HISTORYWaynesboro, Tennessee

Est. 1821

Small Town, Big Heart!

Waynesboro was founded in 1821 as a county seat for the newly created Wayne County. The city initially consisted of a 40-acre plot that included the courthouse and jail. A school, Ashland Academy, was established in 1843.The city incorporated in 1850.
Waynesboro is concentrated around the junction of State Route 13 and U.S. Route 64. Waynesboro is located 105 miles south of Nashville and 135 miles east Memphis. State Route 99, which intersects US 64 in eastern Waynesboro, connects the city with Hohenwald to the northeast. The Natchez Trace Parkway intersects US 64 a few miles east of Waynesboro.Waynesboro lies along the banks of the Green River, which slices a narrow valley oriented north-to-south en route to its mouth along the Buffalo River to the north. Hurricane Creek, which approaches from the southeast, empties into the Green River just north of the city. Much of the forest northwest of Waynesboro is part of the Eagle Creek Wildlife Management Area.

Waynesboro Informational Resources

City of Waynesboro - Website

122 Public Square EastWaynesboro, TN, 38485
Phone: (931) 722-5458
Monday - Friday8:00AM - 5:00PMSaturday & SundayClosed

Meet the Mayor and City Commissioners

The local government structure is a mayor, vice mayor and 3 commissioners. The City Manager is not an elected office, but a fulltime position to manage and help govern the affairs of the City of Waynesboro.

Commission Meeting Dates - 2nd and 4th Monday of each month at 5:30pm in City Hall. The public is invited to attend.

Chris Bevis, Mayor

Tony Creasy, Commissioner

Jeff Davis, Vice-Mayor

Lynn Warren, Commissioner

Jeff Howell, Commissioner

John Hickman, City Manager

Wayne County Chamber of Commerce - Website

100 Court Circle Room 301Waynesboro, TN, 38485
Phone: (931) 722-3575
Monday - Friday8:00AM - 4:00PMSaturday & SundayClosed

Wayne County Commission

Wayne County Executive Office100 Court Circle Rm. 300Waynesboro, TN 38485Phone: (931) 722-3653
Monday - Friday8:00AM - 4:00PMSaturday & SundayClosed

Wayne County Commission - Website

Wayne County Museum

104 S. Public SquareWaynesboro, TN 38485Email: info@waynecountymuseumtn.org

Wayne County Museum - Website

Downtown Waynesboro: A walk through HISTORY in pictures!

Vinewood Park, Waynesboro Town Picnic, July 4, 1901 (where the Wayne County Library is currently located.)

Vinewood Park, Waynesboro Town Picnic, July 4, 1909.

Vinewood Park, Waynesboro Town Picnic, July 4, 1913.

City Cafe Waynesboro / 1930

Waynesboro's first cafe was known as City Cafe. It was located on the east side of the square. Edward Griggs began the business in 1922, first as a grocery, later converting to a cafe. It burned in 1931. Those in the photo, from left to right, are Jessie Griggs, Haggard Hollis, Ottie Tharp, Lillian Griggs, Sam Smith and Edwin Griggs.

Wildcat Still / Moonshine Raid / Sheriff Walter Brewer / May 1941

The Newly Built Wayne County High School / 1941

Waynesboro Independent Baseball Team, 1946-48

Waynesboro Cumberland Presbyterian Church was built in 1855. It was also used by the Waynesboro Masonic Lodge with their meeting room upstairs. It also served as a field hospital during the Civil War.

The Wood's Hospital was located on Frank Boyd Street.

The Wood's Hospital Nurses Quarters.

General Shoe (or "Genesco") was at one time the largest apparel company in the world with shoe factories all over the southeast. Here are the employees of Genesco Waynesboro plant in 1954.