Small Town Signal Mountain

One of the things that I liked most about growing up on Signal Mountain, and that still exists to this day, is the small town feel of it. With that comes a sense of freedom and security. Driving down the highway today, at the very safe 35 MPH speed limit, I saw several packs of kids leaving the town hall gym and headed to Pruett’s for lunch on their bikes. The bigger kids in the front and the back and no adult to be seen. In the summer these groups are all up and down the highway coming and going to the town pool and the different lunch spots and parks on Signal. That has not changed. As a kid, I did the same thing 30-40 years ago usually heading to the Hardees or the McDonalds. Neither of those exist today, because fast food has not thrived up on the mountain. So kids usually head for local spots of Pruett’s , 517 Subs and Mexican. When you are looking to move to an area that you are not familiar with, this is the kind of thing that you hope to learn before you choose your new home. All of these kids were having fun and knew that they were safe. They and their parents knew generations had done it before them. Unless you have lived in a small town, you would not understand. I am sure some of you reading this are thinking there is no way in hell I would let my kids ride their bikes down the highway without an adult. I get that. But, until you have lived in a one traffic-light town like Signal, or Mayberry, you would not get it. For those of us that have lived it, it puts a huge smile on our face when we see it, because it brings back the fondest of memories.

Kids bikes outside Pruett’s Market on Signal Mountain, TN.