McMinn County can be explored through several themes: railroad depots, museums offering different perspectives, art, and theater. There is also a dairy festival and discoveries along the Hiwassee River. The historic sites and cultural offerings each have their own focus, so you can plan your trip around the themes that interest you most.
History at Depots and in Museums
The McMinn County Living Heritage Museum devotes more than 30 exhibit areas to the county’s history, from the Cherokee and pioneer eras through the 20th century. Artifacts from the 1946 GI Rebellion, known as the “Battle of Athens,” are also on display. The collection thus spans several eras and includes a clearly identified event from the 20th century.
Tennessee’s oldest surviving railroad depot is in Niota. Built in 1854, the building represents both Tennessee’s industrial history before the Civil War and the war’s effects on rural Tennessee. In Etowah, the L&N Depot houses the museum “Growing UP With The L&N: Life and Times in a Railroad Town.” The title itself points to a different focus: here, you encounter the railroad in the context of life in a railroad town.
The Englewood Textile Museum offers another perspective, exploring the mill’s history in Englewood, past and present. The depot, railroad, and mill history thus provide different ways to explore the region’s industrial past.
Art, Airplanes, and Theater
At the Swift Museum in Athens, you can see several Swift aircraft as well as two T-35 Buckaroos, trainer aircraft used by the U.S. Air Force. Visitor services may vary, so it is a good idea to check before your visit.
The Arts Center in Athens hosts visual art exhibitions, theater performances, and concerts. The Gem Players, meanwhile, are Etowah’s official resident theater company. Their principal venue is the historic Gem Theater. This brings together different forms of cultural life across the county: exhibitions, stage performances, and concerts, as well as a theater company with a central venue.
Dairy is another regional theme. MooFest is McMinn County’s dairy festival. Another historical connection leads to Athens: in 1910, the Mayfield family began delivering milk to customers in their hometown of Athens, Tennessee. The festival and the dated family history shed light on the product from different perspectives.
Walking Paths, Trail, and the Hiwassee River
Hiwassee Meadowland Park has walking paths and borders an original 1838 route of the Trail of Tears. Here, a specific opportunity for walking and a historical connection come together, though they are not the same route.
The Eureka Trail starts in Athens and ends 5.6 miles away in Englewood. It passes through small communities and wooded areas. The Athens Trailhead has restrooms and a bicycle repair station. The trail information thus describes both its endpoints and surroundings, as well as the practical facilities at the trailhead.
For water activities, consider the Hiwassee River–Calhoun Boat Ramp, where small boats, canoes, and kayaks can be launched into the river. The ramp is also used for fishing on the Hiwassee River. Paddling is also possible on the Hiwassee River in the region, where the river is used for fishing as well.
The trail and boat ramp offer different ways to explore the area: for the Eureka Trail, the route between two communities and its length are specified; the ramp offers a way to launch watercraft into the river. The activity itself can help you decide whether you are more interested in a route through communities and wooded areas or in the river.
McMinn County is located between Chattanooga and Knoxville. If you’re looking for a place to stay, you can first consider whether your trip will focus mainly on museums and railroad history, art and theater, or the Hiwassee River.
Discover more destinations: Hardin County, Polk County, Williamson, Sumner County, Davidson and Carroll County.
Go to the main travel overview: Tennessee.
