by Jeanni Ritchie
During September, #NationalAmericanaMonth brings the nation together to reflect on elements of life in the United States that have knitted us together and made us Americans.
All across the country, images of Americana appear in shop windows up and down small-town streets. Whether it’s parades on Independence Day or concerts and county fairs all summer long, we each have developed traditions and a sense of nostalgia that forms a part of who we are as an American.
Over the past year I’ve been chronicling a collection of America’s Main Streets. From Goliad, Texas to Emporia, Kansas these streets preserve the history of their town while also serving as a gathering place for their citizens. Such heartland charm is the crux of this work-in-progress entitled 100 Main Streets in America. I stop often as I travel through towns!
My latest trip could be considered an Americana Field Trip, the journey both educational and fun, like all good field trips should be. It started the night before my departure in Natchitoches, Louisiana and ended with a stop in Grenada, Mississippi on my 17-hour road trip home from Kentucky.
I was in the heart of the heartland!
Day 1: I went with my mom, dad, daughter, and bonus daughter to NSU Theatre’s dinner murder mystery, Live and Let Spy, in Natchitoches. We had a great time interacting with the cast, our new friends seated at our table, and each other. Alas, I ended my perfect murder mystery solving record as I predicted incorrectly!
Day 2: My 10-hour drive to Nashville was beautiful but uneventful, except for the passersby who weren’t used to seeing full-on karaoke concerts in the next lane. After checking into my hotel, I walked a mile and a half to T-PAC to see Cirque du Soleil’s newest country-music themed show, Songblazers. It was Hee Haw meets Singalong meets Acrobatics. It was enjoyable, if a little uneven. I’d planned to eat dinner at one of the celebrity restaurant hot spots on Broadway post-show but was dismayed to find they only served alcohol, not food, after 10 PM. I settled for a slice of pizza from Mellow Mushroom and walked back to my hotel, stopping to visit with a couple of homeless people along the way.
Day 3: I did the Hop On/Hop Off Trolley Tour, something I hadn’t done before. Preferring to walk on my previous trip, I hadn’t realized how much of Nashville I’d missed by foot. Music Row was fascinating. I sat on the infamous Taylor Swift bench in Centennial Park and walked around the Parthenon. Coming back to Broadway, I had lunch at Kid Rock’s restaurant before visiting the Johnny Cash museum and creating my own chocolate cluster at Goo Goo Chocolate Company. I ended my evening having dinner at the Bluebird Café and listening to singer-songwriter Mary Gauthier.
Day 4: This day was all about Opry Mills and my Louisiana-childhood-friend-turned-Tennessee-transplant Susanna led the way. She indulged my insistence on playing in the life-size excavators in Opry Mills Mall before we had dinner at the Aquarium Restaurantsurrounded by colorful fish. Attending the Grand Ole Opry was a first for each of us and we excitedly watched Gabby Barrett, Mark Wills, The Bellamy Brothers, Vince Gill, and more. The Opry is a must-see for any Nashville visitor.
Day 5: Susanna and I visited the local park near her Portland, Tennessee home. We hiked trails, played on the swings, checked out the amphitheater, and were dismayed that we couldn’t get into the restored one-room schoolhouse which I found ironic given our frequent attempts to skip the high school of our youth!
Day 6: After a quick Google search the night before, I decided to visit The River Church in Sumner County, Tennessee. The service was great, and I made new friends. I enjoy visiting churches when I’m on the road.
Day 7: Along with my 100 Main Streets project, I’m collecting photos and notes from 100 zoos across America. I spent the day at Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo and Mammoth Cave in Hart County, Kentucky. It was National Zookeeper Week as well, so I interviewed a resident zookeeper whose cockatoo had imprinted on him. Playing in the kangaroo exhibit was a highlight of my trip; they were affectionate and adorable. Wearing a snake around my neck a la Britney Spears was terrifying! I also indulged in an Amish donut from Farmwald’s Dutch Bakery and Deli in Horse Cave and stocked up on snacks from a Buc-ees.
Day 8: I’d returned to the Abbey of Gethsemani, the working monastery in Trappist, KY where I’d first gone last year to hear direct answers from the Lord. This visit was different, a time of thanksgiving and praise. Because of the drastic changes in my life following my first visit, it felt like I was returning to my own Mount of Transfiguration.
Day 9: I ventured into Bardstown, KY enjoying a meal as well as snapping Main Street photos. I also spent time at the Abbey working on my book.
Day 10: I worked on my book some more and enjoyed the quiet of the silent retreat. I visited the monastery’s gift shop and walked the grounds. That evening I went to the Talbott Amphitheater in Bardstown and saw The Stephen Foster Story, the musical story of the composer who penned such songs as Oh, Susanna! and Jeannie With the Light Brown Hair. Now isn’t THAT something?! The show has been performing nightly in the outdoor amphitheater since 1959 but the only reason I knew about it was because my GPS strangely rerouted me right past it the day before and then took me back to the interstate. I knew I had to follow up on that Godwink.
Day 11: The drive home. I stopped for a few minutes at the Casey Jones Village in Jackson, Tennessee and fell in love with a Pray It Forward box, much like a free little library but with prayers. After awhile, I started debated on stopping overnight but kept driving “a little farther” each time. I’d been emotional through part of the trip and praying faith verses to help me cope with situations beyond my control. I stopped at Jake & Rip’s BBQ in Grenada, Mississippi and on my way back to the car I passed two older couples. After exchanging hellos, one of the gentlemen pressed a small wooden cross into my hand. When I got to my car, I turned it over and there in big letters was the word FAITH with a faith verse in smaller script under it. It was perfect and I excitedly drove the rest of the way home, knowing the Lord delivered a special reminder that He was always there.
To read more about my journeys and the Godwinks along the way, follow me at www.faithunfaded.com. To see more from my trip, check out tiktok.com/@jeanniritchie.
