Fall Local Living 2023

8—Fall Local Living 2023 T he Broken Banjo in Manchester is more than a place to stay the night. For many the campground’s lodgers, it’s a destination. General Manager Jody Marshall, who’s been the caretaker of the site for the last three months with her husband Eric, said that most of this summer’s guests have been families from Tennessee. “We also get a lot of overnight business, being that we’re next to I-24,” Marshall said. “They get off the highway, stay the night, sleep and get on their way.” The location has 35 RV sites, several deluxe accommodations, a collection of basic cabins and specialty glampin cabins. These themed lodging rooms include two tepees, a covered wagon cabin, the safari tent and the tree house with a live tree growing through the accommodation. The swimming pool, with two waterslides and a modest water park setup, is the most popular amenity, Marshall said, but that’s just the beginning. There is a catch-and-release fishing pond, a giant chess board, a splash pad, gazebo, pickle ball, outdoor cinema and put-put course. Last fall when the KOA Campground franchise agreement ran out, the Roadville company purchased the property and renamed it the Broken Banjo. “During the summer, we are completely transient. That means we don’t allow anyone to stay – about two weeks would be maximum they could stay,” she said. In the winter months people can extend that stay on a monthly basis. During Bonnaroo, festival staff has exclusive residency. “It’s people who want the camping experience, but don’t own an RV. They’ll stay at the cabins or the glamping accommodations,” she said. It’s also having space to yourself without neighbors just on the other side of the wall. Marshall said that many of the guests return year after year. “They consider it a vacation spot. We see a lot of repeat folks business on the weekends, the same folks who really love this place and come several times over the season,” she said. “They’ve been coming here for a long time and love what we offer,” Marshall said. “A lot of those families that come in, they don’t come here to do anything but be here at the park. They aren’t out doing touristy things out in the area because they are from the area,” Marshall said. Jody and Eric Marshall operate the Broken Banjo in Manchester. They explain that most the campground’s guest enjoy the privacy and amenities it offers. It’s like having an RV without having to hook anything to your bumper when you leave. —Staff photos by John Coffelt Broken Banjo offers camping and more