Bristol: the city split between two states

A single main street marks the border between Tennessee and Virginia right in the centre of Bristol, a city divided between two different states but with a single name.

The centre, divided in half between Tennessee and Virginia along State Street, is easily explored on foot.

On State Street, a line painted on the asphalt marks exactly the border between Tennessee and Virginia, with historic buildings facing both sides of the street.

Just steps away, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum celebrates the 1927 recordings that launched the careers of fundamental artists for the birth of country music.

Continuing on one visits the Bristol Motor Speedway, one of the noisiest and most beloved NASCAR circuits in the United States, capable of hosting over one hundred thousand spectators.

Toward evening, the music venues in the historic center offer live performances of bluegrass and traditional Appalachian country music.

The 1927 recordings known as the 'Bristol Sessions', made by a talent scout in a now-demolished building in the city, are considered by music historians the founding moment of modern American country music.

Living in Bristol often means having an address in one state and working or shopping in another, with tax and legal differences that residents manage as normal everyday reality.