Bicycling Photo Of The Day: Shake Rag, TN
Today's Photo of the Day is a shot of the Shake Rag Store & Bar.While riding the Mississippi River Trail with a group of cyclists from Memphis (see yesterday's pic), we stopped in front of the Shake Rag Store in Millington to rehydrate and gnaw on some trail bars. I shot the photo because of the unusual info on the marque of the store - a joke listing the population of the "town" at 44 1/2.
Although Shake Rag is a cross roads convenience store that sells alcohol & has a few barstools, there once was a town of Shake Rag; it was a mining community located on the Tennessee River. The town was abandoned in 1905 and was recently listed on the Tennessee Preservation Trust's top 10 endangered sites list for historic properties in Tennessee... but I digress.
I was disappointed that the area
around the Shake Rag Store & Bar appeared deserted. I was hoping to learn whether the "1/2" in the population was a child, a dwarf, a dog or something else completely off the wall. (Map: Location of the Shake Rag Store)Larry
posted by Web @ 12:16 PM Post Your Comment 
6 Comments:
Larry,
I can clear up the 1/2 mystery. You see I am the 1/2. I used to rent a place in Shake Rag when I was stationed at Millington Naval Air Station. They gave me half citizenship. Hence the 44 1/2. Hope you had a good time. The folks there are tremendous
Larry,
I can clear up the 1/2 mystery. You see I am the 1/2. I used to rent a place in Shake Rag when I was stationed at Millington Naval Air Station. They gave me half citizenship. Hence the 44 1/2. Hope you had a good time. The folks there are tremendous
Shag Rag came into being when the cotton gin was in operation. The first owner was Mr. Thweat and the second owner was my brother John Tucker. Upon my brother's death it became the property of Susan Tucker his wife. I would like to know who bought the "new store" as the old storn burned to the ground. Not sure what year.
The Navy personnel would come to drink beer and eat a "spread" on brown butcher paper. When I was a small girl no more than 8 or 9 I would walk to Shake Rag to get a penny piece of bubble gum. The store was at least 2 miles from our house. I think the 1/2 was make up to sound exciting.
J. Saunders
San Antonio, TX
I was stationed in Millington in the mid 70s and spent quite a bit of time with John Tucker at Shake Rag. He eventually started putting me to work evenings and on weekends. We told anyone that asked about the population 44 1/2, that someone was always pregnant and someone was always leaving town.
I sure miss it there. John was like a second Father to me.
I used to hang out there in the
70's and I loved it. They had giant pig roasts in the woods and kegs and guitars. These parties would go on all night. There was a guy that owned the store then - he was a big ole bear of a guy with strawberry blond hair and beard. I think it was a bait shop. Gravel roads everywhere - I even had a wreck when I ran off the road. The gravel made me fishtail when I was going too fast. I remember everyone had those shirts that said shake rag tennessee - population 44 1/2. It was a hoppin' place during the most hoppin' times. Whew! I love the memories.
Hi my name is Cris. I am one of the batrtenders at shake rag now. I'm happy to say that the new owner, Jackie Damien, is doing everything in her power to restore Shake Rag back to it's former glory. Shake Rag is known for it's biker Sundays. On Sundays, weather permitting, we have an outside band and plenty of food and cold drinks. On Friday nights we have karaoke, and Saturday nights we have a band. We gave brought back the infamous spread that you can get any time throughout the week. We open every day at 11:00 am and we close...? (when the cows go home) lol. Any one is welcome here. If you don't leave feeling like part of the family, well you just need to drink more lol jk. We are on facebook as well. So if you want to keep up with what's goin on, all you have to do is send a friend request. Hope this info was helpful.
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