Are you ready to explore the misty mountains and musical history of Tennessee? Share these ten fun facts about Tennessee with your kids to help them discover the rhythms of this beautiful state!

1. Tennessee is home to over 10,000 caves and caverns.

   Thanks to the state’s limestone-rich geology, it has more caves than any other state in the country! Formed over thousands of years, most of these cave systems are found in the Cumberland Plateau and Eastern Highland Rim. They feature massive chambers, narrow passageways, impressive cave formations, and underground waterfalls, rivers, and lakes.

   

2. Cotton candy and the MoonPie were invented in Tennessee.

   Tennessee has a sweet side! Machine-spun cotton candy was invented in Nashville in 1897 by a dentist and a candy maker. It was introduced to the public as Fairy Floss at the 1904 World's Fair. The famous MoonPie was created in 1917 by Chattanooga Bakery and was originally intended as a snack for coal miners.

3. Bristol, Tennessee is the birthplace of country music. 

   These recordings launched the careers of early country stars and helped shape the sound of a genre that remains popular today.

4. Tennessee is home to the most visited national park in the country.

   If you thought the most popular park in the country was the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone, you're not alone! While those parks certainly see tons of visitors, it's actually Great Smoky Mountains National Park that draws more visitors per year than any other national park in the U.S. The Smokies are famous for their misty mountain peaks, diverse wildlife, and miles of breathtaking hiking trails. 

5. The tallest underground waterfall and the largest underground lake are both found in Tennessee. 

   Craighead Caverns in Sweetwater, Tennessee is a huge cave system featuring the Lost Sea, the largest non-subglacial underground lake in the United States and the second largest in the world! Located 140 feet below ground, the visible portion of the lake is 800 feet long by 220 feet wide. Meanwhile in Chattanooga, a cave beneath Lookout Mountain is home to Ruby Falls, the tallest underground waterfall in the U.S. that plunges 63 feet into a stream.

6. The Smoky Mountains are called that for a reason.

   The “smoky” look of the Smoky Mountains comes from a natural blue mist created by water vapor and plant emissions. The native Cherokee people traditionally called the Great Smoky Mountains Shaconage, which translates to “place of the blue smoke.”

1. The Grand Ole Opry is the world's oldest radio show. 

   Broadcasting country music from the stage of the Grand Ole Opry House since 1925, the Opry is the longest-running radio show in the world for any type of music ... and it's performed live! Artists invited to sing at the Opry consider it a major achievement., and over 6,000 songs are performed there each year.

2. Tennessee is home to the incredible synchronous fireflies.

   Nineteen unique species of fireflies live in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, including the famous synchronous fireflies. They are known for their incredible ability to synchronize their flashing patterns! 

3. Tennessee has a lake created by an earthquake. 

   In the early 1800s, a series of powerful earthquakes, known as the New Madrid earthquakes, reshaped parts of Tennessee. Forests and riverbanks toppled, and the land sank in some places to create Reelfoot Lake, a unique, shallow lake filled with cypress trees.
   

4. Tennessee is tied for the state with the most borders.

   Tennessee shares its border with eight other states: Missouri, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi and Alabama. The only other state that matches that number is Missouri, which borders Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska.
   

Learn Even More about Tennessee!

Tennessee is full of surprises … and the best way to learn about them is to experience the state for yourself! Can't take a road trip right now? We've got you covered! The Hello, Tennessee! state unit from our Hit the Road Geography curriculum features humorous journal entries written by a traveling cat, hands-on activities, creative writing prompts, and more—and it’s the next best thing to visiting the Volunteer State in person. Discover how we can make US geography a subject your child will love!