History isn’t the only thing that makes the state of Tennessee fascinating. Here are a few of the interesting physical aspects of the state.
Borders
- Tennessee is only about 115 miles wide, but it’s roughly four times that in length. Its highest point is 6,643 feet at Clingmans Dome (the highest point along the Appalachian Trail) and its lowest point is 178 feet at the Mississippi River.
- Eight states border Tennessee: Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Missouri. This ties Tennessee with Missouri for bordering the most states.
- Tennessee’s western border is not the current Mississippi River. Rather, for the Tennessee-Arkansas boundary, it’s where the river’s channel was in 1836. (When Arkansas became a state.) Likewise, the Tennessee-Missouri boundary is where the river’s channel was in 1821. (When Missouri became a state.)
Water & Caves
- Tennessee is one of the top ten rainiest states in the U.S. It even has several rainforest microclimates. (But that doesn’t mean it rains every day!)
- The U.S.’s largest underground lake, “The Lost Sea,” is in Sweetwater, Tennessee.
- Tennessee has more than 8,000 documented caves. That’s more than any other state in the union!
Natural Resources
- Marble is found in abundance in East Tennessee. Quarrying for it began back in 1838 and continues today. Tennessee’s marble has been used to create gravestones, buildings, and statues. Places you’ll find it include Washington D.C.’s Lincoln Memorial, New York City’s Grand Central Station, and the State Capitol in Nashville.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park
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Great Smoky Mountain National Park
It’s the U.S.’s most visited national park.
- It holds the title as the “Salamander Capital of the World?” (Not just in the U.S., but in the entire world!)
- The Cherokees called the mountains “Shaconage” (Sha-Kon-O-Hey). In their language, it translates to “place of the blue smoke.” They believed the area to be sacred.
- Besides the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, there are 56 designated state parks and 85 state natural areas in Tennessee. (If you enjoy beautiful scenery and hiking, this is the state to visit.)
Join me next week to learn about the Tennessee Native American legend created by earthquakes.