Tennessee Valley facts for kids
The Tennessee Valley is a large area of land where all the water flows into the Tennessee River. Most of this area is in the state of Tennessee. It stretches across several states, from southwest Kentucky to northern Alabama. It also reaches from northeast Mississippi to the mountains of Virginia and North Carolina. The edge of this valley is called the Tennessee Valley Divide. This valley helps shape the different regions of Tennessee.
Sometimes, "Tennessee Valley" is used to talk about North Alabama. This area is centered around the city of Huntsville.
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Geography of the Tennessee Valley
The Tennessee Valley starts in the high parts of rivers like the Holston River, Watauga River, and Doe River. These are in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. It also begins east of Asheville, North Carolina, with the French Broad and Pigeon rivers. All these rivers meet in Knoxville to form the Tennessee River.
From Knoxville, the river flows southwest. It picks up water from other rivers like the Little River, Little Tennessee, and Clinch. Further down, it meets the Hiwassee and Ocoee rivers. These rivers start in Georgia before joining the Tennessee River near Chattanooga.
The river then goes through the Tennessee River Gorge. It winds around the edge of the Cumberland Plateau and enters the Sequatchie Valley. After flowing through North Alabama, the river turns northwest. The Tennessee Valley is about 150 miles (240 km) long from its start to this point. In East Tennessee, mountains like the Appalachian Mountains and Great Smoky Mountains are to the east. The Cumberland Plateau and Cumberland Mountains are to the northwest.
The river forms the border between Alabama and Mississippi for about 10 miles (16 km). Then it goes back into Tennessee. Here, it divides Middle Tennessee from West Tennessee. Finally, it flows into the Ohio River in western Kentucky. This part of the river separates the Jackson Purchase region from the rest of Kentucky.
Geologically, the eastern part of the Tennessee Valley has many smaller valleys and ridges. This larger area is known as the Ridge and Valley Province. The main valley within it is called the Great Appalachian Valley.
Cool Cities in the Valley
- Chattanooga, Tennessee is about 120 miles (190 km) from both Huntsville and Knoxville. It's called "The Scenic City" because of its amazing views from the mountains around it. Chattanooga and its nearby towns form the second largest city area in the valley. A famous battle, the Battle of Chattanooga, happened on nearby Lookout Mountain. Chattanooga is also known for the Chattanooga Choo-Choo train song. It has changed from an old industrial city to a modern, thriving place. It was also one of the first cities in the U.S. to offer super-fast internet to homes.
- Decatur, Alabama is known as "The River City." It was once the main economic center of north Alabama. But in the 1950s, the Space Race made Huntsville grow faster. Decatur is a busy place for business and manufacturing. This is because it has both river transport and train access. Many goods like chemicals and textiles are shipped through its Port of Decatur. Decatur is also called "The Heart of the Valley." This is because it's near the middle of the Tennessee River. It's also a key crossing point for traffic between Birmingham and Nashville.
- Elizabethton, Tennessee is a smaller city. It was once known as "The City of Power." It is located where the Doe River and Watauga River meet. Two reservoirs, Watauga and Wilbur, are nearby. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) manages these.
- Florence, Alabama is part of a group of cities called the Shoals. These include Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia. Florence is right across the Tennessee River from Muscle Shoals. It is the birthplace of famous musician W.C. Handy. It also has the only house in Alabama designed by the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright, called the Rosenbaum House.
- Guntersville, Alabama is a main city in northeast Alabama. It has a big lake and river port, Lake Guntersville and the Port of Guntersville. The city is famous for being the last place where musician Ricky Nelson performed before he died in a plane crash.
- Huntsville, Alabama is nicknamed "the Rocket City." It has become the main economic center of north Alabama since the start of the Space Age in the 1950s. It is now the second largest city in Alabama. Its high-tech areas include Redstone Arsenal, Cummings Research Park, and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. These places make Huntsville a leader in aerospace and military technology.
- Knoxville, Tennessee has the largest population in the valley. This is where the Tennessee River officially begins. The Holston and French Broad Rivers meet here. Knoxville, along with nearby Oak Ridge and Maryville-Alcoa, is a major area for research and manufacturing. It is home to the University of Tennessee, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the main office of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
- Muscle Shoals, Alabama is another city in the Shoals area. It's a major city in northwest Alabama. It's famous for its "Muscle Shoals Sound" from the 1960s. Many famous musicians like Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, and The Rolling Stones recorded songs at studios like FAME Studios and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio. Tuscumbia, nearby, is the birthplace of Helen Keller.
- Scottsboro, Alabama is about 63 miles (101 km) from Chattanooga. It's called "the Friendly City." It's known for an important historical event and the Unclaimed Baggage Center. This center sells items from lost luggage. It also has "First Monday," an outdoor market held on the first Monday of each month.
Getting Around the Valley (Transportation)
The Tennessee Valley has many ways to travel, including major highways, airports, and river ports.
Major Highways (Interstates)
I-24 connects Paducah, Kentucky, where the Tennessee River meets the Ohio River, with Chattanooga. It passes near Clarksville and Nashville.
I-26 is a highway in Northeast Tennessee. It runs from Kingsport, Tennessee south to Charleston, South Carolina.
I-40 crosses the Tennessee part of the valley from west to east. It connects Nashville with Knoxville and Asheville, North Carolina.
I-59 runs along the edge of the Tennessee Valley. It connects Chattanooga with New Orleans, Louisiana.
I-65 is the main north-south highway in the central valley. It connects Birmingham, Huntsville, Decatur, and Nashville.
I-565 / SR 20 / US 72 Alt. is a key road for the Huntsville-Decatur area. It links Huntsville and Decatur, along with their science and space research centers. It also connects to I-65.
I-75 runs through the middle of the valley in East Tennessee. It connects Chattanooga and Knoxville with Atlanta, Georgia and Cincinnati, Ohio.
I-81 is a north-south highway. It connects areas east of Knoxville to the border region of Tennessee and Virginia.
Airports in the Valley
- Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport, Chattanooga
- Huntsville International Airport, Huntsville
- McGhee Tyson Airport, Alcoa, Tennessee (serves the Knoxville area)
- Northwest Alabama Regional Airport, Muscle Shoals
- Pryor Field Regional Airport, Decatur
- Tri-Cities Regional Airport, Blountville, Tennessee (serves the Tri-Cities area and Southwest Virginia)
River Ports (Waterways)
- Chattanooga
- Decatur
- Florence
- Guntersville
- Knoxville
- Muscle Shoals
- Paducah
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See also
In Spanish: Valle del río Tenesí para niños
