RVing in the south: Visiting the Casey Jones museum and a distillery in Tennessee
Today’s journey takes us to Jackson, Tennessee where we got to stay at a distillery and visit the Casey Jones Museum. For any traveler who’s a fan of railroads, this is absolutely one of those places you have to go. But even if you’re not a fan, the grounds and layout provide an educational opportunity.
Casey Jones Museum
The Casey Jones Museum is located in Jackson, Tennessee, and is dedicated to the life and legacy of the famous railroad engineer Casey Jones. The museum is housed in the restored 1890s Illinois Central Depot, where Jones worked as a telegrapher before becoming an engineer.
The museum features a variety of exhibits, including artifacts from Jones' life and career, as well as displays about the history of the railroad industry in the United States. Visitors can see the actual train whistle that Jones used on the night of the fatal collision, as well as his watch, lantern, and other personal belongings.
The museum also has a replica of Jones' train, the Illinois Central No. 382, which visitors can climb aboard and explore. Like many old steam locomotives this one is a static display but you are encouraged to climb into the cab and even ring the bell.
The locomotive on display was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works so isn’t the same as the one Casey Jones famously crashed with that locomotive being built by the Rogers Locomotive Company. Still, it gives you some ideas what these are like if you’re not familiar.
The museum charges $8 for entry and includes an eight minute video explaining the history of Casey Jones and why he continues to be a popular figure today. In addition to displays of railroad history the tour also goes through the house he last occupied.
I was rather surprised at how large and spacious the house was. This is a two-bedroom affair and also has a large formal dining room as well as a parlor. Naturally a kitchen is there and the museum has done a good job depicting how a kitchen would look in those days with period-correct fixtures inducing a large cast iron coal-burning stove.
Museum complex
In addition to the museum, the Casey Jones Village complex includes a variety of shops and restaurants, as well as a miniature golf course, an old-fashioned ice cream parlor, and a hotel. The complex hosts a number of events throughout the year, including the Casey Jones Old-Time Music and Arts Festival, which celebrates the traditional music and crafts of the region.
The Casey Jones Museum is a popular attraction for visitors to Jackson and for railroad enthusiasts from around the world. It offers a fascinating glimpse into the life of one of America's most beloved heroes and into the history of the railroad industry that he helped to shape.
Just one of several buffet stations at the Old Country Store buffet in Casey Jones Village
We ate at the Old Country Store which is part of the museum complex. We happened to be there on a weekend which is when the buffet was happening. At $10.99 it was cheaper than eating at a fast food joint and incrementally better.
On the buffet’s various tables were fried bologna, ham and bacon. Of course there were biscuits and gravy but something I hadn’t tried in the past, chocolate gravy. To me this was sort of like a more liquid chocolate pudding and, yes, it was good and, yes, I had to put some on my biscuit.
Being the South naturally there were grits though I tend to put honey on mine, but a giant pool of melted butter was there and no honey to be seen. No worries. Oh, and there was also another giant container of powdered sugar. I’ve never seen it in something you could just scoop out and, based on watching others, I just have been doing it wrong by simply sprinkling the stuff onto my food.
A replica and story of the Woolworth’s lunch counter sit-in to protest oppressive civil rights in the 1960s south.
Yes. I felt skinny here.
Who was Casey Jones
Casey Jones was a railroad engineer who became famous for his heroic actions on April 30, 1900, when he died in a train collision in Vaughan, Mississippi. Jones was born in 1863 in Missouri and began working on the railroads in the 1880s. He quickly gained a reputation as a skilled engineer, known for his punctuality and determination to get his trains to their destinations on time.
One of the things Jones was most known for was being on time. On the night of April 29, 1900, Jones was driving the Illinois Central No. 1, a passenger train from Memphis, Tennessee, to Canton, Mississippi. Through no fault of Jones the train was 45 minutes late when it left the first station and was only a few minutes late by the time it approached Vaughan.
As he approached Vaughan, Jones was warned by a signalman that there was another train on the same track up ahead, due to a miscommunication between the signalman and the train dispatcher. Jones realized that he wouldn't be able to stop his train in time to avoid a collision, so he told his fireman, Sim Webb, to jump off the train and tried to slow it down as much as possible.
Jones stayed with the train, using the whistle to warn anyone in the other train that a collision was imminent. The collision was violent, and Jones was killed instantly, but his actions had helped save the lives of many of his passengers. His bravery and selflessness made him a hero, and his story became famous around the world.
Webb survived jumping off the train with only minor cuts and bruises and lived to share the lore of Casey Jones for decades thereafter. Further a song was adapted about Jones that further help solidify Jones’ legend which lives on to this day.
In the years since his death, Casey Jones has become a legendary figure in American folklore. His story has been told in countless books, songs, and movies, and his name is synonymous with heroism and sacrifice. His legacy lives on through the Casey Jones Museum in Jackson, Tennessee, and the many people who continue to be inspired by his story.
If you’re a fan of things railroad-related this is definitely a good stop and the money spent to tour the museum and house well spent.
Samuel T Bryant distillery
We got to mooch dock at the Samuel T Bryant distillery as part of the Harvest Hosts program. The night we arrived there had been a serious wind storm and power was out, which is no biggie for us with our Rockwood Mini Lite equipped with the Power Package.
The very friendly lady at the distillery still was gracious about giving us samples of the various bourbon and moonshine offerings they had on hand. One of their moonshine offerings was 150 proof and should be sufficient to cure most sinus issues one might have.
What we really liked was the flavored moonshines - in fact we bought a couple of the things they had. We took home a bottle of peach cinnamon moonshine and the Sam-O-Ah chocolate coconut caramel cream moonshine.
Samuel T. Bryant Distillery is a small, family-owned distillery located in Jackson, Tennessee. The distillery was founded in 2014 by the Bryant family, who had been farming in the area for generations. The family's passion for whiskey and a desire to carry on the tradition of small-batch distilling led them to start their own distillery.
The distillery produces a variety of whiskeys, including bourbon, rye, and Tennessee whiskey. The whiskey is made from locally-sourced grains and is distilled using traditional methods, including a copper pot still and charcoal filtering.
Visitors to the distillery can take a tour of the facility, which includes a look at the distilling process, as well as a tasting of the various whiskeys produced on site. The tour also includes a visit to the barrel aging room, where visitors can see the whiskey as it ages and matures.
In addition to the distillery, the Samuel T. Bryant family also operates a farm and a restaurant on the property. The restaurant, called The Stillhouse, features a menu that showcases the flavors of the region, with a focus on locally-sourced ingredients. The restaurant also features a bar that offers a selection of Samuel T. Bryant whiskeys, as well as other local and regional spirits.
The Samuel T. Bryant Distillery is a popular destination for whiskey enthusiasts and anyone interested in the history and traditions of small-batch distilling. The distillery's commitment to using locally-sourced ingredients and traditional methods of distilling sets it apart from many of the larger, more commercial distilleries in the region.
