True Tennessee Stories: The Great Western Land Pirate

True Tennessee Stories: The Great Western Land Pirate

Every year, the Tennessee State Museum brings out a severed human thumb for the public to see.According to legend, it belonged to John Murrell, the infamous Tennessee outlaw once known as the Great Western Land Pirate.But who was John Murrell really?A criminal mastermind who led a vast secret organization called the Mystic Clan? A river outlaw whose hidden treasure inspired Mark Twain and Tom Sawyer? Or simply a horse thief and slave thief whose legend grew larger than life?In this episode of True Tennessee Stories, we explore the strange and fascinating tale of John Murrell, including the preserved thumb, the missing skull, the treasure hunters, the Mark Twain connection, and the question historians are still debating nearly 200 years later:How much of John Murrell was real… and how much was legend?CHAPTERS0:00 The Severed Thumb1:14 The Great Western Land Pirate2:51 The Slave Thief3:42 The Mystic Clan5:59 Mark Twain’s Outlaw7:12 Murrell’s Lost Gold8:46 The Thumb and the Missing Skull10:04 Did America Invent John Murrell?

True Tennessee Stories: Murderous Mary

In 1916, a circus elephant named Mary killed a handler during a parade in Kingsport, Tennessee. What happened next shocked the nation. Under pressure from angry crowds and fearful towns, the circus transported Mary to Erwin, Tennessee, where thousands gathered to watch one of the strangest and darkest events in Tennessee history: the public execution of an elephant using a railroad crane. More than a century later, the story of “Murderous Mary” still haunts East Tennessee — raising questions about justice, spectacle, fear, cruelty, and how people once treated animals in America. In this episode of True Tennessee Stories, longtime Tennessee journalist Toby Sells tells the bizarre true story of Murderous Mary. #Tennessee #TrueCrime #History #Appalachia #CircusHistory #MurderousMary #Elephant #TrueStories

New Tennessee State Symbol: Cast Iron

Cast iron isn’t just cookware in Tennessee — it’s history, culture, and family. In this episode of State & Beale, I sit down with Scott Selliers, one of the people behind a the push to make cast iron the official frontier cookware of Tennessee. From a Rotary meetings to the State Capitol, what started as a simple idea between friends made its way all the way to the governor’s desk. We talk about: * How the bill came together * Why cast iron matters across all three Grand Divisions * The culture and stories behind it * And yes… how to actually take care of cast iron (myths included) State & Beale — Tennessee stories that help communities feel like destinations.

Jackson Morgan Southern Cream

Jackson Morgan Southern Cream makes delicious Tennessee whiskey liqueur. The Fayetteville company has had products on store shelves since around 2014. Its products are now in nearly 40 states from Maine to Florida, and Montana to Texas. Jackson Morgan Southern Cream has flavors for nearly every palette. They have Banana Pudding, Orange Creme, and its Salted Caramel, which has a cult-like following. On this episode, we talk with Morgan Weinstock, whose family created the brand. She works for the company and she is one half of Jackson Morgan's namesake. For more information: www.sipjacksonmorgan.com

East Nash Grass!

White-hot bluegrass band  @EastNashGrass  [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UC0DmaI5i-Tb1goiAAZTKTXw] heads out on tour this summer, promoting their new record, “All God’s Children.” It's due in August. We also have cuts from our spring issue. We have a look at Benton County, the outdoor paradise. And was Merriwether Lewis killed on the Natchez Trace?