Bill Dance Bridge dedication Oct. 1
2:09 p.m. Aug. 18, 2025
DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher•Editor
Lynchburg is reeling in a celebration this fall. On Wednesday, Oct. 1, the town will dedicate the Mulberry Creek Bridge on Highway 55 to one of our own – legendary angler and television personality Bill Dance.
The ceremony begins at 2:30 p.m., followed by a 3-5 p.m. reception at the Jack Daniel Visitor Center, where neighbors, fans, and friends will gather to celebrate a man who has carried Lynchburg’s name to living rooms across America.
Though his fishing career took him far and wide, Dance never forgot his roots in Lynchburg. Growing up along the creeks and ponds of Moore County, he developed an early fascination with the water. What started as a pastime in small-town Tennessee turned into a lifelong pursuit that made him a household name.
Lynchburg native Bill Dance fished Mulberry Creek as a child. Now, the bridge that cross the creek on Hwy. 55 will carry his name.
By the late 1960s, he had already carved out a name for himself in the competitive bass fishing world, becoming one of the first stars of the then-fledgling sport.
But it was television that turned Dance into an icon. In 1968, he launched Bill Dance Outdoors, a show that combined fishing tips, environmental education, and his easygoing sense of humor. With his trademark Tennessee Vols cap, mirrored sunglasses, and unforgettable bloopers, Dance charmed viewers from Tennessee to Texas and beyond. Later, he expanded into Bill Dance Saltwater, proving that his appeal stretched from small lakes to the open ocean.
Dance’s influence stretches far beyond the camera lens. He has been a tireless advocate for conservation and outdoor recreation, ensuring that America’s waters remain healthy for future generations. His legacy lives on not only in his shows and books but also across Tennessee’s landscape.
In 2021, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency launched the Bill Dance Signature Lakes program, designating 18 lakes across the state for significant improvements in access, habitat, and amenities. One of those lakes sits just a short drive from Lynchburg: Tims Ford Lake, which officially received its designation on Dec. 21, 2021. The lake, already beloved by boaters and anglers alike, now carries the Bill Dance seal as a destination for fishing enthusiasts from across the Southeast.
From West Tennessee’s Reelfoot Lake to East Tennessee’s Douglas Lake, Dance’s name is now woven into the state’s waters, ensuring his influence will ripple across Tennessee for generations to come.
Naming the Mulberry Creek Bridge after Bill Dance isn’t just about honoring a sportsman – it’s about celebrating a local boy who took a piece of Lynchburg with him wherever he went. His name now joins the landscape of his hometown, spanning the same waters that first sparked his love for fishing.
So, grab your calendar and circle the date: Oct. 1. The town that raised Bill Dance will honor him the best way it knows how – with a bridge that will carry his name long into the future.
