Explore
Explore Shelbyville
The history of Shelbyville and back-road drives to the next town over. Every fact links to where we found it.
The square
Shelbyville’s courthouse square was laid out in 1810 as a full city block, with the courthouse in the middle and streets meeting at each corner.
History of the square
- The layout, often called the “Shelbyville Square” or “Shelbyville Plan,” was later copied by many county seats in the South and Midwest.
History notes → - The Civil War Trails marker on the courthouse grounds says five courthouses have stood on the square; the present one dates from 1935.
History notes → - The Shelbyville Courthouse Square Historic District was added to the National Register in 1982.
National Register → - Driving over? The Shelbyville square is a stop on the back-road drive to Fayetteville through Petersburg.
See the drive →
History page: ourtownalmanac.com/tn/shelbyville/explore/history/
History
Exploring the past: our history notes on Shelbyville and the county, with every statement attributed to a public source.
History page: ourtownalmanac.com/tn/shelbyville/explore/history/
Road trips
Back-road drives between Shelbyville and the next town over, with places to stop on the way.
- Lynchburg: Lynchburg to Shelbyville by way of Short Springs, Normandy and Wartrace, 46 miles, about 1 hr 25 min.
- Fayetteville: Shelbyville to Fayetteville through Petersburg, 32 miles, about 47 minutes.
- Pulaski: Pulaski to Shelbyville through Lynnville and Cornersville, 56 miles, about 1 hr 29 min.
- Or make a day of it: the four-town loop, 141 miles, about 4 hr 13 min of driving.
Watch
Videos about Shelbyville and Bedford County: history talks, festivals, historic places and views from the air, each credited to its maker. Nothing loads from YouTube until you press play.
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