About Tennessee

Tennessee is home of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in America.		Tennessee has many reservoirs which have public park areas. (Photo courtesy of Tennessee Valley Authority)

Tennessee is located in the Southern United States. Tennessee became the sixteenth state to join the union (1796). Tennessee is known as the Volunteer State, a nickname it earned during the War of 1812, in which volunteer soldiers from Tennessee played a prominent role. The capital of Tennessee is Nashville and its largest city is Memphis.

The state of Tennessee is divided geographically and legally into three regions: East, Middle and West.

West Tennessee is bordered by the Mississippi River on the west and the Tennessee River on the east with many smaller rivers and lakes in between. Middle Tennessee has more height with rolling hills and smaller streams. East Tennessee offers a mountainous area, including the Great Smoky Mountains. The Tennessee River flows into this portion of the state after running through the West, dipping down into Alabama and coming back into East Tennessee.

The population of Tennessee is approximately 6,038,803 (U.S. Census Bureau)

Tennessee does not have a state income tax.
Tennessee has 34 reservoirs
There are 24 national parks located in Tennessee.
There are 579 known waterfalls in Tennessee.
There are 54 state parks in Tennessee.
Tennessee is home of the Grand Ole Opry.

Tennessee Attractions Include:
Belle Meade, Nashville
Bradley Academy, Murfreesboro
Bristol Speedway
Casey Jones Railroad Museum, Jackson
Chattanooga Choo Choo
Chattanooga Incline Railway
Country Music Hall of Fame, Nashville
Cowan Railroad Museum
Dollywood
Dunbar Cave, Clarksville
Etowah LN Depot
Fisk University Jubilee Hall
Graceland, Memphis
Grand Ole Opry
Jack Daniels Distellery, Lynchburg
James Polk Home, Columbia
Lookout at Obed River
Lookout Mountain, Chattanooga
Museum and Trolley, Clarksville
Riverfront Park, Nashville
Rock City Barn
Tennessee Aquarium
Tennessee Valley Railroad
TVRM Lookout Mountain

National Parks in Tennessee:
Andrew Johnson National Historic Site
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area
Fort Donelson National Battlefield
Fort Donelson National Cemetery
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Natchez Trace Parkway
Obed Wild & Scenic River
Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail
Shiloh National Cemetery
Shiloh National Military Park
Stones River National Battlefield
Stones River National Cemetery
Trail of Tears National Historic Trail

Historic Towns in Tennessee:
Collinsville
Columbia
Fiddler's Grove
Gainesboro
Grand Junction
Jonesborough
Rugby
Sweetwater
Tellico Plains

Outdoor Activities in Tennessee:
Boating
Golfing
Hiking
Whitewater Rafting