Resort History

“A 75-foot red oak tree stands as a beacon among the cabins, marina and other facilities at Buchanan Resort. It’s a lasting legacy to John Buchanan’s dream to build a first-class, family- operated resort on the shores of Kentucky Lake.”

– Larry Rea, Memphis Commercial Appeal

Since 1946, the Buchanan family has welcomed fishermen, families, water enthusiasts, nature loves, and vacationers to beautiful Buchanan Resort. Sprawled lazily along Eagle Creek where the Big Sandy River and the Tennessee River meet to form Kentucky Lake, the resort is a sanctuary for locals and tourists alike.

While in its early years Buchanan Resort resembled little of what it was to become, its reputation for easy-going hospitality was established immediately. The first “resort” visitors were neighborhood fishermen who would rent skiffs John Buchanan left under the 100-year-old oak tree on shore, each sportsman leaving whatever coins he felt was fair in a nearby cigar box. Eventually, John and his family began welcoming visitors into their home from as far away as St. Louis and Chicago for a few days of magnificent fishing.

Today, third-generation family members continue to own and operate what is now one of the Mid-South’s largest family resorts. With a 350 boat marina, a restaurant, cottage and motel accommodations for more than 200, three campgrounds, a full-service marine store, and the area’s premier corporate conference center accommodating up to 120 guests with generously appointed waterfront cottages nearby, Buchanan Resort is the most complete vacation and recreational destination on Kentucky Lake.

Located an easy two-hour drive from Nashville and a three-hour drive from Memphis, Buchanan Resort still attracts fishermen who were its first visitors. In the years since, it has also become a popular destination for family vacations and weekend retreats. Nearby attractions include golf, Paris Landing State Park, Fort Donelson National Battlefield, Land Between the Lakes, and hours of antiques browsing and other shopping.

“This is the same land that Buchanan and his family farmed for four generations until it was flooded by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), creating a water paradise that thousands of tourists flock to each year in search of slab crappie, lunker-size largemouth bass and other species of freshwater fish.”

– Another Review By The Memphis Commercial Appeal