LYNCHBURG, Tenn. — Though Lynchburg has long been famous for our Jack Daniel’s Distillery and Tennessee whiskey. This week it became famous for one more local landmark as the University of Tennessee System added its 33rd statewide mural on a barn just off Highway 55 in Moore County. It’s part of the university system’s Everywhere You Look, UT campaign. UT plans to paint one mural in each of Tennessee’s 95 counties by 2030.

It’s the perfect spot and timing for the new mural. UT’s root in Lynchburg run deep. As the childhood home of Johnny Majors, we not only boast a Majors Boulevard but also a citizenry packed with Vol fans. Following the Vol’s 52-49 upset win over Alabama on October 15, Vol pride is running high here in Moore County, so the timing is apropos.

With the help of local UT Extension agent Larry Moorehead, UT located the new mural on the Wiseman Farm. Owned by Horace Wiseman and his sister Nancy Wiseman Graham, the farm has housed a cattle operation since Wiseman’s grandfather bought the property in 1942. It’s been in the family ever since. Moorehead was scouting locations for UT’s mural when he approached Wiseman about using his newly built hay barn as the canvas. The barn sits in a field nestled between Highway 55 and Highway 82, making it visible to the 6,878 daily passersby.

“It’s the ideal place for the mural,” Moorehead said. “Everybody going by on both highways will see it, especially because that big UT mural is going to be eye catching.”

The GPS address of the new mural is 2782 Lynchburg Highway.

Lynchburg mural hosted by a1974 UT Knoxville graduate

Wiseman, a 1974 UT Knoxville graduate, was initially hesitant to brand his new barn with the 60-foot-wide mural. But Moorehead, who thought it would be best to position the mural where visitors to Jack Daniels Distillery could see it, used Wiseman’s love of his alma mater to change his mind.

“The farm is in southern middle Tennessee,” said Wiseman, who lives in Jackson but frequently returns to Lynchburg to help on the farm. “And there’s a whole bunch of University of Alabama fans that are starting to come in here. I hope this mural turns those people into UT fans.”

Aside from converting sports fans, Wiseman hopes that the mural will lead people to the statewide resources available through UT, especially the educational ones.

“If a high school student drives by and sees that UT mural and it ends up pointing them to any of the campuses in the UT System that would just make me so happy,” Wiseman said. “I’m almost certain it’s going to. I have a good feeling about that.”

A similar mural sits in Fayetteville on the historic Lincoln County Square near The Local Cafe. It’s also hosted by two former UT graduates, Chanse and Catherine Bartlett.

Troy Freeman, owner and lead muralist for Free Sky Studios, Inc., painted the mural. Freeman began his career while in high school by painting mascots for his and area school before advancing to sign painting work for area farmers. He now crisscrosses the country painting not only the UT Everywhere campaign but also everything from a 65-foot cord cob to a four-story Frank Lloyd Wright tribute.

To learn more about the UT campaign, each location and to nominate a canvas for use, visit the mural website. •

{The Lynchburg Times is the only locally owned newspaper in Lynchburg and also the only woman-owned newspaper in Tennessee. We cover Metro Moore County government, Jack Daniel’s Distillery, Nearest Green Distillery, Tims Ford State Park, Motlow State Community College, Moore County High School, Moore County Middle School, Lynchburg Elementary, Raider Sports, plus regional and state news.}