Whether it’s a black bear sighting, a sweeping panoramic view of the mountains, or a field full of deer, the treasures of the Great Smoky Mountains captivate millions of visitors each year.  But, in the foothills of the Smokies, in the small community of Chestnut Hill, TN a golden retriever named “Duke” seeks out one of the most highly guarded recipes in the country. “Roll that beautiful bean footage!”

Serving up beans and history

More than 100 years ago, A.J. Bush started canning beans in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.  Today, millions and millions of cans of beans later, the quest for the Bush Family’s Baked Bean Recipe draws in thousands of people to Chestnut Hill, home of the Bush’s Visitor Center and Museum.

Sitting in the shadow of the massive canning facility across the road, the Visitor Center is housed in the original Bush’s general store.  The center and “World’s Most Beautiful Bean Museum” opened in 2010 but got a complete makeover before its reopening in 2022. Visitors can expect to learn a lot about the history of the company, the manufacturing process and have some fun too, especially when Duke gets involved.

Step inside the Bush Brothers Visitor Center and the unmistakable yellow logo with blue lettering immediately grabs your attention.  Look more closely and you’ll see dozens of other Bush’s company products you may or may not be familiar with as this East Tennessee company’s history goes well beyond canning Baked Beans.  This included condensed soup, spaghetti, tomatoes and stringless green beans just to name a few.

Along one wall, a timeline filled with company artifacts and pictures explains how this small canning venture transformed over time into a global operation.  In the beginning Bush Brothers focused primarily on  canned vegetables including green beans eventually turning to that “secret recipe” for Baked Beans which is now virtually synonymous with the company and of course continues to elude Duke, the family’s golden retriever.

Roll that Beautiful Bean Footage

From the mid 1990’s through today, chances are you’ve watched a commercial featuring Jay Bush and his dog Duke. In this “beautiful bean footage” the game is almost always the same, Duke tries his best to get the secret family baked beans recipe while Jay spoils Duke’s attempts.  At the Bush’s Visitor Center, a large cutout of Jay and Bush provide an opportunity for you to create your own “beautiful bean footage” as you pose for a picture with Jay and Duke or watch a variety of classic commercials.

Tipping the scales

Did you know that a soccer ball weighs the same as 825 beans?  Maybe that’s not something you need to know, but it’s something you learn at the Bush’s Visitor Center.  A backpack weighs about 7,000 beans and Duke weighs more than 83,000 beans. You can also step on the scale and see how much you weigh in beans.  It’s probably the only time many of us would willingly step on a scale in public.  I weighed in at 188,400 beans (I’ll let you figure out how much that is in pounds).

That beautiful bean aisle

When you walk down the canned goods aisle in the grocery store chances are you’ll see a wide variety of Bush’s Beans. The same is true at the Bush’s Visitor Center.  The “beautiful bean aisle” helps you navigate the dozens of products made by this company from Grillin’ and Baked Beans to canned hominy.   All of this is right beside one of the biggest cans of Baked Beans you might ever get close to and in the center of it all a giant golden bean.  There’s also a map of North America helping you figure out where all the beans come from.

The General Store and Restaurant

Since this building was originally a General Store it’s only fitting that you can shop there now.  The store portion of the Bush’s Visitor Center showcases hundreds of souvenir and gift items including cuddly Duke stuffed animals.  Bush’s canned products line plenty of shelves, too.  You might even find items that haven’t yet come to your local store.  On my most recent visit I brought home a couple of cans of Zero Sugar Baked Beans and some canned hominy (for my wife).

If you’re hungry, and it’s open, head next door to the Bush’s Family Café.  The restaurant specializes in southern comfort food with the signature item being Pinto Bean Pie.  Might sound a bit strange, but I tried it long ago and it was quite tasty.

Going beyond Bush’s

After a visit to the Bush’s Visitor Center there are plenty of other things to see and do.  Of course you could choose to visit the tourist mecca that is Sevier County (Sevierville, Pigeon Forge & Gatlinburg), but if you’re wanting something less crowded then here are a few options.

·        Have you watched the show “Moonshiners” or ever had a “Moon Pie?”  If so, a visit to this small town along the Pigeon River is full of surprises.  Check out what there is to see and do in Newport, TN.

·        Tennessee’s second oldest town almost ended up underwater.  Today, Dandridge, TN sits along Douglas Lake.  The charming stores and buildings make for a great stop on a Road Trip in the area.

·        Whether it’s apple season or you are just looking for great fresh produce, jellies and jams or a great meal, then you might want to visit Carver’s and other stops on a Smoky Mountain Apple Road Trip.