Daddy-Daughter day out

Let's make wine

Learning new skills is fun for the most part. My wife and I had a ball when we learned how to can food. Hot bath and brining only so far.

A local store, Let's Make Wine, in Murfreesboro is offering you a chance today to learn the basics of wine making. A win-win for all involved. They get more customers in the long run, and you get to taste the products of your labors.

The Wine kit class is free, but the kit does cost, and the fun is priceless. If you buy more right after the event, it is 15% off.

Tuesday 7 PM - 8:30 PM

Let's Make Wine
109 E Main St,
Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37130

Let's make wine

Learning new skills is fun for the most part. My wife and I had a ball when we learned how to can food. Hot bath and brining only so far.

A local store, Let's Make Wine, in Murfreesboro is offering you a chance today to learn the basics of wine making. A win-win for all involved. They get more customers in the long run, and you get to taste the products of your labors.

The Wine kit class and the starter kit are free, and the fun is priceless. If you buy more right after the event, it is 15% off.

Tuesday 7 PM - 8:30 PM

Let's Make Wine
109 E Main St,
Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37130

A very busy tomorrow

There are two great events that are happening, and they are not depot day related.

Come to Smyrna Public Library and tie dye a pillowcase! All materials are provided! For ages 12-18

Join us at Smyrna Public Library to celebrate Bilbo Baggins and his eleventy first birthday!

We'll have crafts, games, snacks, and contests!

Come dressed as your favorite Tolkien inspired character!

3 PM - 4:30 PM

Depot Days

One of the larger events in Smyrna is the Depot Days, and it looks like it will be a grand event for the family and individuals alike.

Depot Days has become a Big Deal in the Town of Smyrna.  Every year the event gets BIGGER and BETTER!!!  On September 23rd & 24th 2016 thousands will once again flood Front Street for the 10th Annual Depot Days.  There will be over 100 booths of vendors, food, businesses, beer garden and local artisans represented at Depot Days.  We will have live music on the Nissan Performance Stage, and the Carpe Cafe stage. There will be inflatables for the kids to jump on at no charge, and train rides for only $1 as well as many other kid friendly activities. This is a family fun packed weekend! 

The prelude to Depot Days is a classic car cruise in, Friday night, September 23rd as well as a wine tasting by Smyrna Divine Wine & Spirits from 6pm – 9pm with proceeds to benefit Meals on Wheels here in Smyrna.   The morning of the 24th, Depot Days kicks off at 10am- 4pm with over 100 vendors. Our beer garden will stay open until 8:00 pm this year.  It’s a weekend full of fun and you don’t want to miss!

While it is fun, there are some larger events aligned with the Depot Days

For the artist in your life, or maybe you.

 Do you have artistry you would like to sell? Or even display to be able to take orders? Carpe Artista will again host the Depot Days Artisan Zone! Check out www.smyrnadepotdays.com to register for your booth.

For the kids and kids at heart.

Groups of interest + activity

While I have already linked to the Rutherford County Tennessee Historical Society, but did you know there is also a Rutherford County Archaeological Society. They have a Facebook group and a website.

The 501 (c) (3) non-profit Rutherford County Archaeological Society (RCAS) was created in November 2014  to encourage a public archaeology presence in the community.  RCAS began as a Facebook group and its popularity continues with 220+ members. In January 2015, RCAS found its home base at the MTSU Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County.   Bioarchaeologist Dr. Shannon Chappell Hodge was the inaugural speaker at our  first meeting in January.  As we continue to develop RCAS, we provide an important  presence in the community as advocates for sharing and protecting the past.

Now they also have a wonderful activity planned for the kids this coming weekend.

CLICK FOR LARGER IMAGE

This is in Murfreesboro, but it is planned for the family and free, so it is worth sharing. It is happening at the Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County.

Learn a skill and meet people. A win for all

There is a new group forming in Smyrna with the help of the Library.

Starting September 24th, this new group will be meeting the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month. Beginners to experienced crocheters welcome.
Initial supplies will be available.

The specific time is Saturday, September 24 at 10 AM - 11 AM

A big box shut down soon

From another site it looks like we are going to be losing one of our big box stores.  Kmart has announced its planned closing for Smyrna.

One of the people there commented that "We are closing. The last day will be around Dec. 11th".

As Kmart is an anchor store for that strip mall, this will not be good for the other businesses there.

With it being emptied soon, is there something you would like to go there in its place?

A bit of a trip

In 1853 travel was not simply tossing lunch into the carriage and heading out. You made plans. A trip to New York was a good distance and many days travel away.

With that said I am rather impressed with the efforts of one local business man to sell his wares to a larger audience. At the 1853 Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations in New York was a rather famous name. Otis. A manufacturer of elevators. Elisha Otis demonstrated an elevator equipped with a device called a safety brake.

In the book "Official Catalogue of the New-York Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations. 1853", it has listed a local connection.

90 Specimens of fans and fly brushes of peacock feathers - George A Blair, Manu. Smyrna Tennessee.

I'm impressed. This was the large trade show for all of America. They had major industry, and in the 'Extreme North Gallery', they had someone showing the wares manufactured in Smyrna Tennessee. You would not want customers unless you could  produce for the customers, especially at such a large exhibit. The odd thing is that I have never heard of anything like this in Smyrna history. 

To give you an idea how small the population was in the 1850's. This is for the whole of Rutherford County.

1850 29,122 

1860 27,918

Smyrna actually grew in the same time period

1950 1,544 

1960 3,612

Right now I'm not even sure there are any Peacocks being raised in Smyrna at all.

As for George A Blair. Checking out some online census records shows that there were some Blair's in Rutherford County, some black and some white. There is really nothing else out there connecting Smyrna and peacocks at all, just this one small bit in a catalog for this fair.

Just a little tidbit of history about Smyrna. 

Fun for all ages

Join Smyrna Public Library as we celebrate Grandparents! There will be music, crafts, ice cream floats, and a special puppet show!

During the early part of the 20th century, electric railways were much more common than most people now think. These are not the transit lines you see in Europe with the poles dragging along the power cables above them. These were long distance interurban railways that stretched for many miles, and they were for moving people and goods for industry.

OR Electric Albany ca 1912

In Oregon they had the Oregon Electric Railroad. In the time frame we will be talking about, the 1910’s, they had over a hundred miles of track stretching across a good distance along the coast of Oregon. Here are two examples of two of their electric engines to get an idea of what a real electric railroad engine looks like during the specific time period.

OR Electric Jct City ca 1914

Now you might wonder why electric railways would be of interest to some of you.  Most people don't know that at one time there was a planned railway that would run over 100 miles from Clarksville, to Nashville, passing through Nolensville, Smyrna and Murfreesboro, and ending in Woodbury of all places. 

This was the Murfreesboro Electric Railway. While a lot of talk happens whenever the idea of a commuter rail connecting the outlining communities with Nashville comes up, when it comes to the MER, there were plans, surveys made, land rights given, and grading had started on the railroad.

Then it vanished...Poof!

Gathering the small scraps of information that I could it seemed to me

Website of interest

If you're interested and enjoy reading about the history of Rutherford County, please take a moment and check out the Rutherford County Tennessee Historical Society. They have a strong online presence and offer a lot of knowledge about the community you live in.

They have a website, a Facebook page, and their publications can be accessed at the MTSU website here.

I'm working on another small paper about how Smyrna almost had an electric Railroad...over a hundred years ago. Take that MARTA!!!

Others in Smyrna

When I did my two posts on having an emergency pack ready for any situation, I did not know before hand that September is National Preparedness month. This is important enough that even CarWise Automotive Repair And Maintenance Smyrna linked to an article about the subject on FaceBook.

Would your car be ready if you had to leave at a moment’s notice? If you were stranded in your car, would you be prepared? During National Preparedness Month in September, the non-profit Car Care Council is reminding drivers of the importance of regular maintenance and do-it-yourself checks, as well as a stocked emergency kit. 

“Emergencies and natural disasters come in a variety of forms, and you don’t always have time to prepare,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “It is important and gives you peace of mind to know that your vehicle is always ready for the task.” 

The article has a good list of things to keep an eye on or check for your and your families safety.

Event Reminder

Don't forget the upcoming Wings of Freedom Fish Fry, and nothing says freedom like lightly browned batter dipped fish.

Cowboys and horses and shooting

What's not to love here, plus admission is free. The event is all week and has different stages on different days. So there should easily be something for you.

Cowboy Mounted Shooting Tennessee Summer Shoot and Eastern US Championships   

09-03-2016 to 09-10-2016 (SCHEDULE AS A PDF)
This exciting and fast action sport will keep you and the family entertained. Combining the skill and accuracy of target shooting with the speed of a horse, riders take aim while putting their horses through courses. 

Location:
304-B West Thompson Lane
Murfreesboro, TN 37129 

 Tennessee Miller Coliseum 

Admission:Free admission 

For more information, please call (888) 960-0003.

An example is this coming Friday. Morning until night, with finals after 6:30pm.

FRIDAY 9/9 •
8:00 AM Main Arena: Stage 3: Wranglers, Class 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. (Rotate go order each day) •
8:30 AM Arena 2: Stage 4: Wranglers, Class 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. •
6:30 PM Wrangler Ground Shooting, 2 stages •
7:00 PM Main Arena: Starline Showcase - Sponsor Flag Presentation. - Cimarron Eliminator - Top 10 Limited Division - Top 5 Cavalry Finals - Platinum Performance Senior Incentive Finals - Top 10 Cimarron Shotgun Finals - Top 10 Taylor’s & Company Rifle Finals - Cimarron Eliminator - Top 10 Open Division