Tennessee Atlas

Online Atlas > Tennessee > Museums • Photographs

Tennessee facts and history plus travel and tourism information.

Capital: Nashville
Abbreviations: TN (postal), Tenn.
Area: 42,146 square miles
State Bird: Mockingbird
State Tree: Tulip Poplar
State Flower: Iris
State Motto: Agriculture and Commerce
Nickname: The Volunteer State

Located in southeastern USA, Tennessee extends from the Appalachian Mountains in the east to flatlands along the Mississippi River in the west. The Tennessee River, trisecting the state, was dammed for hydroelectric power during the Great Depression; the state's agricultural economy was transformed as industries moved into the state to exploit low cost electricity from these dams.

Once home to the Cherokee and Chickasaw Native Americans, Tennessee became the 16th state on June 1, 1796. Divided on the issue of slavery during the Civil War, Tennessee reluctantly joined the Confederacy in 1861. The battles of Shiloh and Franklin were fought on the state's soil, and after the war, the Ku Klux Klan was formed in Tennessee. Nearly one hundred years later, the issue of racism in Tennessee was readdressed by the Civil Rights Movement in Nashville.

Today, Tennessee draws country music to Nashville and blues music lovers to Memphis. Elvis fans flock to Elvis Presley's Graceland Mansion, while country music fans visit The Grand Ole Opry, where tourists can watch live radio-broadcast music. Quieter vacation opportunities may be found in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where hiking, camping, and fishing are popular.

Tennessee Map

Tennessee Links

Tennessee Government - official Tennessee state website.
Explore Tennessee - Tennessee travel and tourism.
National Parks in Tennessee
Tennessee QuickFacts - from the US Census Bureau.
50States.com - Tennessee

Tennessee Resources