Overton County will rename a section of Highway 52 in honor of world-renowned instrument maker and musician Homer Ledford.
Chairman Pro Tem Darwin Clark said the designated stretch of road will run from the top of River Hill to just past the Alpine Baptist Church. Clark said the decision honors a man whose craftsmanship and musical talent brought international recognition to the region.
“Those of you who don’t know who Homer Ledford is, he was born and raised in the Alpine community area up there and he was a dulcimer maker,” Clark said. “He was well known all over the world on his dulcimers that he makes. You know, a dulcimer is the old Appalachian-type instrument that you play in your lap and you note it like you’re noting a guitar or something. And he was very, very well known in what he did. He was also a pretty good singer and a musician.”
The commission approved the naming following the adoption of a new formal policy for naming county roads and bridges. Clark said the family will work with the Highway Department to complete the necessary paperwork and finalize the location details.
The motion was introduced by Alpine District Board Member Randall Boswell and passed without objection.
“I think this is a great thing naming it after him, that section of the road,” Clark said.
The Overton County native’s historic dulcimers were displayed in the Smithsonian in the nation’s capital.
Ledford suffered a stroke and passed away in 2006, leaving behind a 30-year legacy of bluegrass and craftsmanship in Middle Tennessee.