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30 May 2026

Dyersburg: A Musical Stop on Highway 51

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May 30, 2026

U.S. Highway 51, popularized by Bob Dylan’s “Highway 51 Blues,” stretches the entire length of the country, starting from northern Wisconsin and extending down to New Orleans. In western Tennessee, Highway 51 covers 135 miles along the eastern side of the Mississippi River, maintaining a nearly straight path through flat fields of corn and cotton from the Kentucky state line to Memphis. There are few large towns along this route, with Dyersburg being the largest, boasting a population of 16,164.

Dyer County within the State of Tennessee. Dyersburg is the county seat.

At first impression, Dyersburg comes off as a prettier little town than most, and it seems prosperous. The street mural below sketches the county’s highlights: the courthouse dome, cotton, corn, a bridge over the mighty Mississippi, and the county fair.

Let’s begin at the center of town, at the courthouse square. The Dyer County Courthouse is a robust red brick building built in 1912. Its prominent white dome rises above the town, showcasing four clocks, each facing one of the four cardinal directions. (I checked, and all four clocks keep accurate time.)

The Dyer County Courthouse with Confederate Veterans Memorial in Dyersburg, Tennessee.

Additional views of the courthouse (below) show its fine lawn, the Greek columns at the main entrance, and an old military cannon.

Inside the courthouse, I quickly spotted a painting on the wall near the entrance titled “The Pride of Tennessee.” This painting features the faces of eleven legendary Tennesseans. I’ve noticed this same painting in other courthouses throughout the state; it seems to be present in nearly all of them. You might refer to these honored individuals as Tennessee’s equivalent of “Mount Rushmore” — although, of course, the state took the liberty of including eleven faces instead of just four. If I had to choose four faces to narrow it down, I would select the three U.S. Presidents (Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk, and Andrew Johnson) and add David Crockett. These four men are positioned at the top center of the painting, which leads me to wonder whether that was the original intention.

A “who’s who” reference guide to “The Pride of Tennessee” painting.

I recall having a conversation about this painting with some of the security guards and employees at the courthouse. I complimented them on both the courthouse and their town. Small-town residents are known for their friendliness, and I’ve found that the people in the Volunteer State are no exception.

After leaving the courthouse and walking around town from the square, I noticed the Downtown 51 Service Station, reminding everyone of the importance of Highway 51. Their sign reads “We stand in front of our brake jobs.” That’s clever.

Around the corner is the First Citizens Bank Building, the tallest building in town.

The First Citizens Bank building in Dyersburg, Tennessee.

The First United Methodist Church is likely the oldest congregation in town, having been established in 1840 following a courthouse revival meeting. Over the years, several church buildings have been constructed, with the current one completed in 1923. I admire the design that features a green tile roof, green doors, and well-manicured green shrubs surrounding the structure.

The Dyersburg United Methodist Church; completed in 1923.

There’s even more musical history in Dyersburg. The historical sign below explains the mural of Noah Lewis on a downtown building. In 1928, Lewis recorded his song “The Minglewood Blues.” Turning the clock ahead nearly 40 years, the Grateful Dead dug up Lewis’ song and included it on their first album in 1967. The Dead dubbed their version “New New Minglewood Blues,” and you can listen to it here.

The last stop in Dyersburg is this converted bus station, Bus Stop Dyersburg. The iconic architecture and coloring make it worth a photograph, and the building was converted into a restaurant and coffee shop after the bus station was closed in the 1980s.

Bus Stop Dyersburg was once the town’s transportation hub, but was converted to a coffee shop and restaurant in 2015.

Click here for a list of all TimManBlog American County Seats Series posts.
The photos in this post were taken on May 3, 2023 or October 20, 2016, and are copyrighted by Tim Seibel.

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Posted in County Seats, Travel Posts and tagged Bob Dylan, books, Bus Stop Dyersburg, Downtown 51 Service Station, Dyer County, Dyer County Courthouse, Dyersburg, Dyersburg First United Methodist Church, First Citizens Bank, First Citizens Bank of Dyersburg, Grateful Dead, Highway 51 Blues, Minglewood Blues, New New Minglewood Blues, Noah Lewis, rants, religion, Route 51, sports, US HIghway 51, work | Leave a comment

30 Apr 2026

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Explore Brenham, Texas: A Visitor’s Dream

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April 30, 2026

Welcome to Brenham! This central Texas town sports a population of 17,000 and is the county seat of Washington County, Texas, with some ties to the Texas Revolution of 1836. More on that later.

The Lone Star of Texas points to a statue of a cowboy. Brenham, Texas.

Driving into downtown Brenham seems like entering a village. The small, compact streets are barely wide enough to hold two lanes of traffic in between rows of diagonally parked cars. Brenham is vibrant; its buildings are lined with restaurants, stores, art galleries, coffee shops, bed-and-breakfasts, etc. Many of Brenham’s downtown buildings date to the late 1890s and early 1900s, when ornamentation on business buildings was both good advertising and a matter of civic pride.

Here’s a quick walk around downtown Brenham:

“Must be Heaven” — I ate here, and the restaurant’s name is NOT false advertising!

Many of Brenham’s village buildings had large painted murals on their walls. These made for good photos.

“Baseball Capital of Texas,” and a reference to Blue Bell Creameries here in town.

Blue Bell Ice Cream and the Birthplace of Texas

Just a short drive from Brenham lies Washington-on-the-Brazos, the Birthplace of Texas. On March 2, 1836, fifty-nine delegates gathered there to sign the Texas Declaration of Independence, boldly breaking away from Mexican rule and establishing the Republic of Texas.

Of course, some murals are just about fun.

Some old Texas homes remain among the commercial buildings in the center of town.

The Washington County Courthouse occupies a small square in the center of town. This is a three-story Art Deco building constructed in 1939.

The 1939 Washington County Courthouse in Brenham, Texas

A Brenham/Washington County scene from inside the courthouse — Texas bluebonnets and milk cows.

Brenham and Washington County are located at the center of Texas’s bluebonnet wildflower region. I saw fields of these wildflowers along the roadways outside of town.

Of course, Brenham is best known as the home of the Blue Bell Creameries. Since 1907, this beloved local institution has been crafting what many call “the best ice cream in the world” with the simple motto “We eat all we can, and we sell the rest.” They offer tours. I ended the day by going down to the old creamery to have some ice cream. Ice cream makes everyone happy.

This statue outside the Blue Bell Creamery is also the company’s logo.

Washington County, within the state of Texas

Click here for a list of all TimManBlog American County Seats Series posts.
The photos in this post were taken on April 10, 2018, or April 10, 2019, and are copyrighted by Tim Seibel.

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Posted in County Seats, Travel Posts and tagged art, Birthplace of Texas, Blue Bell Ice Cream, bluebonnets, books, Brenham, Indian paintbrush, Must be Heaven, news, sports, technology, Washington County, Washington County Courthouse, Washington on the Brazos

29 Jun 2025

The “Popcorn Man” of Sterling, Colorado

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June 29, 2025

Clarence Mentgen’s popcorn stand at the northeast corner of courthouse square.

Clarence Mentgen, a man who had suffered from left-side paralysis since his youth, made his living selling popcorn and snacks on a street corner in front of the Logan County Courthouse in Sterling, Colorado. Working tirelessly six days a week for nearly four decades, Clarence’s efforts, combined with his cheery demeanor, made him a beloved local figure. He was Sterling’s “Popcorn Man,” and his place of business became “Clarence’s Corner.“

Sterling, Colorado, with a population of 13,000, is a vibrant agricultural and market town located in the high plains of northeastern Colorado, approximately 125 miles northeast of Denver. Mentgen sold popcorn and snacks in this little town from the 1930s until 1977, when the Colorado State Health Department shut him down for lacking running water and a sewer tap. It must have been a sad day.

Clarence Mentgen is remembered: this statue of “The Popcorn Man” was dedicated in 2008.

The Popcorn Man exemplifies the hardy work ethic of this small town, which is shaped by the rigors of the Colorado high plains. Life is tough in this rough land. Sterling’s many shade trees aren’t native to the area; irrigation waters from the South Platte River sustain them, and they wouldn’t survive on the open plains outside of town.

Sterling’s residents take pride in their homes, porches, and shady sidewalks, recognizing the achievement of creating an oasis of greenery in Colorado’s high plains.

Sterling’s churches also provide that feeling of a special hometown, since they are large and clustered near the courthouse square, giving those blocks a sense of special gravity. Although the Catholic Church’s red brick façade is imposing, it’s the Presbyterian Church that is truly grand, occupying almost an entire block and topped by a brown dome worthy of the Roman Pantheon.

St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church (left) and the First Presbyterian Church of Sterling.

Finally, at the center of town, the Logan County Courthouse is fantastic. It features a large white cupola and pillars constructed of brown stone with white stone trim. There’s an expansive lawn on three sides that’s well-kept and has many shade trees. Inside the courthouse is a real rotunda view and ten oil paintings by a local artist named Carrera. The paintings depict early Colorado life and the state’s historic events, particularly clashes with Native Americans.
The courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Logan County Courthouse in Sterling, Colorado.

Below: statues and memorials decorate the grounds surrounding the Logan County Courthouse. The sculpture in the bottom right photo is called “Rain on the Prairie” and is dedicated to the farmers of the South Platte River Valley.