The Volunteer State seems to be filled with surprises everywhere you look. Unique people, stories, and places just seem to keep coming like a beautiful waterfall of information. Freshwater Pearls in Camden, Tennessee, is the only place you will find these sweet gems being harvested in all of North America. So we can now add the Tennessee River Freshwater Pearls to our list of things only found in Tennessee.

In an unassuming part of the state, you will find the main building for Tenessee River Freshwater Pearls.
TryppAdams/ Tripadvisor
This location is nestled near the water in what is known as Birdsong Creek, which is an offshoot of the mighty Tennessee River. Nowhere else in North America can you find this type of freshwater pearl. You can tour the museum and visit the jewelry showroom in this building.
The area surrounding the museum is a beautiful backdrop for the farm in which these freshwater pearls are collected.
Birdsong Resort, Marina and Family Lakeside RV Campground/ Google
A perfect system has been created for allowing only the finest quality freshwater pearls.
John N/ Tripadvisor
The mussels are placed in the farm where water temperatures and conditions are constantly monitored. The process takes a painstaking three to four years to develop the most beautiful iridescent pearls, but the wait is well worth it.

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Good things do come to those who wait.
Chuck Sutherland/ Google
While farms in Asia (where most of the world's freshwater pearls come from) only allow around a year to harvest, Tennessee River Freshwater Pearls gives its pearls a longer time to create more durable and beautiful pieces of natural art.
Along with a museum tour with a knowledgeable guide, you can also see the many pieces of jewelry that have been made with these pearls.
Kay/ Tripadvisor
Freshwater pearls are the official Tennessee gem.
If you love the view of the water, you can stay the night at the Birdsong Resort.
Birdsong Resort, Marina and Family Lakeside RV Campground/ Google
There are RV sites, tent sites, and cabins. The museum and campground are connected, so it really is your one-stop place for everything to do with freshwater pearls.

The freshwater pearls in Camden, Tennessee, are certainly interesting and a unique part of our state. Who knew something so beautiful was hiding in the waters of Tennessee? We are not surprised, though, because the Volunteer State is beautiful everywhere you look. For more information about the museum or the farm, please visit the Tennessee River Freshwater Pearls website. Then if you want to stay the night, make your plans with the Birdsong Resort website. 

Tennessee is filled with one-of-a-kind places and attractions, like the biggest collection of salt and pepper shakers in the world!

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Tennessee River Freshwater Pearl Museum and Cabin Rentals, 255 Marina Rd, Camden, TN 38320, USA