Bruton Snuff Mill

Just got back from a quick trip in Nashville, TN. I was hoping to see something related to USST, and while driving around someone in the car pointed out the Bruton Snuff building. The picture is pretty poor because it’s from my home, but hopefully I’ll get the other pictures from their camera soon. They seemed to be fully operational, because there was plenty of security cameras, and tall fences, and even cars in the employee parking lot.

If this were the last snuff on earth we could all rest in peace.

@dakotas, that’s awesome man. I love the way “bruton Snuff” appears to be written in the heavens. Next time stop and check if you can buy factory direct? Maybe a ton or two?

haha yeah i’ll see if they can fill the bed of my truck up with Bruton. it was nice to see that it was actually still made in Nashville, and it didn’t just say Nashville, TN on the label.

If you ever drive by there again, go up to the gate and request to speak to the receptionist about a family tour. Sometimes they let you in if they have someone on staff (usually a janitor) to walk around and point at stuff and go “this is where they do this, but I’m not really sure what that is.” Beware the pungent scent of ammonia that permeates the entire factory. It will seep into your clothes and NOT go away until about 5-6 washings. If you want to hear a good song about working at the Bruton snuff plant during the 1960s, check out Johnny Cash’s “Southern Comfort.”

@snuffpub I’ll have to do that next time. I really wanted to go, but no one else seemed too interested. Love the song too btw

I want some Brutons brutal

If i’am not eating brians post-zombie apocalypse, my fist stop will be there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDn-\_1SWy\_0 “Southern Comfort” by Johnny Cash

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Believe it or not, hearing this song in the 8th grade was what got me interested in trying snuff for the very first time. Unfortunately I couldn’t find any Bruton so I had to settle for Railroad Mills, which scared me off of nasal snuff for a good ten years or so :slight_smile: I don’t want to spoil it but we’re going to do a special on the writing of this song sometime in one of our 2014 issues, for the 40th anniversary of Ragged Old Flag, the album that it came out on. We’ve been in contact with various cohorts of Johnny and with representatives from the House of Cash who have shed a lot of light on the song’s backstory, which is amazing once you hear about it. Those of you wondering whether Johnny Cash himself ever used snuff: YES. He wasn’t a huge fan of it but he’d use it occasionally if someone offered him some. Same with Carl Perkins. And Jerry Lee Lewis used to mix it in with his pipe tobacco to give it a little added flavor. I found it fascinating that so many of these Memphis and Nashville country and rockabilly artists used everyday brands like Rooster and Bruton, but you’d never know unless you’ve been extremely lucky like we have over the last year or two in getting in touch with friends and family members who could shed some light. You would think that all of them only smoked cigarettes, but many of them sniffed or dipped as well. This is the type of history we’re trying to preserve in The Ephemeris.

@snuffpub That’s some really neat stuff yall have dug up there. One of the best things about living in the American South, is how entrenched snuff is in the culture. Not many my age use the “real” snuff; they dip stuff like Copenhagen or Skoal, but a good portion of the old-timers here still use snuff. A lot of kids at school tell me they remember their grandparents using snuff. A buddy of mine told me a story of how she wore a bullet shaped necklace that had a built in spoon, and was always shoveling snuff into her lip. Said that her dresses were always stained in the front. Snuff use is still prevalent here; the local tobacco shop goes through a decent amount of it. I’ve seen them opening new boxes quite a few times, and they carry quite a variety.

I have just found on youtube, the song ,      Southern Comfort sung by Johnny Cash.

I dashed back here to share it, and lo and behold some one has beaten me to it years ago.

Shirts stained with snuff,  the occasional sniff in the song  and the smell of tobacco,    such cosy lyrics.

Well worth having a listen to again for any tobacco snuff taker,  and you don’t have to be a Johnny Cash fan to enjoy it.

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