The Wayne County Chamber of Commerce recently announced its new branding for the tourism industry, “Natchez Valley,” which will identify the Wayne County, Tennessee region as a place to spend valuable recreation time to visitors and residents alike.
Many have asked, why “Natchez Valley?” Great question!
“For the last 15 years many people have tried to brand our area,” said Christine Chapman, Executive Director of the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce. “Many have tried to set Wayne County apart from the many valleys and geographical locations to enhance and promote tourism to our direct area, not the general location.””
Wayne County is located in the Tennessee River Valley, which spans from Kentucky to Mississippi over to Alabama and back around to Kentucky. That’s a HUGE area! We are also in the Buffalo River Valley, which also runs through several counties in Tennessee. Short story, we get “lost” in those valleys.
Over 30 miles of the Natchez Trace National Park (affectionately referred to as “The Trace”) runs through our beautiful county, with several exits to get to our towns for shopping and leisure. We are also home to the most direct exit to amenities such as food, gas, and alternate routes in Tennessee should the Trace be closed for any reason.
The Wayne County Welcome Center, open seven days a week from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, located just off exit 355 in Collinwood, is that area where you can pull off, stretch your legs, stay the night, and fill up your gas tank or your food tank.
The Welcome Center has approximately 20,000 visitors a year who sign the Visitors’ Log when entering the building. That number is conceivably double that to include those who do not stop in and say “hi” to the volunteers. Tourists from all over the world visit the Natchez Trace, especially during the fall when the leaves are turning colors.
Many early settlers of Wayne County came off the Trace to make our area their home. Native Americans were some of the first inhabitants of the area due to the resources of water and cover from enemies that threatened their way of life. People today still find arrowheads and other ancient relics from that time.
Outlaws also came off the Trace, using such areas as the Natural Bridge as a hideout. There was even a movie filmed in Wayne County called “Bandits of the Natchez Trace.” The film was premiered in Waynesboro in 1957. Sadly, the film no longer exists, but there are plenty of stories, posters, and other memorabilia throughout the area.
There is not a spot in our area the Natchez Trace hasn’t touched in our history. So, when sitting down and combining all our resources, the name “Natchez Valley” just made sense! Come visit and see for yourself how this valuable roadway has given opportunities to our area for ALL your recreational wants and needs!
