you said, you can drive straight and get a great photo basically out your car window if the parking lot's not too crowded.

- Okay, now that it's time for a pontoon boat tour, we brought in the expert.

We have seasonal ranger Hannah Leftwich.

- Hello, Hannah.

- Hi.

- Okay, now you are the expert on all things for the pontoon tour, but you are a seasonal ranger.

Tell us what that means.

- So I do all of the programming with kids, families, help with all of our big activities.

We have a snake who's name's Slinky.

I do a lot of programs with that.

We have a owl and a red-tailed hawk, so our birds of prey, and I do crafts with the kids, and the pontoon floats are probably the biggest hits, along with the kayak floats.

- [Shan] What can we expect to see today?

How long does the tour last, and maybe how many people?

- [Hannah] So we try to cap it off at 10 people, just so everyone gets that one-on-one question time if they need to and it's not too crowded.

We hope to see lots of wildlife.

Turtles are a big hit, especially when it's sunny.

- It's just an amazing experience, and I can't wait to see what our views are gonna be out on the water.

- Absolutely, they're gonna be great.

- [Narrator] Take in all the wild air the Upper Cumberland has to offer and visit Rock Island State Park.

- Who would think that what was once a way of life for a rural community would later become a timeless and celebrated art form?

From the theater stage to the gallery filled with remarkable work, history, and culture, this center celebrates art in all of its forms and remains a shining example of the power of creativity in small communities.

Field correspondent Matt Beal traveled to Woodbury, Tennessee to visit one of the most unique models for rural arts organizations in the country, the Arts Center of Cannon County.

(bright cheery music) - [Narrator] Woodbury has a long, rich tradition of fine crafters, such as its history of basket and chair making.

Considered one of the best small art towns in the United States, Woodbury showcases some of the finest art in every medium.

- Today we are uncovering another hidden gem in the Upper Cumberland at the Arts Center of Cannon County.

I'm joined today by chief operating officer of the Arts Center of Cannon County, Beth McCrary.

Beth, thanks so much for having us in today.

- Thanks for being here.

- [Matt] The art center features lots of different things, but in terms of shows, tell us about what a typical season is like here.

- [Beth] We have six main stage shows a year and three kids shows, which are like for field trips for schools.

- [Matt] One of the unique things about shows here is every show features a different floor.

- [Beth] That is correct.

We repaint the floor for every show we have.

It is painted black, and then we paint whatever goes with the set itself on top of it.

Like this one is supposed to be dirt and grass, supposed to be like a little pathway.

- [Matt] And it adds to the ambience of each show for sure.

- [Beth] It does because we do have a thrust stage, which means the people in the front row are actually on stage in the production.

So there's three sides, and so they're actually sitting on the stage itself.

- [Matt] And your actors and singers and actresses come from where?

- Locally.

Most of 'em come from surrounding counties.

We do have occasionally somebody that comes from Davidson County or something, but it's all volunteer, and they audition for the parts.

- I'm excited to come get tickets to shows now, and tell me how I would go about getting a ticket, and can I buy a season pass as well?

- You can.

We have a pass for all six season shows, and we have one for the season shows, including the kids shows, and then we have one for just the kids shows.

(bright cheery music) - [Narrator] The White Oak Gift Shop features craft and fine artists from all around Middle Tennessee.

It's a perfect place to pick up a handcrafted Tennessee gift.

From pottery to textiles, paintings to jewelry, the shop features a revolving array of gifts and collectible items available for purchase.

- [Matt] There are many unique experiences here.

- [Beth] We have a gift shop.

We have two galleries.

We have some rental space in the front that's Short Mountain Cultures, and they have a lot of unique food products and fermentation products.

- Those fermented products aren't just what we think of fermented products, wine and beer, but rather- - No, it's not wine and beer.

It's actually water kefir, kombucha.

They make sauerkraut, kimchi.

- And tell us about the White Oak Craft Fair.

When does that happen?

- That takes place the second weekend in September.

It's the weekend after Labor Day, and we usually have around 80 artists, and they're juried, which means that there is a panel that decides if your work can go in or not.

It means it has to be completely hand done, and sometimes we'll have a potter making pottery.

We have a blacksmith sometimes.

We'll always have a someone doing demos.

- So it's a community labor of love.

- It is.

You have to love it.

- [Narrator] Theater is not only a form of entertainment but a way in which one can see a different perspective from our own and discover something new about the world in which we live in.

Careful.

You may get bit by the theater bug, and before you know it, you're on stage with a feather boa.

- And that's it for our visit to the Arts Center of Cannon County here in Woodbury to- - Hey, that's where that boa went.

I was looking all over for that.

(record screeches) (pleasant upbeat piano music) - Let's travel to downtown Sparta, Tennessee where the aroma of freshly baked pizza fills the air.

Marioochi's Pizzeria is located inside a charming renovated historic building that is reminiscent of a bygone era.

Recently, field correspondent Rafferty Cleary had the opportunity to explore the delicious world of Marioochi's Pizzeria and learn about the passion and dedication that goes into making this Sparta gem a success.

(pleasant Italian music) - [Narrator] Marioochi's becomes an instant classic to all who have the pleasure to visit.

The romantic atmosphere will transport you back to a bygone era and will have you humming Bing Crosby.

- Hello from beautiful downtown Sparta, Tennessee, and we are at what is becoming a regional favorite, Marioochi's Pizzeria, and I'm with owners Maryangela and John Rippberger.

Thank you all so much for letting us spend a little bit of time with you today.

- You're welcome.

- Thank you.

- What makes this place such a draw?

- Well, I think it's a different style of pizza.

It's something that I wanted to bring kind of from my family's history, a little bit different in the fact of being a brick oven and the dough style, the fact that we don't use tomato sauce on a lot of the pizzas.

So it's just something unique, I hope, for the area.

- [Rafferty] What gives you the most joy out of this whole process?

- I like serving people and I like feeling like people are my family when they come in, giving people a really good plate of food that they're happy with, making sure people know that they're worth the time to make them an awesome plate of food.

- I think we needed a place for people to come, you know, just a destination, and we love Sparta.

We've lived in many places in the past, and this is our favorite.

We tried to retire once years ago, and this is what happens when you retire.

- So tell us about some of the items on your menu.

- Well, we serve traditional Italian style pizzas.

We have Italian meats.

Most of them are pork.

We do have chicken on one of 'em.

So we have your Cappicola, your prosciutto, your, you know, Italian sausage.

We do have four specialty pizzas that do have a San Marzano sauce on them, but again, you'll find fresh sliced portobello mushrooms.

We slice our onions every day.

We do have black olives, so we have a whole variety of pizzas.

- What would be your favorite pizza?

John, what about you?

Or do y'all have the exact same favorite?

- Right now, I think we do have the exact same favorite, and I'm gonna guess hers is the Ar-u-gula, which is a play on arugula.

- Okay.

- Yes, yes.

And that actually does have San Marzano sauce, has fresh mozzarella rather than the shredded mozzarella, has prosciutto, and fresh olive oil when it comes out of the oven, a whole handful of arugula, and then shaved Parmesan on top.

So it's just fresh and light and nice for, you know, kind of missing that summertime.

- Sounds spectacular.

I'm a food lover.

This is killing me right now.

So the big key question I have, is there anything to tossing the dough and making a pizza?

- Yes.

(laughs) - Okay.

- There's an art to it, definitely.

You wanna be able to get that pillowy edge but still keep it thin in the middle, and then, of course, how you launch it into the oven.

- I have a question.

Is there any chance I can get a stab at making that pillowy edge today?

- Absolutely.

I'd love to show you.

- Let's give it a shot.

(soft jaunty Italian music) Fun in the kitchen.

Fun by the fire.

Great time making pizzas.

Thank you so much for letting us hang out with you today.

I am dying to sink my teeth and taste buds into these pizzas.

Thank you all so much.

- You're very welcome.

- [Narrator] Visit downtown Sparta and experience the unique shopping, fine dining, and breweries that surround the Courthouse Square.

With so many opportunities to hike, paddle, and cave, Sparta, Tennessee remains an adventure tourism destination.

- Since its beginning, the Forbus General Store has been a gathering place for folks from all over, filled with remarkable stories and traditions that have been passed down over generations.

Today, it remains unchanged, waiting for new stories to be shared and memories to be had.

Celebrate the rich history and culture of the region and stop in at Forbus General Store here in Pall Mall, Tennessee.

What an incredible journey we've had today exploring the Upper Cumberland.

Join us next time for more adventures in Tennessee's Upper Cumberland.

Don't you wish you were here?

(upbeat music) (Shan whimpers and muffles screams) - You're looking at me.

We can't be friends.

I'm sorry.

- Look how cute.

- This isn't happening.

It isn't happening.

Oh my word.

Oh my gosh.

No, no, no.

(screams and laughs) (bright upbeat music) - [Announcer] "Wish You Were Here," produced under an agreement with the Upper Cumberland Development District and made possible in part through support from the United States Department of Agriculture.

(bright upbeat rhythmic music) - [Announcer] This program was made possible by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.