Lynchburg’s new mural pays homage to Tennessee’s whiskey heritage

LYNCHBURG, TN, May 1, 2025 — On April 29, artist Kim Radford completed a mural celebrating Tennessee’s distilling heritage on the side of a covered bridge in Lynchburg. “Crafting Whiskey” marks the entrance to the Retreat at Whiskey Creek, the new luxury tiny home community just a mile from the Lynchburg square. Radford drew inspiration from the famous Lincoln County Process for her illustrations of the four steps involved in filtering and aging whiskey. 

“The mural features bold color blocks, stylized pictographs, and a warm, limited color palette inspired by American mid-century illustration,” Radford explains. “My goal was to tell the story of whiskey in a cheerful, engaging way for a community that built the business.” 

“Crafting Whiskey” is located on Mulberry Creek, which flows from the Jack Daniel’s Distillery grounds. The area, widely considered the birthplace of Tennessee whiskey, is also home to the Tennessee Whiskey Trailhead, as well as Cascade Hollow Distilling Co., Nearest Green Distillery, Prichard's Distillery, Big Machine Distillery, and Company Distilling. 

“The Tennessee Whiskey Trail celebrates the creativity, craft, and collaboration among our members, so we are honored to see how beautifully those values have been brought to life through this public art, the individuals who championed it and the partnerships that brought it to fruition,” says Charity Toombs, executive director of the Tennessee Whiskey Trail. “The Lincoln County Process is special to Tennessee Whiskey, and we appreciate the role that this mural does to help educate and commemorate the time-honored art and science of distilling in the Volunteer State.” 

About the program 

Managed by public art nonprofit DMA-events, the Tennessee Whiskey Trail Mural Project is part of the Tennessee Whiskey Country Campaign, a collaboration between the Tennessee Distillers Guild and Tennessee Whiskey Trail, South Central Tennessee Tourism Association, and the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development.

The Lynchburg mural was also sponsored by the mural’s host, the Retreat at Whiskey Creek. In addition to bringing unique art to rural communities, the campaign serves as a way for visitors to dive deeper into the region’s rich whiskey roots while driving more discovery and economic activity into the towns surrounding each distillery. 

Phase one of the Tennessee Whiskey Trail Mural Project will include original art in Lynchburg, Fayetteville, and Wartrace. Each completed piece will be featured on the Experience Tennessee app and count as a bonus stop on the Tennessee Whiskey Trail. Visitors who check in at all three murals can collect a special poker chip exclusively available at the Tennessee Whiskey Trailhead in Lynchburg. 

“I couldn’t be more thrilled to see the Tennessee Whiskey Trail Mural Project coming to life. This initiative recognizes the history, the craftsmanship, and the incredible people who have shaped the story of Tennessee whiskey,” says Ryan French, executive director of South Central Tennessee Tourism Association. “Tennessee Whiskey Country is a significant part of our state’s culture and economy, and we’re grateful to work alongside our partners and the communities to bring this story to life.” 

About DMA-events, Inc. 

Journalists Kristin Luna and Scott van Velsor started 501(c)(3) DMA-events in May 2018 as a catalyst to provide free access to art to rural communities throughout the South, with more than 60 large-scale murals successfully completed to date. In April 2021, DMA-event’s Walls for Women program was awarded the Daughters of the American Revolution’s state public relations and media award for commitment to historic preservation, education, and patriotism consistent with the DAR mission.