MCNAIRY COUNTY TOURISM
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      • Amish Community
      • Crazy K Ranch
      • Duncan Christmas Tree Farm
      • HOCKADAY HANDMADE BROOMS
      • Hope Vineyards
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      • Derailed Haunted House
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        • BIG HILL POND STATE PARK
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      • SHILOH MILTARY NATIONAL PARK
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      • COON CREEK SCIENCE CENTER
      • McNairy Planetarium
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      • Civil War Trails
      • Historic Railroad Trail
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      • Walking Tall Music Fest
      • Freedom Fest
      • Kid's Fest
      • Finger Annual BBQ and Picnic
      • Music Fest
      • Plein Air Art Festival
      • Rockabilly Highway Revival
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AiM Art Collections

2B Pottery
This listing is still being updated
Collection of Famous Music Boxes
The Tennessee music box, or box dulcimer, is one of the most enigmatic musical instruments ever discovered.  Little is known about its origins, but it is an ingenious folk instrument made of materials at hand in the counties of southwest and south middle Tennessee.  The earliest music boxes date to the 1880s or possibly even the 1870s.  Playing and construction techniques were passed from generation to generation, continuing through the 1940s.

Community scholars like Ellis Truett of Henderson County, Tennessee and Gerald Young of Giles County, Tennessee  were perhaps the first to appreciate the cultural significance of these crude but beautifully resonant instruments.  Scholars such as Dr. Richard Hulan, David Schnaufer, and Sandy Conatser provided valuable research and further insight into their history. An excellent article by Schnaufer and Conatser first appeared in the Tennessee Folklore Society Bulletin.
​
In 2015 Arts in McNairy purchased a collection of seven music boxes formerly owned by Ellis Truett (pictured below). Later acquisitions and music box documentation are also part of the collection, which is permanently housed at the McNairy County Historical Museum.  The collection is available for scholarly research and inspection by request and is occasionally on display at the museum or Latta Visitor's and Cultural Center, both in downtown Selmer, Tennessee.
AIM Music Box Article
Picture

Location

McNairy County Resources

McNairy County Government
McNairy County Schools
McNairy County Chamber of Commerce 
McNairy County Economic Development
Arts in McNairy
Big Hill Pond State Park

Contact Us

  • Experiences
    • AgriTourism >
      • Amish Community
      • Crazy K Ranch
      • Duncan Christmas Tree Farm
      • HOCKADAY HANDMADE BROOMS
      • Hope Vineyards
      • Selmer Farmer's Market
    • Buford Pusser Tours >
      • EXPERIENCE CENTER
      • Home & Museum
    • Haunted Attraction >
      • Derailed Haunted House
    • History and Heritage >
      • About McNairy
      • McNairy County Archives
      • McNairy County Historical Museum
      • McNairy County Historical Society
      • McNairy County Libraries
    • Music and Arts >
      • ARTS IN MCNAIRY
      • AiM Art Collections
      • MUSIC HERITAGE
      • Quilting
      • Rockabilly HWY Murals
      • Tennessee Music Pathways
    • Outdoor Recreation >
      • Camping >
        • BIG HILL POND STATE PARK
        • Country Critters Campground & RV Park
      • Disc Golf
      • Golf Courses
      • Parks
      • SHILOH MILTARY NATIONAL PARK
      • Shooting Complex
      • Athletics & Fitness
      • Swimming
    • Scientific Tourism >
      • COON CREEK SCIENCE CENTER
      • McNairy Planetarium
    • Shopping
    • Trails and Byways >
      • Civil War Trails
      • Historic Railroad Trail
      • Trail of Tears
      • Walking Tall Trail
  • Eat & Drink
    • Directory
    • SLUGBURGERS
  • Places to Stay
  • Events
    • Community Calendar
    • Big Hill Trail Run
    • Walking Tall 25/50k
    • Festivals >
      • Walking Tall Music Fest
      • Freedom Fest
      • Kid's Fest
      • Finger Annual BBQ and Picnic
      • Music Fest
      • Plein Air Art Festival
      • Rockabilly Highway Revival
  • CONTACT