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History of Tennessee, USA
Journey back in time to Tennessee, USA
Visit Tennessee, USA. Discover its history. Learn about the people who lived there through stories, old newspaper articles, pictures, postcards and ancestry.




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Tennessee won its nickname as The Volunteer State during the War of 1812 when volunteer soldiers from Tennessee displayed marked valor in the Battle of New Orleans.
The largest earthquake in American history, the New Madrid Earthquake occurred in the winter of 1811-12 in northwestern Tennessee. Reelfoot Lake located in Obion and Lake Counties was formed during this earthquake.
50states.com
"While traveling inland from South Carolina in 1567, Spanish explorer Juan Pardo passed through a Native American village in modern-day Tennessee named Tanasqui. Almost two centuries later, British traders came upon a Cherokee village called Tanasi (in present-day Monroe County, Tennessee). No one knows whether Tanasi and Tanasqui were actually the same village, though it is known that Tanasi was located on the Little Tennessee River and recent research suggests that Tanasqui was close to the confluence of the Pigeon River and the French Broad River (near modern-day Newport). Tennessee could have come from either one of these village names, but the meanings of both words have since been lost." mentalfloss.com
There is MUCH more to discover about Tennessee, USA. Read on!
Tennessee Nostalgia: Vintage Photos, Ads, and Postcards

Tennessee, USA
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Grove's Tasteless Chill Tonic
Made in Paris, Tennessee
Edwin Wiley Grove (1850–1927) was a self-made millionaire most famous for his "Grove's Tasteless Chill Tonic." In this chill tonic, which came out 1878, Grove found a way to bottle a quinine mixture that would eliminate the bitter taste. The tasteless chill tonic, which some claimed was not all that tasteless, was an improvement over taking straight quinine for fevers and chills caused by malaria. A sweet syrup and lemon flavor was added to Quinine, cinchonine and cinchonidine, which were the main ingredients in crystal form in the tonic. Some sources claim that by 1890 more bottles of Grove’s Tasteless Chill Tonic were sold than bottles of Coca-Cola. wikipedia
Found at Old Drugstore, St Augustine, Florida

Tennessee, USA
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St. Andrews Wine of Life Root, Female Regulator for Women
Made in Bristol, TN
Found at Old Drugstore, St Augustine, Florida
Discover Tennessee: History, News, Travel, and Stories

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1768 - Iroquois Indians ceded Tennessee land claims to English
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ usstates/ tntimeln.htm
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1779 - Jonesboro became first chartered town, oldest permanent settlement in state
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ usstates/ tntimeln.htm
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1784 - "State of Franklin" proclaimed in Tennessee
The World Almanac of the U.S.A, by Allan Carpenter and Carl Provorse, 1996
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1796 - Tennesse became 16th U.S. state
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1812 - Eathquake occurred; tidal waves created on Mississippi River, river flowed backward, formed Reelfort Lake area
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ usstates/ tntimeln.htm
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1838 - Army evicted Cherokee, sent them to Indian territory on "Trail of Tears"
Tennessee first state to pass temperance law
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ usstates/ tntimeln.htm
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1861 - Tennessee secedes from Union (May 7); Civil War began
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ usstates/ tntimeln.htm
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1866 - Tennessee first state readmitted to Union; third state to ratify Fourteenth Amendment to constitution
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ usstates/ tntimeln.htm
1888 - A Cincinnati Southern train was wrecked on the 31st ult. in the Tennessee mountains and three persons were killed.
St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
November 3, 1888
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1895 - Tennessee
Ten'nessee', a S.E. central state of the American Union, bounded N. by Kentucky and Virginia, E. by North Carolina, S. by Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi, W. by Arkansas and Missouri. Its W. limit is the Mississippi River; and from North Carolina it is separated by the Iron, Unaka, Bald, Stone, or Great Smoky ridge of the Appalachian Mountains, whose general altitude is 5000 feet and whose broad top is generally treeless. The state has a rhomboidal outline, and an area of 42,050 square miles...
The Population in 1790 was 35,691; in 1800, 105,602; in 1810, 261,727; in 1820, 422,771; in 1830,681,904; in 1840, 829,210; in 1850, 1,002,717; in 1860, 1,109,801; in 1870, 1,258,520; in 1880, 1,542,359; in 1890, 1,767,518.
Lippincott's Gazetteer of the World: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World Containing Notices of Over One Hundred and Twenty-five Thousand Places ... Joseph Thomas January 1, 1895 J.B. Lippincott
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1897 - Tennessee Centennial Exposition held in Nashville to celebrate state's 100th birthday
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ usstates/ tntimeln.htm
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1900 - Locomotive engineer, Casey Jones, died in train crash
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ usstates/ tntimeln.htm
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1919 - First Women’s Bank of Tennessee (Clarksville) opens to cater to women customers only.
While the bank employees and directors were women, its shareholders were male.
https://www.theguardian.com/money/us-money-blog/2014/aug/11/women-rights-money-timeline-history
1925 - May 5 - Scopes Trial: Dayton, Tennessee, biology teacher John Scopes is arrested for teaching Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution.
wikipedia.org
May 5, 1925
1925 - July 21 – Scopes Trial: In Dayton, Tennessee, high school biology teacher John T. Scopes is found guilty of teaching evolution in class and fined $100.
wikipedia.org
July 21, 1925
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1939 - "Grand Ole Opry" began radio broadcasts
www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ usstates/ tntimeln.htm
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1940 - Great Smoky Mountain National Park dedicated by President Franklin Roosevelt
February 1, 1951 - The greatest ice storm of record in the U.S.
produced glaze up to four inches thick from Texas to Pennsylvania causing twenty-five deaths, 500 serious injuries, and 100 million dollars damage. Tennessee was hardest hit by the storm. Communications and utilities were interrupted for a week to ten days.
WeatherForYou.com
February 1, 1951
1952 - March 21 - Severe thunderstorms spawned thirty-one tornadoes across Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri, Mississippi, Alabama and Kentucky.
The tornadoes killed 343 persons and caused 15 million dollars damage. Arkansas and Tennessee each reported thirteen tornadoes. The towns of Judsonia AR and Henderson TN were nearly wiped off the map in what proved to be the worst tornado outbreak of record for Arkansas. A tornado, one and a half miles wide at times, left a church the only undamaged building at Judsonia.
WeatherForYou.com
March 21, 1952
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2023 - There's something for everyone to enjoy in the Volunteer State. Here's a list of places to go and things to do in Tennessee:
1. Graceland Memphis:
Visit the former home of the King of Rock 'n' Roll, Elvis Presley. Explore the mansion, Elvis' car collection, and his final resting place.
2. Beale Street Memphis:
Dive into the heart of the blues on Beale Street. Enjoy live music, delicious barbecue, and vibrant nightlife.
3. Great Smoky Mountains National Park:
Hike, camp, or simply drive through America's most-visited national park. Don't miss Clingmans Dome, the highest point in Tennessee.
4. Dollywood Pigeon Forge:
Experience a mix of thrilling rides, live entertainment, and Appalachian culture at this popular theme park owned by Dolly Parton.
5. Nashville's Music Scene:
Explore the birthplace of country music. Visit the Grand Ole Opry, Ryman Auditorium, and the Country Music Hall of Fame.
6. Jack Daniel's Distillery Lynchburg:
Take a tour of the iconic Jack Daniel's Distillery to learn about whiskey-making and sample some of Tennessee's finest.
7. Sun Studio Memphis:
Discover the... Read MORE...
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