At the time I wrote this script, Jonesborough locals were voting through social media to choose our town’s very own historical license plate design. The contest submissions were all fantastic, but none of them included a train. Personally, I thought the train was the “secret” most significant landmark in Jonesborough because of its ongoing influence on daily life here.
The script also relied heavily on sound effects, especially train whistles, to make sense to the audience. My intention was for the whistle to interrupt the conversations loudly and abruptly, exactly the way trains still interrupt life in Jonesborough today. The tracks run parallel to Main Street, so anyone who’s spent time downtown knows you simply can’t talk over the whistle when a train comes through. It’s even interrupted our own show at times.
Unfortunately, we were a low-budget show then, and the slide whistle used for the effect didn’t quite capture the full iron-lunged bellow of an actual train.
CAST MEMBER 1
I heard that Jonesborough is going to get its own historical license plate. We’ve got three choices, two of which show the 1913 courthouse and one that has the Chester Inn on it.
CAST MEMBER 2
What’s your favorite?
CAST MEMBER 1
I like them all, I guess, but I wonder why those two buildings were chosen as the finalists when there are so many other important historical landmarks here.
CAST MEMBER 2
True. I can think of one or two that might be better. But what would you have chosen for a license plate?
CAST MEMBER 1
There’s the Oak Hill Schoolhouse. Imagine what a one room school class would have been like back in Jonesborough in the 1870s!
sounds of children talking in the background
TEACHER
Good morning, class. Today we’ll begin with a history lesson. In 1779, a hundred years ago today, Jonesborough was—
children talking is drowned out by sounds of steam locomotive and whistle
CAST MEMBER 2
That would be a good landmark, except the Oak Hill School came here from Knob Creek. It wasn’t originally in Jonesborough. It’s probably not the best choice.
PERSON 1
Oh, okay, well what about the Gammon-Hoss house? It was built here before the civil war. I can imagine what it would’ve been like to hear William announce Tennessee’s succession right on his front porch.
sounds of a horse drawn carriage in the background
WILLIAM
Friends and neighbors, thank you for joining me today. I know some of you have already heard the news, so you know it’s a sad day, one that makes us realize we need to stick together in this war. On this day, in 1861, Tennessee has —
horse carriage is drowned out by sounds of steam locomotive and whistle
CAST MEMBER 2
The Gammon-Hoss house is beautiful, but it’s just a house. It doesn’t have any special meaning for most people, not like the Chester Inn or the Courthouse.
CAST MEMBER 1
Fine. What about The Dosser-Moore House? It’s right next to the graveyard. You can’t argue that a graveyard doesn’t have special meaning for most people.
sounds of people crying in the background
PREACHER
Loving God, from whom all life proceeds and by whose hand the dead are raised again, though we are sinners, you wish always to hear us. Accept the prayers we offer in sadness for your servant—
crying is drowned out by sounds of steam locomotive and whistle
CAST MEMBER 2
No, you shouldn’t put a graveyard on a license plate. It’s bad luck.
CAST MEMBER 1
Okay, no graveyards and no homes. We have other landmarks that are significant. What about the Washington District Marker in front of the Courthouse? It’s right next to the town’s Christmas Tree. I’ll bet a lot of people have good memories of standing there and watching the Christmas celebrations.
sounds of jingle bells and O Christmas Tree softly playing
MAYOR
Let’s all join together and sing!
TRIO
O Christmas Tree O Christmas Tree—
music is drowned out by modern train whistle
CAST MEMBER 2
I can never remember the words to that song.
CAST MEMBER 1
That’s odd. Me either. I wonder why?
CAST MEMBER 2
I don’t think the monument is a good idea. But now you’ve got me thinking. We really do have a lot of great historical landmarks in Jonesborough. Maybe we shouldn’t limit our choices to just two of them.
CAST MEMBER 1
Great! Let’s start a list. We can send it in to the organizers and see what they think. What would you choose? It has to be something everyone recognizes, something that impacts all of our lives in some way.
CAST MEMBER 2
Exactly! A landmark that really makes us remember where we live, a landmark that could be considered a living member of the town!
CAST MEMBER 1
I’ve got it! I know something that everyone who’s from Jonesborough will recognize immediately! It’s–
train whistle
