Shelbyville, Tennessee
In Tennessee and the surrounding area the county seat town is a common occurrence. A county seat town includes a center square with a courthouse, usually the most extravagant building in the county, and blocks of businesses including lawyer offices and shops surrounding it (Jordan-Bychkov 2003). Other establishments such as churches, schools, and residences are found near the edges of the town.
One famous layout for the county seat town originated in Shelbyville, the seat of Bedford County, called the Shelbyville Square. In this layout the center block holds the county courthouse and streets only enter at the four corners of the square (Jordan-Bychkov 2003). The Shelbyville square idea spread over many of the states west of Tennessee and is widely found in Texas due to a large migration out of Tennessee shortly after its inception. Since then many have been modified but they still retain the original Shelbyville square structure and elements.
During the Tennessee field seminar 2018 the students visited Shelbyville, TN to experience first-hand the county seat town layout. The only places to enter the central square are in the four corners. Upon entering the square one is confronted with a large, tall, imposing county courthouse with large white columns lining the front.
One famous layout for the county seat town originated in Shelbyville, the seat of Bedford County, called the Shelbyville Square. In this layout the center block holds the county courthouse and streets only enter at the four corners of the square (Jordan-Bychkov 2003). The Shelbyville square idea spread over many of the states west of Tennessee and is widely found in Texas due to a large migration out of Tennessee shortly after its inception. Since then many have been modified but they still retain the original Shelbyville square structure and elements.
During the Tennessee field seminar 2018 the students visited Shelbyville, TN to experience first-hand the county seat town layout. The only places to enter the central square are in the four corners. Upon entering the square one is confronted with a large, tall, imposing county courthouse with large white columns lining the front.
There were small green spaces around the perimeter of the courthouse with monuments to the Civil War. Surrounding the courthouse on the four adjacent blocks were businesses including a lawyer’s office, boutiques, a coffee shop, a café, and antique shops. It was clear that the shops around the courthouse square were meant for visitors rather than locals.
The class dispersed into smaller groups to explore some of the shops. The boutiques had high-end clothing at high-end prices typical of tourist shops. A wide variety of products were sold including clothes, hats, handmade soaps, incense, and home décor.
The class dispersed into smaller groups to explore some of the shops. The boutiques had high-end clothing at high-end prices typical of tourist shops. A wide variety of products were sold including clothes, hats, handmade soaps, incense, and home décor.
The coffee shop in the central square sold handmade pastries, and specialty coffee drinks. The coffee shop was the only shop on the square that could also appeal to locals. A special surprise inside the coffee shop was a little piece of geography.
Just goes to show that geography is everywhere! Some places were closed including the lawyer office and a boutique but otherwise all the shops were open. As one meandered away from the central square, the buildings and the road became more decrepit. Potholes littered the street and paint was peeling from the buildings. The buildings off the main square were occupied by a few restaurants and other businesses such as a jewelry store.
Just goes to show that geography is everywhere! Some places were closed including the lawyer office and a boutique but otherwise all the shops were open. As one meandered away from the central square, the buildings and the road became more decrepit. Potholes littered the street and paint was peeling from the buildings. The buildings off the main square were occupied by a few restaurants and other businesses such as a jewelry store.
In its heyday the courthouse square would have been a bustling center for residents to come shopping and spend a day in town. Today, Shelbyville’s courthouse square looks slightly neglected and devoid of pedestrians even though the class visited on a Saturday. The class unanimously decided that Shelbyville has transitioned its service focus from locals to tourists. The distinction between the central square and surrounding blocks is evidence of this conclusion. Overall Shelbyville is still a great destination to visit, especially if one is interested in urban planning or interested in learning about early influences on southern town structure.