Lebanon, TN news and local guide

Cumberland University held its first classes in the Lebanon Cumberland Presbyterian Church in 1842 and received its charter as a university in 1843. Its main building, put up in 1844 and enlarged in 1858, burned in 1863 during the Civil War. In 1902 Cumberland's president, David Mitchell, and Isaac W. P. Buchanan founded Castle Heights Military Academy, which operated until 1986; its buildings now house Lebanon City Hall and the Lebanon Museum and History Center. In the early 20th century, Cumberland University, Castle Heights and the Lebanon College for Young Ladies earned the town the nickname "Little Athens of the South." In 1969 Dan Evins founded the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store restaurant chain in Lebanon, which remains its headquarters. In recent years manufacturers such as the Chinese tile company Wonderful Group, which invested $150 million in its first North American plant in 2015, have opened factories in the city. Sources Wikipedia: Lebanon, Tennessee Historical Marker Database: Lebanon Wikipedia: Castle Heights Military Academy