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

Thank you.

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.

- [Narrator 2] In the heart of Tennessee.

There's a little slice of heaven.

You just gotta see.

(calming music) Oh man.

Wish You Were Here.

- Welcome to Wish You Were Here.

Adventures in Tennessee's Upper Cumberland.

I'm Katelyn Steakley and I'm excited to be your guide as we explore the natural beauty and unique culture of this stunning region.

Join us as we embark on unforgettable adventures and uncover hidden gems that will leave you longing to return to the Upper Cumberland again and again, before we meet up with our correspondent, let's begin our journey right here in the charming town of Smithville where we'll discover the rustic elegance of Evans Mill.

- [Narrator] Nestled in the rolling hills of Smithville, Evans Mill is the perfect getaway for anyone looking to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

From the moment you arrive, you'll be enveloped in natural beauty.

The resort is surrounded by stunning mountains and a thick canopy of trees, providing the perfect backdrop for a relaxing and rejuvenating retreat.

- I'm here today at the beautiful Evans Mill, located in Smithville, Tennessee with owner William Cochran.

We are surrounded by some beautiful, beautiful water features and nature and so much history here at Evans Mill.

Thank you so much for having us.

- Well, thank you for letting us participate.

We're honored to.

- So tell me just a little bit about the history of Evans Mill.

- Well, Evans Mill started as a business in 1994 but the actual history of the property dates back basically two centuries.

There's a Tennessee Land grant that recorded this property is Lockard's Mill in 1824 and there have been multiple Gristmills on the same property since then.

But the most prominent family to own this property before it was converted into a business was the Evans family.

- When somebody visits Evans Mill, what can they expect when they're here on site?

- I think they can expect several things.

They can expect wonderful accommodations.

All of 20 rooms that we have are gonna have sight and sound of water, very similar to what you might be hearing right now.

All of 'em have decks that overlook that creek or close to the creek.

Another big part of what we offer, special event services.

So we have three dedicated conference rooms for those groups that are coming here from meetings.

We have wedding services with facilitators and banquet style seating and setups.

And then obviously there's the food and beverage and that might be the most unique and distinguishing aspect of what we do here at Evans Mill, we buy goat cheese from Harmony Lane Farms, which is just five minutes down the way, high quality product.

We source our moonshine, believe it or not from Short Mountain Distillery just about 10 minutes away.

Another popular beverage that we serve here is Calfkiller Beer with the boy Sergio Brothers in Sparta, Tennessee.

We buy wine from Northfield Vineyards, which is a winery just down the street.

So that's an example of some of the local relationships that we have, here is as the waterfall and the swimming hole and the hiking trails.

There's a pond for fishing.

There's a 1200 square foot game hall with billiards, ping pong, foosball, dartboards.

We have something we call the hammock bower which is populated with five or six hammocks which I don't know if that's an activity, but it's something that people really enjoy when they come here.

- Are there opportunities for people to visit the site on day trips?

- There are.

There are.

In fact, we have a day tripper package and we have a dinner only package.

We do invite clients by reservation to come and explore the property for the day.

Those guests have access to our 40 acre property including Carmack Falls, two and a half miles of hiking trails, a swimming hole at its base and all the other fun games that we have at the property.

And it also includes a gourmet sack lunch where folks don't wanna necessarily rent a room but they wanna come for a great meal.

They can do that too by reservation.

Now we aren't always able to accommodate day trip reservations, if we're hosting a special event or a meeting we might not be able to do that, so do call in advance.

- Well, this sounds like a fantastic place to visit.

We really appreciate you having us today and we can't wait to see what this beautiful property has to offer.

- Thank you for having me.

(upbeat music) - [Narrator] So if you're looking for a getaway that combines natural beauty, find accommodations, delicious dining and fascinating history, looked no further than Evan's Mill - Since 1939, this historic theater has played host to countless performances and has been the center of one community's entertainment for generations.

With hard work and dedication, the structure has withstood the test of time and remains a beloved fixture, always providing a home for the arts.

Recently build correspondent Matt Beal traveled to downtown McMinville, Tennessee to explore one of the city's cherished landmarks, the Park Theater.

(upbeat music) - [Narrator] The Park theater's stunning example of classical architecture that tells the story of the city's rich history.

The Park Theater was originally built in 1939 during the Great Depression, it's grand design and opulent interior was a symbol of hope and prosperity for the people of McMinville during difficult times.

- I'm here in beautiful downtown McMinville Tennessee at the Historic Park Theater and I'm joined today by Park Theater Manager Joe Harvey.

Joe, thanks so much for having us in today.

- Thank you very much for coming.

Welcome to the Park Theater.

- Thank you.

It is a beautiful facility.

This theater has quite a story and a history to tell.

Walk us through how we got where we are today.

- It's a longstanding history.

It's been the centerpiece of McMinville for a long time.

Opened in 1939 by Cowan Oldham who had a empire of small theaters like this.

They went across Tennessee and then into northern Alabama.

There's still some of 'em standing today.

There was a fire in '47 and he reopened and he came back.

He said he wants to make it even bigger and better after it burned but it operated until 1986 as mainly a movie house.

It had some musical acts and some theater acts in here other than outside of movies but it was primarily movies and operated until 1986.

But in 2007, I got brought in here by one of the members of the Park Theater Group.

It was concrete shell, you know, you could see daylight through that wall right there.

There were bricks missing.

The Park Theater Group was able to push forward and actually get it on a referendum with the city of McMinville.

And the city of McMinville was forward thinking enough, they bought the building and put 2 million in to renovate it.

And in 2015 we reopened What you see here today - There is a lot that does go on in here.

What sort of performances do you host?

- We do a lot of concerts here, a lot of musical performances in here.

We also do some theatrical presentations.

Everything from Tarzan to Annie, to the last thing they did was Newsies and it was, it was Broadway caliber, man, we just thought the world of that production.

- [Matt] It seems as though this belongs to the people and this theater belongs to the community and anyone can be involved.

Does that mean anyone can rent the space if they have an event?

- Absolutely.

Absolutely.

Anybody can rent it.

We're up for rentals and we have different rates depending on what kind of group you are.

Lots of good organizations have been able to put on really good events here as well, so.

- And another organization that is involved with the theater, and you'll have to explain it to me is getting folks involved in theater and dance and music and acting, children hae an opportunity.

- Oh, yes, absolutely.

Yeah, we've, so we had a, Dream Reality Group is the one that put on most of the plays that we've had here.

We've put on theater camps here, which gets out young kids and see if they like being on stage.

That's one of the great things about it.

Like you said, it's owned by the people and we like putting people from the community on stage as much as we can.

- So Joe, with a place like this, there are things new and old.

Tell us about some of the original old things here.

- Well the most visual one is of course the marquee out front.

The marquee out front is the original, actually the original marquee from after the fire in '47.

They had to put up a whole new marquee but Cowan wanted to make sure it could be seen from outside of downtown and make it a beacon for the rest of town.

And then the original projection booth is basically untouched from the way it used to operate back in the day.

There's still a projector in there and some of the old tools they used to use to cut film and things like that.

- This is a beautiful facility and I look forward to coming back and seeing it in action.

- Thank you very much.

Thank you guys for coming.

(upbeat music) - [Narrator] So if you're looking for a place to experience the magic of theater, the Park Theater's a must visit destination.

(upbeat music) - Join Field correspondent Shan Stout on a journey of discovery at Cryptid Cafe, located in the charming town of Moss.

This unique cafe blends delicious food and drink with a passion of cryptozoology, creating an immersive dining experience like no other, with a menu inspired by legendary creatures and mythical beasts.

Cryptid Cafe is the perfect place for foodies and monster enthusiasts alike.

- Quiet on the set.

Action.

(upbeat music) - [Narrator] Cryptid Cafe is a one-of-a-kind coffee shop that is sure to satisfy both your cafe engravings and your curiosity for the unexplained.

- We are in Moss Tennessee at the Cryptid Cafe.

Now I'm here with owners Brian Miller and Colleen Callis.

Hi guys.

- Hi.

- Hi, welcome to the Cryptid Cafe.

- Oh, we're excited to be here.

Now just heads up, this is the first Cryptid anything I've been a part of.

So there's gotta be a story there.

- We're always keeping a lookout and we like to find the unusual and mystical in everyday situations all the time because we live in a really interesting world and there's always something cool to see.

- [Narrator] We interrupt this regularly scheduled program with breaking news, Mossy, the Loch Ness monster has been recently spotted along the banks of Dale Hollow Lake.

The brimstone booger has recently been spotted in the woods nearby.

Folks say you can smell it before you see it.

Keep your eyes and nose peeled and you might have a cryptid encounter of your own during your visit to Moss.

- Now this area is actually rooted in some folklore and tell us a little bit about the origins there.

- We have Dale Hollow Lake's own Mossy.

- [Shan] Mossy.

- Mossy is our lake monster, and she is allegedly purple with moss on her back, as you can see on our logo.

- [Shan] So that's where the logo comes from, okay, I did wonder.

- That's where the logo comes from.

It is not the other way around.

We definitely did not introduce Mossy to this area for sure.

- [Shan] Mossy has been here for- - Oh, for as- - Years and years.

- Ageless as the lake itself.

- Okay, so yeah, mossy is getting some age on her.

- She is, but she still rocks it.

- One thing that I notice is you guys, you know, you're close to Del Hollow Lake and there's camping opportunities here.

There's lots of outdoor recreation.

- Well, there's Standing Stone Park, which is on the way to Livingston, have a lot of trails and it's a nice lake.

There's plenty of places around here to go hiking.

There's the fish hatchery down by the lake.

So there's plenty of stuff to do.

- Now, speaking of your camping and boating community, you offer something very unique that most places don't offer and that is a takeaway meal.

- Yeah, so our campfire meals are a typical, what they call hobo meal where you wrap it up in aluminum foil and we offer our really thick, hefty boy chopped up potatoes with all sorts of toppings basically.

So we'll have one that has shrimp and sausage and that has Old Bay seasonings, my personal favorite.

We have some with chicken.

We have a pasta one and we have a breakfast one too to take for the next day.

- Now tell us when visitors come to Cryptid, what they should expect and maybe what the local favorites might be.

- One of the favorites the locals like is the legendary home fries and we cook that here in house on a cast iron skillet with some bacon grease.

We throw in peppers, onions, mushroom, spinach, some sausage and bacon and some goat cheese.

- [Shan] Oh, Lord, that sounds amazing.

- [Colleen] We also have beignets, which if you've ever been in New Orleans, you're familiar with the tiny donut.

You just covered it with powdered sugar because you're a health freak and you eat it up.

It's delicious.

We offer a couple of different dipping sauces.

Usually- - [Shan] We call this emotional self-care.

This is, this will be in its own way.

- [Colleen] Yeah, exactly.

- You brought the big boss here today.

- We did.

He's really in charge.

- This is Duke, by the way.

He's our assistant producer today.

- Yes.

- He is.

Thank you, bub.

- Well, my favorite part of the show is where we get to try something and you have things like the Bigfoot and the Kraken, so many things.

So I'm ready to see what you've got for me today, so.

- How about we try a unicorn lemonade.

- [Shan] Unicorn lemonade.

I am so game.

(spooky music) - [Narrator] If you're looking for a truly unique cafe experience, look no further than the Cryptid Cafe in Moss, Tennessee.

- Get ready for a trip to the historic town of Gainesboro where you can indulge in the smooth and potent flavors of Roaring River Distillery.

Join field correspondent Matt Beal as he talks with a master distiller to learn more about the craft and get a tasting of their signature spirits.

From classic flavors to bold, new concoctions.

Roaring River has something for every moonshine lover.

(upbeat music) - [Narrator] Just off the town square in a beautifully restored historic building, you'll find Roaring River Distillery.

This family run distillery is not just a place to indulge in the delicious taste of moonshine but it's also a place to learn about the rich history of moonshining in the Appalachian Mountains.

- I'm here in beautiful downtown Gainesboro, Tennessee.

Just steps from the courthouse at the Roaring River Distillery.

I'm joined today by Roaring River Distillery master distiller, Chad Hunt.

Chad, thanks so much for having us in and letting us spend time here today.

- Thanks for having me on.

- [Matt] This building has a lot of history.

Predates being just a distillery.

So give us some information on the history of the building.

- [Chad] So this building that we're in is actually the historic Ford dealership building.

It was a Ford dealership at the very beginning of the century, almost early 1920s.

And now it's a distillery.

I'm sure a lot of people never expected that to happen but we're trying to keep the history of the Ford building alive as well as the history of the moonshine alive.

- You are a master distiller.

How does one become a master distiller?

- Started off on the illegal side, which most moonshiners do and decided to go the legal route and whenever it become available to do so.

So a lot of people ask me where I learned how to distill and always tell 'em the school of hard knocks.

There was no fancy college or anything that I went to to learn this process.

It's fairly simple process for me.

I believe there's a lot that goes into it but I was able to pick up and learn very quickly.

I've been doing it for many, many years this way.

We still do everything the old-fashioned way.

We don't use fancy computers or anything like that.

I can take our steel big Bertha down to the creek and run it the same way I run it here.

- [Matt] And as far as the finished product, so what flavors and types of moonshine do you make here?

- So currently our mash builds, so white corn, sugar and water mash with the malted white corn.

Just a traditional Tennessee moonshine mash recipe.

And our clear moonshine acts as our base spirit for a lot of our flavored moonshines that we have.

The rest of it, my mother takes, she's our mixologist and she'll take the liquor that I've ran and she'll mix our flavors up with it.

Use some different recipes that we've come up with over time.

- [Matt] Some of them have even won awards.

- [Chad] That's correct.

Our cinnamon roll moonshine actually won gold at the US Open Spirits Championship last year in the flavored moonshine category.

We were really surprised and happy with that one being such a new distillery and it's an honor to win a gold medal with one of our flavors that we've come up with.

- [Matt] Tell us what else you have here besides just moonshine that people can enjoy when they come down to the distillery.

- [Chad] So here in our store we have a plethora of local crafts.

We've got anything from pottery, wood carving and then we also have like jellys and jams made using our liquor as well.

- And I can come by and taste certain days of the week that you're open for tastings.

Is that right?

- Correct, during business hours when we're open, we offer free tours and free samples.

We want 'em to try it before they take it home.

That way they can make a well-rounded decision and pick up what they actually like.

- You're moving forward here and yet this place hearkens back to the past.

I noticed a collection of mason jars that you have out there.

Tell us about how that fits into this process.

- So that's part of keeping the history alive.

The old timers mason jars were their jar of choice and we've got set up on display and in the same hallway there were those jars that are at we're getting local stories from people 'cause we have a lot of people come in and say, "Oh, my grandpa made moonshine," or, "Oh my cousin ran moonshine and bootleg."

Those people that come in and tell us those stories, we want 'em to write those stories down and if they have pictures of their family or different things, then we'll take those pictures and those stories and hang 'em in our hallway in there.

It's kind of like a memory hall.

- That's awesome.

We appreciate what you do right here at home in the Upper Cumberland and look forward to seeing what you'll do next.

- Me too.

- [Narrator] In addition to producing exceptional moonshine, Roaring River is also known for its music scene such as the recent Tennessee songwriters competition the distillery hosted, inviting talented musicians from all over to compete.

♪ You came in and you flipped the light on ♪ ♪ When I was at rock bottom ♪ ♪ There's nothing to climb on ♪ - [Narrator] At Roaring River, it's not just about the shine, it's about the people and culture that surround it.

♪ You showed me the way ♪ ♪ Up out of that hole, I wasn't okay ♪ - Step into the world of 37 Cedar a charming restaurant at the center of Cook Bill's historic West Side.

Recently field correspondent Shan Stout traveled to the historic West side to chat with the owners and discover the inspiration behind their mouthwatering cuisine, from locally sourced ingredients to unique flavor combinations.

37 Cedar offers a dining experience that's sure to satisfy even the most discerning foodies.

I'm a season 37 Cedar myself.

Maybe I can offer Shan some backup on this one.

(upbeat music) - [Narrator] Located on the historic west side of Cookeville, this restaurant offers a warm and welcoming vibe that invites you in as soon as you open the door.

Once inside, you'll be greeted with a cozy and rustic interior coupled with live entertainment that sets the perfect ambiance.

- While you are on your own Upper Cumberland Adventure, you're gonna get hungry and you're gonna need somewhere to eat.

So I have a great solution for you.

We're here at 37 Cedar with owners Kevin Maxwell and Chris Batty.

And as you can see, I brought along a buddy.

- I could not miss this one.

It is my favorite restaurant in town.

- Now you're right here in the heart of the west side in downtown Cookville.

How did that come to be?

Why Cookville, why the west side?

- Well, interesting story.

Chris and I have been friends for 40 years now.

My mom actually babysitted this guy 40 years ago believe it or not.

And we always had this dream of opening a restaurant.

We started this process probably 15 years ago where we just knew this was a spot we wanted to be with all the things going on out here on the west side.

And we wanted to be a part of this.

- We have lots of things going on here but a big draw to the public is the live music.

- You know, it's important to us to promote what local talent.

I mean, we have some amazing local talent around here, not just the music, but the art scene.

But the live music for us is super important.

One of the cool things that we added in the back is non-smoking pool tables and our own custom shuffleboard.

So we've had a lot of families that come up and play during the day.

We have a lot of people that come and when we have a little wait for dinner, they go back and they shoot a couple games of pool or they have the the shuffleboard table out there which is gonna lead into our future expansion which would be our patio expansion.

So you're gonna go from the game room now to a huge patio outback.

So we're trying to bring all the elements of being a full atmosphere when you come here to eat, drink or listen some live music.

- You're very particular with the details of your food and it's always consistent.

I appreciate that.

And quality is obviously important.

- Oh yes, we're a total scratch kitchen.

We make our own bread every day.

We make our own flat breads.

We make all our own sauces.

- Well, I think it's time for the taste test.

- Me too.

I'm super excited.

(upbeat music) - [Shan] Guys, you have not disappointed, this is amazing.

Look how beautiful.

What do we have here?

- Well, in front of you we have the ahi tuna sashimi with our cucumber ginger salad and our house made bulgogi.

And then over here we have the confit chicken which confit's cooked its own oil, own fat.

And this comes with collard greens and mashed potatoes and our housemate onion jam.

And that is my favorite on the menu.

It's delicious.

And with the drinks we have the chocolate chill pill - [Kevin] This is like our dessert drink here.

So it's got a lot of chocolates, obviously.

It's got the whipped cream on top, so it's more of a dessert after dinner drink.

- You called it a grownup chocolate milk.

- [Chris] Adult chocolate milk.

- Adult chocolate milk.

- Yes, we did.

And that's a good way to describe it.

- [Chris] And then for our summer drink, we have a thyme after thyme which is Smirnoff, fresh strawberries, fresh thyme, simple syrup, grapefruit, bitters, champagne and garnish with a dehydrated grapefruit.

- [Shan] It's time to dig in, right?

- Those are fantastic.

Oh, that is so good.

- Thank you.

- How's yours?

- Oh my gosh.

It's amazing, the way the chicken is cooked in it's, I guess you said it was in its own fat.

- Lot of flavor?

- Oh my gosh.

So much flavor.

- It just falls right off the bone.

- It does, it's extremely tender.

It has just enough crunch.

Oh, it's amazing.

- Well thank you.

We appreciate it.

- [Narrator] In a town known for its natural beauty and southern charm, 37 Cedar fits right in.

It's a must visits spot for anyone looking for a great dining experience in Cookeville, where good food, good drinks and good company are always on the menu.

(upbeat music) - And so the journey ends where it began.

Here at Evans Mill, whether you're looking for a romantic getaway, corporate retreat or just longing to get back to nature Evans Mill is the ultimate destination for relaxation, adventure, and everything in between.

This charming mountain lodge truly captures the essence of the upper Cumberland.

Thank you for joining us on Wish You Were Here, adventures in Tennessee's Upper Cumberland.

Until next time, keep exploring.

(upbeat music) - [Narrator] 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.

- [Narrator 2] This program was made possible by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.