The town square in Lebanon
Here’s a sad story about the Civil War: when war broke out, there was a call for volunteers in Wilson County. Nearly a thousand men showed up, and they became part of the Seventh Tennessee Infantry (which included Tennesseans from other counties such as Sumner, Trousdale and others).
The Seventh Tennessee Infantry was sent to Virginia and fought in just about every major battle there. When the war ended, 47 of the original thousand were still alive.
Cedars of Lebanon State Park
If you like to hike, you’ll find a unique place in Wilson County. While most of Tennessee is dominated by deciduous trees (which lose their leaves in the fall) Wilson County contains a forest at Cedars of Lebanon State Park that is dominated by coniferous trees (which are green year long).
Contrary to the name, these trees aren’t cedars, but junipers. This part of of Tennessee’s Central Basin once had so many juniper trees that it affected the economy here. You see, junipers make good pencils, which is why Shelbyville used to be known as Pencil City USA.
A sinkhole at Cedars of Lebanon State Park
Cedars of Lebanon State Park is also a neat place to learn about sinkholes, which are places where water filters into the ground for so long that eventually the ground collapses.
Because it is so flat, and because there is limestone immediate under the soil, there are sinkholes all over this part of Tennessee. So watch your step!
Sellar’s Farm Archaeological Park
Wilson County also contains Sellar’s Farm State Archaeological Park, where there was a Native American community during the Mississippian era.
Some amazing artifacts have been found at Sellar’s Farm, which you will learn all about when you take our virtual tour of the place.
The Wilson County Courthouse is no longer located in the middle of the county seat, but about two blocks away. Here’s a picture of it.
