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Facts
Famous Natives
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History
Land
Landforms
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Travel Info
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Description
"There is a terrible war coming, and these young men who have never seen war cannot wait for it to happen, but I tell you, I wish that I owned every slave in the South, for I would free them all to avoid this war." Robert E. Lee
Tennessee is aptly called "The Volunteer State," as in the Civil War, and the earlier War of 1812, it distinguished itself with military leadership, and by the brave, unwavering exploits of its native sons.
Once the heartland of the Cherokee Indian Nation, this horizontal sliver of land is revered as the home of three American Presidents, and for its long-standing history of military honor and tradition.
The natural beauty and charm of Tennessee begins along the historic Mississippi River, then moves east across miles of farmland, to blend into the bluegrass valleys and powerful rivers at its heart. It ends (all to soon), in the misty hollows and forests of the Great Smoky Mountains.
Famed as the "Birthplace of the Blues," the home of Elvis Presley, and of course, for Nashville, and the Grand Ole Opry, Tennessee is rightfully known as the Country Music Capital of the World.
It's one of America's most popular tourist destinations, as it perfectly represents the natural beauty and history of the country, as well as the music that made it famous.
Read more about Tennessee here!
Facts and Figures
StatehoodJune 1, 1796 (16th state)
Capital Nashville
Currency U.S. Dollar
(conversion rates) here
Tennessee Quarter (new) here
Language English (official)
Largest Cities (by population) Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Clarksville (all cities here)
Lat/Long 36º 17' N, 86º 78' W
Origin of Name From the Yuchi word "tana-see," meaning "the meeting place."
Population 5,797,289
(16th)
Population Details (and more)
here
Statewide Business (facts & figures)
here
Flag and Symbols Bird Mockingbird
Flag here
Flower Iris
Fish Channel Catfish
Gem Tennessee Pearl
Horse Tennessee Walking Horse
Insects Firefly, Ladybug
Motto "Tennessee, America at its Best"
Nicknames "The Volunteer State"
Reptile Eastern Box Turtle
Songs "Tennessee Waltz," "Tennessee My Homeland," "Rocky Top,"Tennessee" and "My Tennessee."
State Seal here
Tree Tulip Poplar
Land Statistics Area 42,146 sq miles
(34th)
(Land) 41,220 sq. miles (Water) 926 sq. miles Bordering States (8) Missouri, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Arkansas.
NOTE: Tennessee and Missouri are both bordered by (8) states - that's more than any other state. Number of Counties (95) map here Largest County (by population) Shelby, 897.472
Highest Point Clingmans Dome, 6,643 ft.
Lowest Point Shelby County, 182 ft
Length/Width 440 miles/120 miles
Mean Elevation 900 ft.
Geographic Center in Rutherford
 LANDFORMS
CLICK HERE for landforms map Tennessee is mountainous in the east, as parts of the Appalachian Mountain system cover the land.
The Great Smoky Mountains, as well as the Bald, Holston, Stone, Unaka and Unicoi mountain ranges form most of its border with North Carolina. Both states share the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Clingmans Dome (6,643 ft.) the state's highest point, is located here. It's the third highest point in the Appalachian Mountain range. Only Mt. Mitchell in North Carolina (6,684 feet), and Mt. Craig (6,647) in Mt. Mitchell State Park rise higher.
To the immediate west of those mountains, the Appalachian Valley is a series of lower ridges, hills, and fertile farmland.
The Cumberland Plateau (or Appalachian Plateau), is a stretch of somewhat flat hills and mountains, with a few near 2,500 ft.
West of that plateau, the land flattens, and slopes down into a large, fertile basin, to the east of Nashville.
CLICK HERE for landforms map The Gulf Coastal Plain extends across the southern states into the western third of Tennessee; it begins as hilly land, west of the Tennessee River, that slowly levels-out as it approaches the state's western edge. In the southeastern corner (near Memphis) it becomes a swampy lowland flood plain that ends along the steep bluffs fronting the Mississippi River.
Significant lakes (some used as storage basins) cross the state, and Kentucky Lake is the largest man-made lake in the eastern United States.
In this state of rivers, major ones include the Cumberland, Tennessee, and of course, the Mississippi. The Tennessee River Gorge, a river canyon bordering the Chattanooga metro, is 26 miles in length.
For a more detailed look at the rugged topography of Tennessee, view this map.
Landforms of America here
Landforms of North America here
Rivers of North America here
Tennessee State Parks here
Tennessee Landforms Map here
Government Info 
U.S. President George W. Bush
Tennessee Government web site
Tennessee General Assembly web site
Tennessee Political District maps
Famous Natives People listed are almost always native to the state. We do, on occasion, include those that have lived within a state for most of their adult life. "A mostly random selection" James Agee author Gregg Allman singer, songwriter, founding member allman brothers band Eddy Arnold singer Chet Atkins guitar player William Blount former governor George Deforest Brush artist Davy Crockett frontiersman Miley Cyrus actress, singer David G. Farragut naval officer Lester Flatt bluegrass musician Tennessee Ernie Ford singer Nelson B. Forrest soldier, hero Aretha Franklin singer Albert Gore, Jr. former u.s. vice-president Richard Halliburton author Benjamin L. Hooks civil rights activist Andrew Jackson military hero, former u.s. president Andrew Johnson former u.s. president Dolly Rebecca Parton actress, singer Minnie Pearl singer, comedienne James Polk former u.s. president Elvis Aron Presley king of rock and roll Opie Percival Read author Wilma Rudolph olympic athlete John Sevier first governor of the state Cybil Shepherd actress Tina Turner singer Alvin York war hero Is someone missing?
Submit your famous person here!
USA States
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Maps
Tennessee County Map
here
Tennessee Outline Map here
Tennessee Maps Univ. of Texas here
Tennessee Map Atlas on-line
Tennessee Highway Map here
Tennessee Historical Maps here
Tennessee Historic City Maps here
Tennessee Precipitation Map here
Tennessee Satellite Map here
Tennessee Topographic Relief Map here
U.S. States & Capitol Cities (a test) here
U.S. MAPS (large selection) here
USA MAP Clip Art (FREE) here
CUSTOM USA MAPS created here
Recommended Links State of Tennessee web site
Tennessee Ancestry/Genealogy web site
Tennessee Civil War web site
Tennessee College & Universities here
Tennessee Historical Foundation web site
(East) Tennessee Historical Society web site
Tennessee War of 1812 web site
NEWSPAPERS
Chattanooga Times web site
Knoxville News web site
Nashville Tennessean web site
Memphis Commercial Appeal web site
U.S. National Park Service web site
Time, Weather and more Area Codes here
Time in Tennessee here
Climate
The weather conditions in Tennessee vary, based on elevation.
In general terms, spring and fall weather is wonderful, with low humidity. Summers are warm, often hot, with high humidity. High temperatures in the 90s are the norm.
Winters are mild, but wet. Heavy snow fall is common in the mountains of the east, and even though snow does fall across the other regions of the state, it usually melts quickly.
The statewide high temperature average in July is near 80 degrees, while the average high in January is near 40 degrees.
The average yearly precipitation is near 55 inches, with higher amounts in the Smokey Mountains.
For a closer look at Tennessee precipitation levels, view this map
Current Weather Conditions in:
Timeline of History (1000 A.D.) The first native peoples arrive in the Smoky Mountain area. They would later become known as the Cherokee Indian Nation (1540) Spanish explorer Hernando De Sota comes ashore near present-day Memphis (1673) Explorers, James Needham and Gabriel Arthur, travel the Tennessee River Valley (1682) The land is officially claimed for France by Robert Cavelier, sieur de LaSalle (1750s-60s) England, France and Spain all fight for control of the land, but the British prevail (1763) After the Treaty of Paris, the British are granted all land east of the Mississippi by France (1769) Ignoring British control, settlers from the east begin to arrive (1779) Jonesboro becomes the first chartered town, and the oldest permanent settlement in the state (1780) Fort Nashborough (Nashville) is founded (1796) The American Revolutionary War is over, skirmishes with local Indians are ending, and Tennessee finally becomes the 16th U.S. State (1809) Meriwether Lewis (of Lewis and Clark fame), dies of a gunshot wound (1812) The strongest earthquake in U.S. history occurs. The Mississippi Rivers (flows backward), subsequently forming the Reelfort Lake area (1812-14) The War of 1812 is fought, and Andrew Jackson is one of the heroes (1829) Andrew Jackson is elected President of the United States (1838) The Cherokee Indians were forced out of the state, and their journey to new lands in Oklahoma would be called the "Journey of Tears," as thousands (from many southern states) died along the way (1861) The Civil War begins, and next to Virginia, more of its bloody battles were fought on Tennessee soil, than in any other state (1865) The war ends, and Andrew Johnson becomes U.S. President (1887) Alvin York, a hero of World War I, is born (1925) John Scopes is convicted of teaching evolution during the infamous "Monkey Trial" (1933) The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) put thousands to work building dams (1939) The Grand Ole Opry broadcasts on radio (1942) The development of the first atomic bomb (called the Manhattan Project) begins at Oak Ridge (1963) Elvis Presley records "Heartbreak Hotel" (1968) Martin Luther King assassinated in Memphis (1976) Alex Haley wins the Pulitzer Prize for "Roots" (1977) Elvis Presley dies in Memphis (1982) The World's Fair held in Knoxville (1982) Graceland Mansion opens to public (1991) The National Civil Rights Museum opens in opens in Memphis (1996) Tennessee Bicentennial Traveler Information Attractions (a few major) Chattanooga's Lookout Mountain, Civil War battlefields and monuments, Dollywood, Graceland and Beale Street in Memphis, Grand Ole Opry and Opryland in Nashville, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Hermitage (Andrew Jackson's home), and much, much more.
Electricity 110/120V, 60Hz
Times to Travel With its central U.S. location, Tennessee is the perfect destination at anytime of the year.
Tennessee Accommodations
For hotels all around the State of Tennessee here!
Chattanooga Visitor Info web site
Dollywood web site
Great Smoky Mountains N.P. web site
Hermitage web site
Memphis Visitor Info web site
Nashville Visitor Info web site
Opryland web site
Roadside America An online guide to offbeat attractions, and more here
Tennessee Tourism (by regions) here
Tennessee Tourism 800.836.6200
U.S. National Park Service web site
Visas United States entry requirements are the same in all states, with most foreign travelers requiring a visa.
There are exceptions as Canadian citizens only need proof of that citizenship. Travelers coming to the U.S. for tourism or business for 90 days or less from qualified countries may be eligible to visit the U.S. without a visa.
Currently, 26 countries participate in the Visa Waiver Pilot Program: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, San Marino, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Visitors entering on the Visa Waiver Pilot Program cannot work or study while in the U.S. and cannot stay longer than 90 days or change their status to another category.
For the latest information, including required documentation, any interested party should apply at the American Embassy or Consulate with jurisdiction over their place of permanent residence.
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