Until the 19th century, Unterkirnach belonged to the town of Villingen in the Black Forest. The Alte Kirnacher Kirchweg between the two towns is still a reminder of this today. The Täfele fir tree stands at the edge of the path. A "Täfele" tells the gruesome story of a funeral procession that got stuck here in the harsh winter. It was not until the following spring that the coffin could be freed from the snow and the funeral continued.
Musical impulses travelled from Unterkirnach to the rest of the world when music box maker Carl Blessing built his orchestrion, one of the first music automatons, in 1820. The Kirnachmühle mill in the centre of the village is typical of the Black Forest. It originally stood in Todtmoos and was rebuilt from 1995-1997 on today's Mühlenplatz. This is how Unterkirnach (Germanic: "lower mill") became a mill again. The Kirneck castle ruins are also located in the municipality. However, its walls were completely demolished for road construction. The current shield wall with the gate entrance was built later.
The Romäusbrunnen fountain is a magical attraction in the neighbourhood. Many people swear by its soft spring water and fill it up in canisters.