Take a scenic ride through the rural heart of West Tennessee as we follow a historically significant stretch of U.S. Route 70 from Brownsville to Lakeland. This 36-mile journey traces the path of the state’s very first numbered highway, carrying us along a corridor that once served as the primary artery between Memphis and points east, long before the arrival of Interstate 40. Today, it offers a quieter, more personal way to experience the land, rolling past farmland, small towns, and remnants of Tennessee’s early automobile era.
We begin in Brownsville, at the junction where U.S. 70 meets TN-19, TN-1, and U.S. 79. For the entire route, U.S. 70 and U.S. 79 share the pavement, heading west-southwest out of town. Almost immediately, the city falls away, replaced by a rhythm of open fields, scattered farmsteads, and the occasional windbreak of hardwood trees. This is Haywood County’s agricultural belt — soybeans, cotton, and corn fields stretch to the horizon in late summer, punctuated by the occasional barn or grain silo. The road’s gentle curves and modest traffic make it easy to picture the days when it carried everything from produce trucks bound for Memphis markets to families in shiny new Chevrolets on their way to Graceland.
Past Stanton, the highway narrows its focus to local life. Mason greets us with its mix of small-town storefronts and residential streets, a town whose fortunes rose with the road and the nearby railroad. Before modern bypasses diverted the stream of cars and trucks, these communities thrived on the steady hum of through-traffic. Even today, their character is unmistakable — brick facades, painted signage from decades past, and crossroads where life still moves at a measured pace. West of Mason, we pass Gallaway, a reminder that while Memphis is drawing closer, rural roots still run deep in this part of Shelby County.
As we enter Arlington, the countryside gives way to the fringes of the Memphis metro. Here, U.S. 70 meets I-269/TN-385 in a modern interchange — a stark contrast to the road’s early 20th-century origins. Westward, traffic thickens slightly, with more commercial development appearing along the shoulders. The final miles into Lakeland are a bridge between eras: newer subdivisions and shopping centers coexist with older homes and the occasional country store that once served passing motorists. Our drive ends at Canada Road, a local connector leading to I-40, offering the choice between a fast push into Memphis or lingering on the slower lanes of this historic highway.
Traveling U.S. 70 from Brownsville to Lakeland is more than a drive; it’s a moving snapshot of Tennessee’s evolution. In just over half an hour, we traverse a landscape where the past and present meet — from quiet farm rows and railroad towns to the suburban edge of a major city. For those who want to see how Tennessee’s roads helped shape its communities, there’s no better route to follow.
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