Crossville
Around CrossvilleIllustration made for Popchat
Town and around · Tennessee · 65k people
Crossville
“Golf Capital of Tennessee”
Highland lakes, fairways, and apple orchards.
Deep forest greenLake blueApple red
Welcome to Crossville, the Golf Capital of Tennessee! Whether you're here for the lakes, the trails, or the apple festivals, you'll find a friendly community on the Cumberland Plateau. Come for the scenery, stay for the slow, easy pace.
Clubs for Crossville
No clubs for Crossville yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Crossville. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Crossville. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Cumberland Mountain State Park Lake, trails, cabins, and a dam on the plateau.
- Lake Tansi Reservoir with boating, fishing, and lakeside living.
- Cumberland County Playhouse Professional regional theater with year-round productions.
- Plateau Discovery Garden Botanical garden showcasing native plants.
- Fairfield Glade Golf Courses Multiple championship courses within a resort community.
- Outdoors Hiking at Cumberland Mountain State Park
- Outdoors Fishing on Lake Tansi
- With kids Attending a play at the Cumberland County Playhouse
- With kids Swimming at Lake Tansi
- Evenings Live music at local venues
- Evenings Dinner at lakefront restaurants
- Locals love Golf courses
- Locals love Lakes
Through the year
- Crab Orchard Apple Festival September Celebrates the local apple harvest with food, crafts, and family fun.
- Cumberland County Fair July Traditional county fair with rides, livestock, and local exhibits.
Crossville sits on the Cumberland Plateau, so summers are mild and winters can be chilly with occasional snow. Spring and fall are the best times to be out, with blooming dogwoods and vibrant foliage. Best: Spring and fall are ideal with mild temperatures and scenic changes.
Talk like a local
- “The Plateau”
- The Cumberland Plateau region.
- “Golf Capital”
- Nickname for Crossville due to its many golf courses.
- “Crab Orchard stone”
- Local sandstone used in building.
- “Lake Tansi”
- A lake community and reservoir.
Getaways
- Cookeville Home of Tennessee Tech and a lively downtown.
- Knoxville University of Tennessee, Market Square, and gateway to the Smokies.
- Chattanooga Aquarium, Lookout Mountain, and riverfront attractions.
- McMinnville Cumberland Caverns and scenic waterfalls.
Local flavour
Rooting for Tennessee Volunteers (NCAA), Nashville Predators (NHL), Tennessee Titans (NFL), Nashville Sounds (MiLB)
Eat and drink
- Country ham A Tennessee staple, often served with biscuits.
- Biscuits and gravy Classic Southern breakfast.
- Fried catfish Common in lakeside restaurants.
- Apple pie Celebrated at the annual Apple Festival.
Where people go
- Golf courses The area is known as the Golf Capital of Tennessee, with many courses around Fairfield Glade.
- Lakes Lake Tansi, Lake Cumberland, and others for fishing and boating.
- State parks Cumberland Mountain State Park offers hiking and scenic views.
- Apple orchards
- Cumberland Plateau overlooks Scenic vistas and rocky bluffs.
Heritage and traditions
Crossville is proud of its nickname 'Golf Capital of Tennessee,' its scenic Cumberland Plateau setting, and a strong community arts scene anchored by the Cumberland County Playhouse.
This time of year in Crossville
- Golf season Spring to Fall Courses are busiest from spring through fall.
- Apple harvest Fall Fall brings pick-your-own apples, cider, and apple butter making.
- Fall foliage October The plateau's trees turn vibrant colors in October.
Say it like a local: “fixin' to” — About to do something
Festivals
- Christmas in the Park December A drive-through light display at Meadow Park Lake, held in December.
- Crossville Fourth of July Celebration July Fireworks and community picnic at the fairgrounds.
- Cumberland County Community Band Summer Concerts Summer Free outdoor concerts in the park during summer evenings.
Landmarks with a story
- Cumberland Homesteads A New Deal era resettlement community with stone cottages, now a historic district and museum.
- Crossville Depot A restored 1906 train station that now serves as a visitor center and museum.
- Cumberland County Museum Located in the old county jail, it showcases local history and artifacts.
- Crab Orchard Stone Quarries Historic quarries that produced the distinctive pink quartzite stone used in many buildings.
- Cumberland County Courthouse A historic courthouse in Crossville with a classic design.
Food traditions
- Apple butter making A fall tradition at local orchards and festivals, where apples are slow-cooked with spices.
- Fried apple pies A local dessert made with dried apples and fried pastry, often sold at farm stands.
- Sorghum syrup Produced from local sorghum cane, used on biscuits and in baking.
- Sunday potluck dinners Church communities gather for potluck meals with country ham, casseroles, and desserts.
- Catfish dinners Fried catfish is a staple at local restaurants, often served with hushpuppies and coleslaw.
Music and arts
- Bluegrass music The Crossville Bluegrass Festival and local jam sessions keep this tradition alive.
- Community theater The Cumberland County Playhouse is a nationally recognized rural theater producing year-round.
- Quilting Local quilters create traditional Appalachian patterns, often sold at craft fairs.
- Woodworking Craftsmen produce furniture and carvings from local hardwoods.
A little history
- 1856 Crossville became the county seat of Cumberland County.
- 1934 Cumberland Homesteads was established as a New Deal resettlement project.
- 1965 The Cumberland County Playhouse was founded, becoming a major rural theater.
- Late 1800s Crab Orchard Stone quarrying became a significant industry.
- Early 1900s Apple orchards were developed on the Cumberland Plateau.
- Game day Golf tournaments
- Game day High school football
- Outdoors Hiking at Cumberland Mountain State Park
- Outdoors Fishing on Lake Tansi
- With kids Cumberland County Playhouse shows
- With kids Swimming at Lake Tansi
The local accent is Southern Appalachian, with a drawl and distinctive pronunciations like 'crick' for creek and 'holler' for hollow. People often use 'y'all' and 'fixin' to' in everyday speech.
Only here
- Crossville is known as the 'Golf Capital of Tennessee' with over 20 golf courses in the county.
- The Cumberland Homesteads are a unique New Deal community with stone cottages built by hand.
- Crab Orchard Stone, a pink quartzite, is quarried only in this area and used in buildings worldwide.
- The Cumberland County Playhouse is one of the largest and most successful rural theaters in the U.S.
New here? A few tips
- The weather is mild but can have snow in winter; bring layers and be prepared for sudden changes.
- Traffic is light except during festivals and the summer tourist season.
- Try the local apple pie and apple butter—they're a regional pride.
- Learn to say 'Cumberland' with the emphasis on the first syllable: 'CUM-ber-land'.
- Join a golf league or take a lesson at one of the many courses to meet people.
Make this page better
Know a place, a festival, a word locals use, or something here that's wrong? Suggest it; someone at Popchat checks every one.
Sign in and join a club here to suggest.
Nearby
Every areaCrossville, TN. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.