Take a ride through the gently rolling landscape of West Tennessee as we follow U.S. Route 79 from the small town of Bells to the historic community of Brownsville. This 11-mile journey traces a quiet but significant stretch of highway, passing farmland, woodlots, and the winding waters of the Forked Deer River. It’s a short drive, but one that offers a glimpse into the rural charm and agricultural heartbeat of this corner of the Volunteer State.
We begin our journey in downtown Bells, just across from the headquarters of Pictsweet Farms, a family-owned frozen vegetable company that’s been part of the local economy since 1945. From College Street, we turn south onto U.S. 79, quickly leaving behind the grid of town streets as the road bends gently southwest. Almost immediately, the scenery opens to wide fields, with the occasional cluster of trees dotting the roadside. Before long, we cross the South Fork of the Forked Deer River, its slow-moving waters snaking through the lowlands beneath. This river is one of three “Forked Deers” in the region, all feeding into the Mississippi basin and shaping the landscape through centuries of sediment and flood.
As we continue southwest, the highway undulates through a patchwork of croplands and woodland edges. This area is part of the West Tennessee Plain, where soybeans, corn, and cotton dominate the fields from spring through fall. During planting and harvest seasons, this stretch of US-79 can see tractors and grain trucks rolling along its shoulders, evidence of the region’s deep ties to agriculture. Despite the rural setting, traffic flows steadily—this is a key connector route between smaller towns like Bells and the regional hub of Brownsville. Along the way, we pass a scattering of homes, metal-roofed barns, and a few highway-side churches, each one a marker of the steady pace and enduring communities that dot this corridor.
Approaching Brownsville, we start to see more signs of suburban development. The road flattens slightly and widens near intersections, with a few gas stations and businesses signaling the edge of town. We end the journey at the intersection with Washington Avenue, northeast of the town center. This marks the entrance into a city that has long served as a crossroads for music, commerce, and civil rights. From here, US-79 continues around Brownsville proper, eventually merging with US-70 and Tennessee Route 1—routes that together form part of the region’s historic travel network.
In just under a dozen miles, this short segment of US-79 reveals much about the fabric of West Tennessee: its agricultural roots, small-town pride, and the slow but sure movement of life along the road. While it may not be marked as scenic or historic, it’s a route that quietly sustains the everyday flow of people, goods, and stories between communities.
🗺️ Route Map
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