10 Reasons to Visit Historic Granville for a Day

A decade ago, the Mayberry-themed performance in Granville grew into one year-round community celebration of the iconic Andy Griffith Show. Many similarities exist between Mount Airy, North Carolina, and the riverside hamlet in Middle Tennessee.

1. T. B. Sutton General Store
   This two-story 1865 relic (on the National Register) offers more than four businesses and Granville’s major restaurant. On Saturday nights, Sutton Ole Time Music Hour, a bluegrass dinner show a la Grand Ole Opry, with live advertising, takes place.
2. Museum on Granville Island
   An intelligent World War II veteran who returned annually for 30 years to chronicle the town’s growth, Vincent DeNardo, was the first museum to open in Granville. In halls dedicated to local schools, the military, and genealogy, visitors may learn about the town’s early days, as well as the individuals and businesses that shaped it.
3. Wildwood Resort & Marina
   The $2.5 million addition and the new lodge at Wildwood Resort and the Marina on Cumberland River & the Cordell Hull Lake have made visits more enjoyable. Enjoy the beautiful Brazilian hardwood docks, kayak, pontoon, canoe, and paddle board rentals, or sit on one of the covered front porches in an Adirondack chair. Granville has three B&B’s.
4. I Love Lucy Museum in Mayberry
   The Mayberry — I Love Lucy Museum features items from two of America’s most beloved TV shows. Examine Lucy’s house, including her old kitchenware, before exploring Andy’s neighborhood. Meet Aunt Bee, Opie, and other characters from both shows and enjoy their antics.
5. Pioneer Village & Sutton Homeplace
   The original owner’s 19th-century home was refurbished with antique furnishings, making it Granville’s second-oldest home. It’s not your typical old home, with quarterly themed exhibition. This spring, celebrate women’s achievements around the country. The Pioneer Village behind the home features a new cottage garden, a barn and Wellhouse of Grand Ole Opry singer Jesse Donald “Uncle Jimmy” Thompson, and enterprises specializing in baskets, Blacksmithing, and brooms.
6. Tour of Granville
   Be self-guided or take the guide tour of this town for only $5, beginning with the Sutton Homeplace & the Pioneer Village. Walk around six museums to see antique vehicles, ice cream, and other exhibits. Tours are provided all year, Wednesday through Saturday; arrive early and prepare to spend around three hours. Fortunately for visitors, Cordell Hull Lake and the Cumberland River are both within reasonable walking distance of each other in this two-street hamlet.
7. Farm to Table Museum
   The Farm to Table Museum traces the journey from farm to plate, as well as how animals were once used for transportation. Among the displays are a reconstructed 1942 milk truck and a history of dairy farms in Middle Tennessee. Others are dedicated to tobacco, corn, and poultry. A mule display features one of Granville’s earliest horse-drawn hearses.
8. Whistle Stop Saloon’s New Decanter Collection
   The Whistle Stop Saloon will debut 2,600 decanters of Jim Beam whiskey styled like automobiles, celebrities, presidents, and even Santa Claus. When Granville became a major riverboat port in the 1800s, he built the bar. This replica includes an assortment of whiskey jugs from around the state.
9. Festivals aplenty
   Seven annual festivals celebrate anything from Mayberry to moonshine. At the Genealogy Festival on April 10, families may learn about notable women from local, state, and national authorities to The Andy Griffith Show’s female ensemble. A Mayberry cruise-in brings together vintage car aficionados and TV personalities on the same day. The Cornbread & Moonshine Festival offers a cornbread-making contest, sampling, and distillery tastings. The season ends with the annual Granville Heritage Day, featuring bluegrass, crafts, and a parade.
10. Dinner Theater in the Open Air
    The Darlings, the mountain musicians from The Andy Griffith Show, will perform in Pioneer Village’s renowned outdoor dinner theater. Throughout the year, there are more performances.