Located in the Southeastern part of the United States, Tennessee had it's beginnings as part of the State of North Carolina. The area was divided by the Southern end of the Appalachian Mountains, and Tennessee became the 16th State in 1796. Tennessee got it's nickname "The Volunteer State" due to the willingness of her early frontiersmen to fight in the Spanish American War. A group of Tennessee sharpshooters volunteered their aid to the state of Texas during their struggle for independance from Mexico. These "Volunteers" died in the battle of the Alamo in 1836. Among them was the legendary hero Davey Crockett.

Tennessee consists of 41,220 square miles and ranks 17th in the USA in population. The State Flower is the Iris, the State Tree is the Tulip Poplar, and the State Bird is the Mockingbird. I told you about the State Song already, *smile*. There is some controversy about this since we really have two! The more traditional one is "The Tennessee Waltz." The climate is considered to be moderate, with an average winter low of around 30 degrees F. and an avarage summer high about 90 degrees F. Rainfall averages approximately 50 inches per year and substantial snowfalls are rare with the exception of the upper elevations of the extreme eastern mountain areas. The Tennessee State flag (seen flying proudly above) consists of a pattern of three white stars in a blue circle centered on a red background, each star representing a different section of the state.

Tennessee is divided geographicaly by the Tennessee River, which passes through the state twice, flowing south through the eastern region, then after looping through northern Alabama, flowing north through the more populated western region to Kentucky and eventualy the Ohio River. The river, along with the Cumerland Platteau, divides the state into three distinct regions, differing in topography, economy, and population. The Tennessee River has perhaps been the most important factor in making Tennessee an industrial state. The Tennessee Valley Authority, establishied in 1933, created a network of reservoirs and dams along the river, giving the state an abundance of cheap hydroelectric power.

East Tennessee is a mountainous area and part of the Appalachian Highlands. The state's highest point is located at Clingman's Dome with an elevation of 6,642 feet above sea level. The western extent of the Appalachian Highland is the Cumberland Plateau, consisting of rugged flat-topped hills. Three growing metropolitan areas are located in East Tennessee: Knoxville, home of the University of Tennessee and a major mineral refining center; Chattanooga, on the southeastern border with Georgia, and home to the Tennessee Aquarium; and Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, known collectively as the Tri-Cities, located along the northeastern border with Virginia. Principal areas of interest in East Tennessee are: The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which boasts millions of tourists annually; the state's first designated Scenic River, The Hiwassee River, which offers a variety of recreational activities such as canoeing, kayaking, fishing, hiking and camping; and the Ocoee River located in the Cherokee National Forest which offers various skill levels of canoeing, kayaking and white-water rafting. The 1996 Olympic White-water Slalom events were held on the Ocoee River. East Tennessee has a large number of sites for rock-clinbing, rapelling, and mountain biking. The Bristol International Raceway is located near the Tennessee/Virginia border for all you NASCAR Fans. *S*

Middle Tennessee is part of the Interior Low Plateau and includes the Nashville Basin. It is primarily farmland but the northern section includes highland rims rising to 600 feet in elevation. The major metropolitan area is Nashville, the State Capitol, which also functions as a major industrial center and is home of the Tennessee Titans NFL team. Of historic interest in the Nashville area are the homes of former Presidents Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk, and Andrew Johnson. Nashville is also known as the "Home of Country Music" and is a major recording and performance center for the music industry. The Grand Old Opry originated in Nashville and for many years was located in the now restored Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville.

West Tennessee, part of the Gulf Coast Plains, is bordered by the Mississippi River. Memphis, the state's largest city, is located on the southwestern border of Arkansas and Mississippi. Memphis is an important jazz and blues center. The late Elvis Presley's home, "Graceland" is located in Memphis. Reelfoot Lake, formed by an earthquake in 1811 is a major attraction in the Mississippi bottomlands of far western Tennessee.

Due primarily to power management by the TVA, manufacturing exceeds agriculture in Tennessee. Much of the industry is related to refining of the state mineral and agricultural products. but there are also large manufactuers of transportation and electrical equipment. The mining industry in Tennessee produces large quantities of bituminous coal and Tennessee leads the nation in the production of zinc. In agriculture, farm income from livestock exceeds that of crops. Cattle ranches and dairy farms predominate in Middle Tennessee. There is also extensive trade in show animals led by the Tennessee Walking Horses. Recently, soy bean plantings have exceeded the traditional crops of cotton, corn, and tobacco in value.

Tennessee is not only a great place to live, but a wonderful place to visit or vacation. There is something for every interest as you can see by the above information. If you would like to know more about visiting here in my state, you may check some of the resources I list below. I would like to thank Alice at the I-75 Visitors Center for her help with locating phone numbers for some resources and Phillip at "Outdoor Adventures" for his assistance by providing information on recreational activities in Tennessee.

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Y'all come back now, y'hear?

The Tennessee Aquarium

...Located in Chattanooga and the world's largest freshwater aquarium. You can see over 9.000 animals that swim, fly, or crawl through the 60 foot canyon and two living forests in their natural habitat. Operates in conjunction with the nearby six story 3D IMAX Theater.

The Peabody Hotel

...Located in Memphis this prestigious hotel is home to the world-famous ducks who live there and make a daily pilgrimage to the fountain located in the Grand Lobby. This is a "must see" for anyone visiting in the Memphs area.