CELEBRATING TENNESSEE

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We have to admit that we’re a bit partial to the state of Tennessee. Since the American Queen Steamboat Company is headquartered in Memphis, it’s not hard to see why. But more than just geographical convenience make us lovers of the Volunteer State. Unless you’ve visited Tennessee, you probably paint the entire state with the same brush but the truth is that there is as much, if not more, diversity in cultures and attractions in Tennessee as any other place in the United States. For one thing, Tennessee is bordered and influenced by a grand total of eight different states: Kentucky, Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, Arkansas and Missouri. To the east it is cradled by the Appalachian Mountains and to the west the mighty Mississippi River winds along its border. It’s no wonder that the state features prominently among our ports of call. In 2014, we will visit five different destinations in Tennessee: Memphis, Nashville, Chattanooga, Savannah, and Dover. And each has a rich history.

Memphis is a city whose very identity is tied to the river. Long before it became the home of Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll, it was the King of Cotton. The city was founded in 1818 and, in a nod to its expected importance on the Mississippi River, was named after the Nile River’s ancient capital of Egypt. With cotton plantations throughout the south, Memphis quickly became an important hub for cotton that was shipped north to the country’s heartland and south to New Orleans to be loaded on ocean-going ships for transport to the coast and for export.

Nashville, which is a new port of call for the American Queen Steamboat Company in 2014, is known as the “Music City” for good reason. Widely regarded as the home of country music, Nashville features the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Ryman Auditorium which was home to the Grand Ole Opry® for many decades until it moved into a dedicated facility east of downtown. In fact, central Nashville is the epicenter of the music scene with piano bars, jazz clubs and blues establishments. Most Americans are familiar with Nashville’s turn on the little screen thanks to television shows broadcast from the city. Who doesn’t remember Hee Haw and Pop! Goes the Country? Today, it is the birthplace of the appropriately-named The Nashville Network. Music Row near downtown Nashville is where today’s music scene is focused with everything ranging from record label offices, recording studios and radio stations to publishing houses, magazines and talent agencies.

The name Chattanooga is hard to trace, but all historians agree that it is derived from the Native American population in the area. The Muskogean word “cható” meant “rock” and the suffix “nunga” is generally regarded as meaning a home or dwelling place. Others are certain that the name came from a small Indian settlement at the base of Lookout Mountain which was called Chattanooga because it was alongside Chattanooga Creek. In Cherokee, the word itself means “to draw fish out of water,” which seemed like a logical name for a village that received its sustenance from a creek laden with fish. Still others claim the name comes from a word used by the Cherokees to describe the surrounding cliffs which were home to hawks and that the word Chattanooga really means “eagle’s nest.”

Savannah’s origins pale in comparison to the role it played during the Civil War. The town is perhaps best known as the headquarters for Union General Ulysses S. Grant prior to the Battle of Shiloh, a conflict which the North won but the cost of which was a tactical bloodbath. Over 13,000 Union soldiers died and more than the 10,000 Confederate warriors fell during the battle. What might have been a glorious victory for the Confederacy instead was a loss. The sheer number of dead on both sides made it clear to both Union and Confederate leaders this would be a long, savage war. Today, the sacrifices of the nearly 24,000 who died at the Battle of Shiloh are immortalized in the nearby Shiloh National Military Park.

Dover’s place in history is also tied to the Civil War. While Dover might seem like a laid-back town of just 1,500 residents, it is the site of one of the first significant Union victories of the War Between the States. Fort Donelson National Battlefield and Cemetery is a reminder of the sacrifices made by both Union and Confederate troops that cold winter day in February, 1862. Confederate General Simon Buckner was forced to defend Fort Donelson while the other generals gathered up their men and escaped to the safety of Nashville. Realizing that all hope was lost, Buckner sent a message to Grant asking for the terms of surrender. His inquiry was met with a terse reply by Grant. "No terms except an unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted." The victory propelled Grant to fame among the Union Army as he became a hero known as “Unconditional Surrender” Grant. Eventually, Grant’s victory at Fort Donelson, coupled with victories at several other battles and Robert E. Lee’s surrender to Grant at Appomattox, paved the way for Grant to ascend to the presidency of the reunited United States of America.

You can see why Tennessee isn’t just our home but also our pride and joy. It has culture, music, history but, most importantly of all, a friendly spirit and people with warm smiles eager to show you their cities and towns. We look forward to sharing with you our favorite locations from an insider’s perspective in 2014. We hope you can join us!