Depot Days - Newbern, TN

CELEBRATING 32 YEARS

Newbern Depot Days started in 1992 as a fund raiser to renovate an old Illinois Central Depot located in downtown Newbern.

The Structure was very unsightly and lay in the heart of the downtown business district directly across the street from the former police and fire departments.

The City of Newbern purchased the structure and all the monies to restore the building were solicited from private donors to restore the building.  What they did not realize was the building would soon be recognized by the Tennessee Historical Commission and would be placed on the National Register of Historical Places.

Since that Saturday in September in 1992,  the 3rd Saturday of September has been dedicated as a day of continued celebration.

Depot Days is the longest continually held Festival in Dyer County.

Depot Days Festival is held on Historic US 51 Highway. (Now Tennessee SR 211)  The highway follows the Historic City of New Orleans Railway which passes through the City of Newbern.  The highway continues on and ends in Wisconsin.  You will be walking where over a million families traveled.  Historic US 51 is one of the first cross continental North to South US Highways to be completed.  The highway was travel by many famous musicians though the years.  Newbern is located almost mid-point between New Orleans and Chicago.  Prior to 1974, this was the primary route for all North – South between these two industrial cities.  Today,  a new major 4-Lane Highway has been constructed and still passes through Newbern.  It soon will be renamed I-69  and will connect Port Huron Michigan and Laredo Texas, again Newbern will be near the mid-point.

FUNCTIONS AND TIMES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.