June 1 – Statehood Anniversaries for Kentucky and Tennessee

nPostednon June 1, 2016

Kentuckynused to be a part of Virginia; it was Kentucky County, Virginia. Innthe 1780s and early 1790s, the residents petitioned to separate fromnVirginia and become their own state.

nFinally, on this date in 1792,nthat’s exactly what happened.

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nKentuckynis the 15^th state.

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Partsnof Tennessee were once in the state of North Carolina, but they brokenoff and formed the State of Franklin. However, the residents’nattempts to join the U.S. as the State of Franklin were turned down,nand the various break-away counties ended up rejoining NorthnCarolina. However, North Carolina pretty much said, “We don’t wantnyou anymore!” because it ceded the area to the U.S. government. Itnwas then set up as the Southwest Territory. On this date in 1796,nTennessee became the 16^th state of the United States.

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nHerenis some of what makes these two states special:

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nKentuckynis called the bluegrass state,nbecause it has so many pastures covered with bluegrass.

nIt’snalso known for horse racing and bluegrass music.

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nItnhas the world’s longest cave system, Mammoth Cave National Park.

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nItnis known for Kentucky FriednChicken!

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Itnhas more miles of navigable water than any other state, other thannAlaska. “Navigable” means that the water is deep, wide, and slownenough for a vessel (a ship or boat) to pass. Some rivers have rockynsections that are too shallow, too fast, too bumpy for even kayaks tonsafely pass, and most vessels cannot safely traverse most waterfalls.

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nItnfeatures the only place in the Western Hemisphere where a moon-ow cannbe regularly seen: Cumberland Falls.

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nItnfeatures a natural sandstone arch that looks a lot like a human-builtnbridge.

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nTennesseenis partially covered by thenAppalachian Mountains and features portions of the Appalachian Trailnand the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

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Itnis also known for “American music,” with Nashville andnMemphis…Opryland and Dollywood…the Country Music Hall of Fame andnMuseum, the Memphis Rock N’ Soul Museum, and the Rockabilly Hall ofnFame…Ryman Auditorium (formerly Grand Ole Opry House) and ElvisnPresley’s Graceland. Country music is huge in Nashville, and Memphisnis considered to be the birthplace or at least early shaper of blues,nrock and roll, and rockabilly. n

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nItnfeatures the largest underground lake in the U.S. n

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nItnis the birthplace of Moon Pies and cotton candy machines.

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nTennesseenties with Missouri in sharing its border with the most other states.nThey each touch eight other states. Can you name all eight thatnborder Tennessee?

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