Centerville in Hickman County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon

"Minnie Pearl"

— "The Queen of Country Comedy" —

Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sandra Hughes Tidwell

1. Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon Marker

Inscription. Born Oct 25, 1912, in Centerville, TN. First performed on the Grand Ole Opry in Nov. 1940. Opened the show with the renowned phrase "How-deee! I'm just so proud to be here." The audience's reaction to this lady on stage wearing a cheap cotton dress and a wide-brimmed hat, that still had the price tag attached, was tremendous, and Minnie Pearl was on the Opry to stay. In 1975, she was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame. In addition to her many country music awards, in 1987 she was presented, by President Reagan, the Cancer Society's Courage Award. In 1992, she was presented with the National Medal of Arts, by President Bush. In 1994, she was inducted into the "National Comedy Hall of Fame."

Though Grinder's Switch was a place not far from Minnie Pearl's home, it was also a state of mind. "A place where there is no illness, no war, no unhappiness, no political unrest, and no treatment. There is always something good happening in Grinder's Switch. It's like Christmas all the time, full of love, joy, hope, and happiness. May you always have a Grinder's Switch to go to." Minnie Pearl

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Entertainment. A significant historical date for this entry is October 25, 1912.

Location. 35° 47.404′ N, 87° 29.262′ W. Marker is in Centerville, Tennessee, in Hickman

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County. It is on Grinders Switch Road east of Upper Shipp Bend Road. Near the Grinder Switch Watertower at the Hickman County Ag Pavilion. New Location for the Banana Pudding Festival Between Del Reeves and Blake Shelton. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 964 Grinders Switch Rd, Centerville TN 37033, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Middle Tennessee

and in the Highland Rim.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Blake Tollison Shelton (a few steps from this marker); Franklin Delano Reeves (a few steps from this marker); Hickman County Veterans Memorial (approx. 1.3 miles away); Former site of the Harber Grocery Store (approx. 1.4 miles away); 400 West Public Square (approx. 1.4 miles away); Deason Stonemason (approx. 1.4 miles away); Huddleston Brothers Livery Building (approx. 1.4 miles away); First National Bank (approx. 1.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Centerville.

Photographed by Sandra Hughes Tidwell

2. Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on October 9, 2024. It was originally submitted on October 6, 2024, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. This page has been viewed 157 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 6, 2024, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.