Joe and I recently had the pleasure of making a quick trip down to Lynchburg—just an hour or so away through the gorgeous Middle Tennessee countryside—where we enjoyed lunch with some of the wonderful folks at Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House.
We had the best time—and enjoyed some of the finest Southern cooking you’ll ever have.
We were joined by several of the wonderful folks from Miss Mary’s, foremost among them Mike and Beth Northcutt. They were incredibly generous in sharing their knowledge of Lynchburg’s history as I wrote In These Hills, my historical novel set in 1905 Lynchburg, Tennessee—where the stories of Jack Daniel’s Distillery and Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House are woven throughout.
You will not find kinder, more generous people. Mike is a Lynchburg/Moore County Tennessee historian and the President of the Lynchburg/Moore County Tennessee Historical Genealogical Society. Beth is actually a descendant from the Daniel family line (not Jack’s, of course, because Jack doesn’t have direct descendants).
Several employees from Miss Mary’s joined us, along with representatives from local newspapers, and we talked about writing, Nashville history, the antebellum homes I’ve written about, Lynchburg history, and the story behind In These Hills
Tabitha and I sat beside each other at lunch and I’m certain we’re related somewhere down the family line—we just need time to figure it out!
Roberta shares a love for writing and has captured some of her own family’s history in a recently updated novel I’m eager to read . . . Rebecca’s Soliloquy
I mentioned we enjoyed lunch at Miss Mary’s that day—here was the menu for the week (which they post every Sunday on Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House Facebook page). We were there on Friday, and everything was beyond delicious!
Lastly, Miss Mary has over 30 fabulous hosts and hostesses who host each family style table filled with guests. I met the lovely Carole Thomas (one of the hostesses) that day. We chatted about Carnton and the history surrounding the home’s acreage.
To my delight, Carole and her husband made a trip from Tullahoma to Franklin last week to take the Carnton behind-the-scenes tour with James, a wonderful tour guide at Carnton. I met them for a [very windy] visit in the cemetery afterward, and we talked as we walked that hallowed ground.
To say I appreciate these people doesn’t come close. They’re each working hard to keep the real history of Miss Mary’s and Jack Daniel’s Distillery alive (same for the great people at Carnton)—so that someone like me can come along and write about it.
I’m so grateful.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day from my corner of Nashville,
Tammy
Tamera Alexander
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- Lunch at Miss Mary Bobo’s in Lynchburg - March 17, 2026
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So nice to travel through your eyes and pictures. Looking forward to the book.