America the Beautiful – By Cooper Chilton

from April Issue of Thunder Roads Tennessee and Kentucky

"UM" Did You Know?

ILove Paris (TN) in the Springtime because that is when they hold the “World’s Biggest Fish Fry.” However, you can enjoy Paris at any time of year. Paris is in Henry County, about halfway between Memphis and Nashville, and is a quiet little town of about 10,000 people. It is the county seat of Henry County, with a stately courthouse built-in in 1896. The courthouse is surrounded by quaint little mom and pop shops around the square (closed on Sunday). And, along with nearby Paris Landing, was very active in the Civil War.

Paris is named for, no surprise, Paris, France. It was given the name in honor of Marquis de Lafayette, a hero of the Revolutionary War. True to its name, it promotes the arts, including murals in the Back Alley of Paris, about a block west of the courthouse. What’s Paris without an Eiffel Tower? Yep, they have one of those, although only 60 feet tall. Originally built of wood, by the students of Christian Brothers University, for the 1990 Memphis in May, it soon became a hazard for the students, who persisted in climbing it and needed a new home. The city accepted an offer to be the new location for the replica, to celebrate Paris USA, and it was dedicated in 1993. Due to the deterioration of the wooden structure, it was replaced by the metal structure that stands at Eiffel Park today. Back to the 69th Annual World’s Biggest Fish Fry. This April 23-30, the masses will descend on the Henry County Fairgrounds to devour 12,500 pounds of all-you-can-eat catfish, with all the trimmings. The tent will be open from 5-9 pm on April 27 and 11 am-9 pm, on the 2830th. In addition to the fish fry, you might like some of the other activities: a carnival, rodeo, demolition derby, street dances, and Christian concert, to name a few. Visit the World’s Biggest Fish Fry on Facebook, for a full schedule.