Just moved to mid-TN from New England ... went from forts, hospitals, factories ... to the middle of nowhere. There MUST be stuff to explore around here. Anyone else in the area? I'm about an hour west of Nashville and about an hour south of Clarksville.

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(Back home at Concord State Hospital)

Former Middle Tennessean here. You in the Dickson area? There are quite a few abandoned houses and barns scattered about there, I recall large clusters near Cumberland Furnace. The Kingston area also has a nice historic tunnel (Narrows of the Harpeth), and a pretty pristine Indian mound complex and scattering of old furnaces and mills. Still, nothing compared to the old factories and prison in Nashville.

Exactly where I am now. I've found a few abandoned bridges and old houses, but nothing to write home about. The prison in Nash is nice and there's an old power plant by the river. From exploring up north I do know that a lot of 'abandoned' places in industrial areas are still in use though and I know nash has plenty of meth/crackheads. Also interested in forts and fringe archaeology. Been on the hunt for old photos / postcards of the furnaces but a lot of these hick towns don't have much in the way of historical societies or libraries.

The wife and kids are away for a week or two so I figure it's the perfect time to poke around the new stomping grounds.

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Fort Gorges, Maine @ low tide.

The biggest fort in the area is obviously Fort Donelson, a National Battlefield Park near Dover, worth visiting, if not exactly UE: http://www.nps.gov/fodo/index.htm

A few other Civil War fortifications line the route from (Old) Johnsonville to Nashville, think there is one in Dickson, though most are simple earthen squares, none comparable to the brick Third System stuff along the coasts.

If you're unimpressed by abandoned houses, the furnaces won't be much better as most are just stone ruins from the 1830s or so: http://www.landbet...ed-activites/iron/

Worth checking out

http://en.wikipedi.../wiki/Mound_Bottom
Technically protected, but never saw anyone there. Might need a raft to cross the river. The Montgomery Bell Tunnel, about a mile or two down, is more accessible. Short tunnel, historical and photogenic, otherwise not much to explore.

The E.T. Wickham statues near Palmyra are also worth seeing, folk art scattered throughout a large property, many heavily vandalized by local kids, gives a creepy vibe.
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/6757

Unfortunately as you said, you are in the middle of nowhere. Never had an issue with locations in Nashville, though conversely I was always mortally freaked out by poking around the countryside and coming across meth heads/moonshiners/good ol' boys/neo-Confederates.

Then again, I'm not white.

I've been to Donelson, Negly, the fort in Wavery, Johnsonville and the repro blockhouse fort downtown nash. Yea, I'm a fort nerd. Thanks for the tips! Ever get down around bolivar?

Sure thing, forts are one of my many interests as well, of which there are a fair amount. There is also Ft Defiance in Clarksville, the remnants of Fortress Rosecrans in Murfreesboro, the remains of three Confederate redoubts from the Battle of Nashville, and a replica of Mansker's Station in Goodlettsville. Certainly more history than say the Bellevue Center.

UER Database shows some abandoned factories in Clarksville, but I know for a fact that most of the abandonments shown in Nashville have been destroyed or revitalized so I don't know how reliable that is. The Birdcage at Fort Campbell was also something I never got to check out, though the base is (obviously) still active.

Can't say I've been down to Bolivar or too much of West Tennessee for that matter.

Hope Middle Tennessee doesn't get too boring for you!

I'm hoping to check out Defiance maybe this weekend. I've been throwing up some pics on facebook of some old pics. If you like forts check out facebook.com/USForts mainly stuff in New England but I'll be throwing up some of the mid-TN area whenever I find the pics

You guys gotta go check out the abandoned Nuclear Power Plant in Hartsville. It's amazing.1.

TSP is a must