Wartburg, TN - We Barely Measure Up to the Joey Standard

Welcome the Wartburg, Tennessee!  The town was founded in the 1840s by George Gerding who planned to establish a series of German colonies in the region.  The first settlers named the town after Wartburg Castle in Germany.  The town became the county seat of Morgan County in 1870.  The county is home to the Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary.  The Barkley Marathons, an ultramarathon trail race, was inspired by the failed escape of assassin James Earl Ray from the penitentiary.  Ray covered 12 miles in 54.5 hours before he was caught.  Wartburg and the surrounding area is popular for it's outdoor activities.  Wartburg is the hedquarters for the Obed Wild and Scenic River,  Frozen Head State Park, Lone Mountain State Forest, the Catoosa Wildlife Management Area, and the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area.  We hope you enjoy or trip to Wartburg!Small Town News--whose headline is it, anyway? @SmallTownNewsImprov