Sewanee: Plateau Paradise
Sewanee is a “secret” haven for the arts, study, and the outdoors.
Credit: University of the South
Quiet dignity and reverence run in the veins of Sewanee.
They both seem set in the stones of the University of the South and lay upon the leaf-dappled grounds of its splendid campus. They are in the mighty bluffs and peaceful waterfalls of The Domain, the school’s 13,000-acre wooded reserve. They are also in the people — who show generosity of spirit first (and maybe a brilliant mind if they get to know you) — who call Sewanee home.
Set high as it is atop the southern end of the Cumberland Plateau, Sewanee is still a hidden Tennessee gem. (The town’s website calls it “Middle Tennessee’s best-kept secret.”) The small town is a must-visit if you love books, music, good food, and, especially, the outdoors.
Credit: University of the South
Sewanee is the University of the South and the University of the South is Sewanee. The town distinguishes itself apart as the Village of Sewanee. But that’s largely just a way to talk up the area’s great small businesses. They mostly lie along or near University Avenue, the pulsing vein of daily life in Sewanee. (Though, traffic on the street pulses at a heart-pounding 20 miles per hour.)
Grundy County (in which the village is sited) does not even list Sewanee among its cities on the county’s official website. Town decisions, like planning, for instance, are all handled by the university (as it owns the town’s land and the are around it — The Domain).
The Sewanee Mountains Messenger is the newspaper of the University of the South. (Credit: Toby Sells)
The University of the South
The school is the hub of the Sewanee community. Its students keep the campus lively, of course. But Sewanee villagers can keep themselves busy there with an array of talks, art exhibits, film screenings, concerts, plays, sports, annual traditions, and more.
One annual tradition rings in the holiday season each year. The Festival Service of Lessons and Carols celebrated its 65th annual service this year. The service begins with the ringing of the University Carillon — a French-cast set of 56 bronze bells (collectively weighing around 23 tons) hung high in the chapel’s Shapard Tower. The service continues with music for brass and organ, hymns by a candlelit choir, prayers, lessons, and carols.
Credit: University of the South
The Sewanee campus also features a one-of-a-kind experience for music lovers and audiophiles. The William Ralston Listening Center (on the second floor of duPont Library) ”boasts an expansive collection of physical format recordings — LPs and CDs — that seeks to be representative of the standard repertoire of Western art music.” TLDR; if you want to hear it, the library probably has it.
The library is built around a custom-built loudspeaker in a room custom-built for the loudspeaker. I sat in awe at the sound on a recent visit. So much so, that when my friend (duPont Library powerhouse Cari Reynolds) asked me to request a song, I simply could not. The sound in the room made the request akin to daVinci asking, “Can I paint you something?”
(For a visit, send a request to ralstonlistening@sewanee.edu.)
Hike and Bike Sewanee
An embarrassment of natural riches sit on Sewanee’s doorstep. With just a brief walk from campus, you can explore some of Tennessee’s finest hiking with overlooks that pay off every single time.
The Domain is home to 65 miles of hiking trails. This includes the signature Perimeter Trail, a 20-mile loop for hiking, biking, and running atop the bluffs of the Cumberland Plateau. Maybe the most-popular Sewanee hike runs from Morgans Steep to the Memorial Cross, a one-mile hike that features gorgeous overlooks, waterfalls, sandstone overhangs, and a stone tunnel. The university has a great collection of classic hikes here for views of Bridal Veil Falls, Thumping Dick Cove, King’s Farm, and more.
Where to stay and eat
The Sewanee Inn. (Credit: Toby Sells)
A good day’s hike requires good food and a good drink. Get both of these in the relaxed, good-vibes-only restaurant and pub, Shenanigans in the village. A “happy place” for generations, Shenanigans offers up massive cheeseburgers, gooey hot sandwiches, from-scratch pizza, and a rotating lineup of regional craft beers.
Across University Avenue, LUNCH has become a village mainstay. Its rotating menu is based on what's harvested by local farmers. One a recent visit, a hearty frittata and chicken pot pie were exceptional. All of it served up in a cozy, homey spot built from your Pinterest vision board.
An overnight stay at The Sewanee Inn is almost essential (but highly recommended) for any visit, especially in winter. It exudes that classic Sewanee reverence with vaulted ceilings, massive fireplaces, sumptuous wood floors, walls, and furnishings, and its all decorated as an homage (almost a tabernacle) to the University of the South. Stay and play the Inn’s nine-hole golf course. If you can’t stay, visit Shakerag, the hotel’s restaurant and bar for Southern flavors and craft beverages.
