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E.T. Wickham's Statues
 If you aren't worried about getting lost, and are willing to get off the beaten path of the interstate, and travel the back roads and byways of the Volunteer State, you can find many amazing and little known sights. Sure, it takes a little longer, but it's well worth the time. One of the most rewarding are these statues, located on the side of Buck Smith Road in Palmyra, TN, just south of Clarksville. Though years and weathering and vandalism have taken their toll, they still stand as beautiful scenes. Among the people immortalized by these statues are Tennessee hero Sergeant Alvin C. York, President John F. Kennedy, Senator Estes Kefauver, former Governor Austin Peay, patriot Patrick Henry, Tennessee frontiersman and former President Andrew Jackson, and even Paul Bunyon and Babe the Blue Ox, among others. These statues were a project of E.T. Wickham, who began his work on them during the early 1950s.
Enoch Tanner Wickham was born in 1883 in Montgomery County. He left Montgomery County early in life, but returned there in the 1930s. From 1952 until his death in 1970, E.T. Wickham worked diligently on his statues. He loved to build them, and people from all over would stop to see them. Wickham loved to meet these people, and would spend hours talking to them. Those who remember Wickham say he was a friendly, good hearted man. There is no doubt that he was a great artist. Since Wickham's death, time and vandalism was worn away at his statues, and it is indeed a great tragedy that they have fallen into their present condition. Why anyone would want to vandalize these great works of art is hard to imagine. But, sadly, people have, and it's a shame. Some say that the spirit of E.T. Wickham himself haunts the area around his cabin and the statues, watching over There is another ghost story associated with the area, but it probably isn't true. This story holds that a family lived in the area long ago. The wife contracted pneumonia, and was slowly dying. Her husband did not want to watch her die, so he killed her, and buried her at the base of the statue. Unfortunately, the son saw what happened. The man then killed his son, and buried him in the same place. When he realized what he had done, the man became distraught, and killed himself. Now their ghosts roam the area, or so the story goes. There is no record of such an event happening, so it's probably only a myth, albeit an interesting one. Sometimes, strange noises are heard, and weird shadows are seen. Ghost lights are also said to exist in the area as well. Could this be the spirit of E.T. Wickham, protecting his statues? No one can say. If you ever visit these statues, please show them respect. They are a historical treasure of art, and should be treated accordingly.
Also visit... E.T. Wickham Stone Park - a website maintained by E.T. Wickham's grandson!
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He moved to his home on Buck Smith Road in 1952. It was here that he began to build his first large sculpture, a statue of the Virgin Mary. Wickham had grown up Presbyterian, but later converted to Catholicism. Prior to moving to Palmyra, he had built a small statue of himself, and a small statue of his son, who was killed in World War II. Some people believe that Wickham actually moved to Palmyra so that his statues could be seen by more people. 
them. His ghost is a benevolent spirit, but understandably does not like vandals. A few people have claimed to have felt his presence in the area. If he does guard the statues, one hopes he can protect them from future vandals. 