Fernweh, An Ache for Distant Places

Maryville, mumbled as “Murrahvull” in local dialect, has a rich history in anti-slavery movements. The Society of Friends presence was strong there in the 19th century, and one of their core values is opposition to slavery.

This was an impressive discovery for me and I have been reading up. Check out this site for more information.

Maryville is a small city in Blount County, an East Tennessee city south of Knoxville. It was first settled by white folk in 1875 during the construction of Fort Craig, and it was officially founded as the City of Maryville a decade later.

Today, the population is creeping to around 30,000 people in a sixteen square mile radius.

The famous Maryville College was founded by abolitionist Isaac L. Anderson and is one of the main draws to the city. It first opened as the Southern and Western Theological Seminary in 1819, then became Maryville College in 1842.

Maryville College also hosts the annual Smoky Mountain Scottish Festival, which draws visitors from all around the world each year.

A lot has changed since I originally posted my first blog about Maryville several years ago. Two of my favourite places in Maryville, Roland’s German Bistro and Public House are now closed, but many new favourites have opened.

One of my favourite new additions to downtown is this Senderos mural by Nicole Salgar on the Maryville Bike ‘N Tri building as part of the Walls for Women project. Other artists in the project include Jenny Ustick from my old stomping grounds near Cincinnati and whose work I have seen in a few different states now.

Some of the best parts of Maryville are places that have been standing for ages, though.

The historic Capitol Theater is a landmark right in the center of downtown. It remains just as glitzy and glamourous inside as when it was first built in the 1920s.

There is an ice cream shop inside, and I have attended a couple weddings in the main theatre over the years.

The nearby Palace Theater is now used as a live music and event venue.

Be sure to check out this mural across the street in tribute to Smoky Mountain Music History. This mural has been up as long as I can remember.

The Maryville Farmers Market in Founders Square is a beloved community event during the spring and fall each year.

You can visit every Saturday from late April through early November, just check the calendar here.

Outside the Courthouse, the Blount County War Dead Memorial honours the lives of soldiers from Maryville that were lost in each war.

Maryville’s Bicentennial Park aka the Bicentennial Greenbelt Park is one of my favourite places to visit in town.

Paved walking paths weave in and around water features and fountains, memorial plaques, and native plants. We have found a few Geocaches out there too.

Blount County Historical Museum is home of the Blount County Heritage Festival and many other events year round that support locals artists and makers in the community.

Tour the museum and walk the front lawn to see actual carts, tools, and log cabins recovered and restored from early days of Blount County.

FOOD & DRINKS
Maryville has a wide assortment of quality restaurants, cafes, and pubs. One of my favourites is the Plant People  “Botanical Boutique and Cafe” that sells lovely plants, delicious coffee, and baked goods.

This place was opened in 2022 by a local social worker and clinical director of her own counseling and wellness center, as a way to reconnect the community after the isolation endured during COVID.

Vienna Coffeehouse serves hot and cold sandwiches, small plates, numerous coffees, teas, salads, quiches, and pastries.

Southern Grace is another option for delicious coffee, if you are more inclined toward religious backed environments. You can hang out inside or grab a ground bag to go.

For no-fuss donuts and coffee, Richy Kreme is your place. The original location celebrated their 75th Anniversary recently, and there is now another location nearby in Knoxville.

These donuts could possibly contain a solid cup of sugar each. They are cheap as hell and the coffee is free. We enjoyed sitting in some rickety chairs on the side of the highway and watched cars chug by one dusty morning.

Southland Books and Café is my go to place in Maryville.

They have a nice selection of books and local goods plus plenty of nooks for reading or quiet conversation.

Each of their menu offerings have clever names and I have yet to try something that was not delicious.

I struck gold when I discovered they make and sell their own kosher dill pickles in the café. FYI: if you bring the jar back they will give you a dollar off your next batch.

They also booked one of my favourite bands a while back which absolutely thrilled me.

Beard Brothers Coffee is a fairly new place that has already taken off in the best way. I LOVE their chocolate chip cookies and was more than happy to treat myself.

They have an excellent selection of decadent teas and a kooky interior decorating style that reminds me of my own home, with a bit less whimsy.

My buddy who took me to Richy Kreme and La Lupita for the first time also introduced me to Aroma Café for Cuban food a few years ago.  We are both Cuban sandwich fans and they do not disappoint.

The owner shared his recipe for their delicious Mojo sauce; everything from ordering sour oranges out of Florida, mixing in cumin and other herbs, and the marinating process.

There are a few commercial versions of Mojo but he assured us his is the freshest. We tried a guava empanada, a papas relleno, and syrupy sweet Cuban coffee.

Another friend introduced me to Chapuline’s Street Tacos a couple years ago and I am hooked.

You can find them next door to a gas station and they have indoor seating. There is a small salsa/sauce bar of housemade delicacies that I am drooling over as I type.

In addition to street tacos, you can order burritos, burrito bowls, and all kinds of other dishes with Latin flair.

Grilled plantains are another popular item on the menu, something I can never resist.

The Hop and Hot Rods are both kitschy 50s diners that have made it to all sorts of travel guides, tv shows, and listicles. They are both well deserving of so much praise.

Hot Rods has abundant indoor seating compared to the Hop’s outdoor drive-in model. They have a lot of 50s and vintage memorabilia to keep you entertained while you wait for your food also.

Their extensive burger has like 100 different themes but if you can think of any other way to order it, they will accommodate.

Hot Rods’ signature dish is the Creamed Chipped Beef SOS which you can get as a cup of soup with potatoes, as a sandwich, over french fries, or however you like.

This is a throwback to the days of WWII when it was a popular dish for soldiers. If you are currently a Veteran, you can get yours for free while dining in on Memorial Day and Veterans Day.

Walnut Kitchen and Foothills Milling Company are two of the more upscale offerings in Maryville. I have not eaten at either yet, but have heard wonderful reviews.

PUBS, BARS, & BREWERIES are also abundant in Maryville. One of its most popular breweries is Blackberry Farm Brewery, a separate location than the even more popular Blackberry Farm Resort.

They offer a Kölsch service at varying times, which thrills me. I enjoy quite  a few of their other beers also.

Brackins Blues Club and Two Doors Down are both staples of Maryville nightlife, and are conveniently next door neighbours. My band has played at Brackins and I have seen some rad shows there in the past.

I really enjoy hanging out on the back patio as well.

Bluetick Tavern is a neighbourhood staple that moved into the old Barley’s location a couple years ago.

Tri-Hop Brewery and Round 6 Brewing are both fun, and a new one called Swäˈrā just opened.

SHOPS
Maryville has a growing collection of interesting shops like Natural Mystic, which specializes in the metaphysical with crystals, incense, books, home decor, and other supplies to connect to Spirit.

Neighborly Books is a locally-owned, independent bookstore downtown that is relatively new. They opened in 2002 and allow shoppers to purchase books online instead of making the trek in person.

Check out their calendar to stay current on live readings and community and events.

Roost carries rustic furniture, art, kitchen supplies, pottery, jewelry, candles, and other gifts. Merchandise appears to be custom-made by local craftspeople and some higher end imports.

Horn of Plenty and Ginger’s Flowers are both lovely markets, great for locally sourced groceries and garden supplies.

Five Point Finds is an antiques and furniture store that has been around for two years. While the sign is retro, they carry a large amount of Appalachian nostalgia.

The Golden Age “High Court of Comics & Games” has a super cool mural that wraps around its perimeter, in addition to just being an awesome store on its own.

Millennium Manor Castle is technically located in the city of Alcoa but is less than a mile from downtown Maryville. It was built over a span of nearly nine years between 1937-1946 using various Roman-inspired architecture.

The couple who built it had a dream that it would stand for an entire millennium. They were generally thought to be religious extremists who believed in the literal translation of the bible, and that Armageddon would happen in 1969, which makes it all the more kooky.

After both owners passed away, none of their ten children wanted to live there, so the castle fell into disrepair and into the hands of vandals.

A few members of the community owned it for short periods of time but ultimately it was purchased by a man named Dean Fontaine in 1995, and he still owns and continues to restore it today.

Fontaine was able to have the home added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2020. He is working on a book about the history and legends of Millennium Manor Castle, addressing rumours such as whether one of the original owners’ children is buried in the walls, or if the couple themselves are truly buried in a nearby cemetery together or somewhere unmarked on the property. Yeeeeesh!

You can join the castle’s  Facebook group to stay connected to future Open House events and volunteer opportunities. We visited right after Halloween, which I can at least hope explains all this.

In the area for a while? Follow me to the seriously creepy Greenback Castle, Townsend, and Fort Loudon State Park, or to some of Knoxville’s cool neighbourhoods like Happy Holler, Marble City, Inskip, and Old Sevier.

*************
© Fernwehtun, 2015- Current. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Fernwehtun and Fernwehtun.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.