Fun Facts, Food, Famous People, Attractions (2024)

Fun Facts, Food, Famous People, Attractions (1)

Tennessee is known for:

Country music
Whiskey
Graceland and Elvis
Tennessee whiskey

Geography & Demographics

State Abbreviation	TN
State Capital	Nashville
State Size	Total (Land + Water): 42,143 sq miles; Land Only: 41,217 sq miles
Number of Counties	95
Time Zone	Eastern Time Zone, Central Time Zone
Bordering States	Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Virginia
Highest Point	Clingmans Dome, 6,643 feet
Tallest Building	333 Commerce in Nashville, 617 feet
Largest Stadium	Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, capacity 102,455
National Parks	Great Smoky Mountains National Park
State Population (2020)	6,910,840
State Population Density	167.7 people / square mile
Area Codes	423, 615, 731, 865, 901, 931
Top 5 Cities (2020 population)	Nashville (694,176) Memphis (649,705) Knoxville (190,223) Chattanooga (184,742) Clarksville (161,247)

Government & Legislature

Statehood	June 1, 1796
Electoral Votes	11
State Flag
Governor	Official Tennessee Governor Website
U. S. Senators	List of U. S. Senators From Tennessee
U. S. Representatives	List of U. S. Representatives From Tennessee
State Senators	List of Tennessee State Senators
State Representatives	List of Tennessee State Representatives
State Government	Official Site
State Constitution	Tennessee State Constitution
Same-Sex Marriage Legalization Date	June 26, 2015
Road Conditions	Tennessee Road Conditions
State Quarter Issue Date	January 2, 2002

State Symbols

State Agricultural Insect	Honeybee
State Amphibian	Tennessee cave salamander
State Artifact	"Sandy"
State Beverage	Milk
State Bird	Mockingbird
State Butterfly	Zebra swallowtail
State Commercial Fish	Channel catfish
State Flower	Iris
State Fossil	Ptero
State Gem	Pearl
State Insect	Honeybee and ladybug
State Mineral	Agate
State Motto	Agriculture and Commerce
State Nickname	Volunteer State
State Painting	"Tenneessee Treasures" and "Tennessee Treasures Too"
State Reptile	Eastern box turtle
State Rock	Limestone
State Sport Fish	Smallmouth bass
State Tree	Tulip poplar
State Wild Animal	Raccoon

Sports Teams

Major Sports Teams

NFL: Tennessee Titans
NBA: Memphis Grizzlies
NHL: Nashville Predators
MLS: Nashville SC

NCAA Division I Schools

Austin Peay State University (Ohio Valley)
Belmont University (Ohio Valley)
East Tennessee State University (Southern)
Lipscomb University (Atlantic Sun)
University of Memphis (American Athletic)
Middle Tennessee State University (Conference USA)
University of Tennessee (SEC)
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (Southern)
University of Tennessee at Martin (Ohio Valley)
Tennessee State University (Ohio Valley)
Tennessee Technological University (Ohio Valley)
Vanderbilt University (SEC)

Table Tennis Clubs in Tennessee

City	Table Tennis Club
Chattanooga	Chattanooga Table Tennis Club
Goodlettsville	Smash n'Go Table Tennis
Knoxville	Knoxville Table Tennis Club

Popular Tourist Attractions

Beale Street Historic District: A street in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. It was voted the most iconic street in America by USA Today.
Bristol Motor Speedway: Auto racing venue in Bristol, Tennessee.
Cades Cove: An isolated valley in the Tennessee side of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Clingmans Dome: The highest point in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.
Country Music Hall of Fame: Museum in Nashville, Tennessee.
Dollywood: Theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
Graceland: Former home and estate of Elvis Presley, located in Memphis, Tennessee.
Grand Ole Opry: Concert hall in Nashville, Tennessee.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park: National park on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina.
Knoxville Zoo: Zoo in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Lookout Mountain: Mountain range near Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Memphis Zoo: Zoo in Memphis, Tennessee.
Nashville Zoo: Zoo in Nashville, Tennessee.
Ober Gatlinburg: Amusem*nt park in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
Opry Mills: Shopping center in Nashville, Tennessee.
Parthenon Nashville: Building structure in Nashville, Tennessee.
Rock City: Garden in Lookout City, Tennessee.
Ruby Falls: Waterfall in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Tennessee Aquarium: Aquarium in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

UNESCO Heritage Sites

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Festivals and Events

Top festivals and events in Tennessee. They are listed in approximate order of when they take place during the year.

Festival / Event	When	Location
National Cornbread Festival	April	South Pittsburg
Memphis In May International Festival	May	Memphis
Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival	June	Manchester
CMA Fest	June	Nashville
Riverbend Festival	June	Chattanooga
Great Smoky Mountains Hot Air Balloon Festival	August	Townsend
Tennessee State Fair	August	Lebanon
Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion	September	Bristol
Collierville Balloon Festival	September	Collierville
Monroe Life Balloon Festival	September	Vonore
Moon River Music Festival	September	Chattanooga
Tennessee Valley Fair	September	Knoxville
Nashville Film Festival	Late September to October	Nashville

Popular Iconic Tennessee Foods

Tennessee is famous for the following foods:

Hot Fried Chicken
Memphis-Style Barbecue
Country Ham
Biscuits and Gravy
Fried Pickles
Catfish
Banana Pudding
Moon Pies
Meat and Three
Sweet Potato Fries
Fried Pies
Memphis Ribs
Nashville Hot Chicken
Fried Green Tomatoes

Famous People Born In Tennessee

Nobel Prize Winners

Cordell Hull (Peace, 1945)
James M. Buchanan Jr. (Economic Sciences, 1986)

Pro Football Hall Of Fame Members

Doug Atkins (Defensive End. Inducted in 1982)
Lynn Swann (Wide Receiver. Inducted in 2001)
Reggie White (Defensive End. Inducted in 2006)
Gene Hickerson (Guard. Inducted in 2007)
Claude Humphrey (Defensive End. Inducted in 2014)

Baseball Hall Of Fame Players

Turkey Stearnes (Center Fielder. Inducted in 2000)

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall Of Fame Players

Oscar Robertson (Guard. Inducted in 1980)
Nera White (Forward. Inducted in 1992)
Bailey Howell (Forward. Inducted in 1997)

Famous Actors And Actresses

Kathy Bates
Megan Fox
Morgan Freeman

Famous Singers

Kenny Chesney
Miley Cyrus
Aretha Franklin
Dolly Parton
Justin Timberlake
Tina Turner

Tennessee Fun Facts

The state of Tennessee was named after a Cherokee town named "Tanasi," which is in present-day Monroe County, Tennessee. The true meaning of Tanasi cannot be ascertained, though it's been said to mean "meeting place," "wind river," or "river of the great bend."
Tennessee borders with eight other states. This makes Tennessee, along with Missouri, the state with the most neighboring states.
The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee, is the longest continuously running live radio program in the world. It has been live since November 28, 1925.
Vanderbilt University, along with its affiliated hospitals, is the largest employer in Tennessee.
The Manhattan Project was based in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
Memphis, Tennessee, is home to Graceland, Elvis Presley's former estate.
Tennessee bottlers Moses and Ally Hartman developed Mountain Dew in 1940.
Columbia, Tennessee, is the self-proclaimed Mule Capital of the World. It celebrates a city-designed Mule Day each April.
Tennessee was the last state to secede from the Union during the Civil War and the first state to be readmitted after the war.
Tennessee won its nickname as The Volunteer State during the War of 1812 when volunteer soldiers from Tennessee played a prominent role in the Battle of New Orleans.

This page was last updated on June 10, 2024.

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