How to Live Like a Local in Robertson County, TN

Lifelong resident shares why there’s no place she’d rather be than to live in this beautiful area of Tennessee.

By Rebecca Treon on April 8, 2024

Jeff Adkins

Jodi Ballard was born and raised in Robertson County, and with the exception of going away for college, she’s never lived anywhere else. But why would she? This beautiful region north of Nashville enables Ballard to live her best life in a community that’s welcoming, vibrant and just the right size. Livability chatted with Ballard on what it’s like to live in Robertson County. 

What communities would you recommend to people who want to live in Robertson County? 
I feel like if people are moving here, they’re probably moving to get out of a more crowded area. There’s nowhere in Robertson County that you’re going to go that is overly crowded. Some people may want to get more of a farmland feel, and we do have plenty of that, or people can be in neighborhoods, which residents consider to be in town. 

Where I live, on the Legacy Golf Course in Springfield, is considered more of the country, but we’re only a few minutes from town. We don’t have a lot of streetlights, so you can still go outside at night and see the stars. I love my neighborhood, but another of my favorites is the Historic District (in Springfield), because you get all of the different styles of homes and they’re all unique. Greenbrier has some nice neighborhoods, too. 

What are your favorite local restaurants, and what are some of your favorite menu items? 
Depot Bar & Grill in Springfield is actually an old train station right beside the train tracks, and that’s really cool. Their food is amazing, and my favorite thing on the menu is the Hobo Wrap. My husband, Todd, loves their Voodoo Pasta, which has a Cajun spin on it with sausage, chicken and shrimp. A lot of people like their Texas Tails, which is steak. 

Larry’s Restaurant is another favorite, owned by a friend of mine. Biscuits are their specialty. Thomas Drugs in Cross Plains has been in Robertson County for over 100 years, and they have an old-fashioned soda fountain that serves sandwiches and ice creams. Mystic Picnic in Springfield is one of my favorite places, too. They do a Sunday Cinema Brunch that’s a three-course meal with a movie. BS Brew Works is a great family-owned brewery that makes wings and nachos and is family-friendly. 

What are some annual events you look forward to every year?
From May to October, we have the 1st Friday Night Market that takes place on the square in Springfield. When they shut the roads down, vendors set up, and there’s live music on the Robertson County Courthouse steps. People listen to music, have food from a food truck and shop. In October, in Adams, they have “Spirit,” a play based on the Bell Witch, and another called “Smoke” that’s based on the story of the Night Riders. Plus, we have an annual tree lighting that happens after Thanksgiving and a Christmas Parade in early December. There’s also a tour of our historic homes, when they’re all decorated for the holidays.

There’s a local group here called Women in Business that meet every month, it’s a Robertson County Chamber of Commerce event, and they share ideas, get to know each other and collaborate.

When you want to be active, what are some of your favorite recreational activities? 
We have a lot of places for people to go when they want to be active. We have great greenways here in Springfield, where I live. They connect to the different parks, so you can walk from park to park. We have pickleball and tennis courts in Ridgetop, and there’s also a group that plays pickleball at the YMCA. 

We have several gyms in the area, too. My husband works out at the Robertson County Family YMCA (in Springfield), and I work out at a gym called Resilience, which is a personal-training-type gym. There’s a yoga studio called Holistic Fluidity that many of my friends go to. 

Also, we have several 5K and 10K races throughout the year, and we have a running club called the Robertson County Runners and another that meets for running and beer called Joggers & Lagers.