T. S. Stribling Museum

Born in Clifton, Tennessee in 1881, Thomas Sigismund Stribling grew up to become one of the South’s most groundbreaking authors. A Pulitzer Prize winner for his novel The Store in 1933, Stribling was a pioneer of the Southern Literary Renaissance, unafraid to tackle complex themes. His epic trilogy (The Forge, The Store, and Unfinished Cathedral) offered an unflinching look at Southern life from the Civil War through the early 20th century and cemented his place among America’s most influential writers.

Though his honest portrayals sometimes stirred controversy in his hometown region, Stribling’s work paved the way for other Southern authors to write critically about their own communities. Today, the T. S. Stribling Museum preserves his legacy in Clifton, celebrating the life and work of a writer who shaped modern Southern literature.