Almanac

Dig This

No bones about it – the Gray Fossil Site in East Tennessee is home to fossils that date back as far as 7 million years.

In 2000, road crews with the Tennessee Department of Transportation uncovered a fossil-rich plot of land near Daniel Boone High School in Gray, Tenn. Now, a $10 million visitors center has been constructed nearby on the campus of East Tennessee State University, for tourists interested in learning more about the fossils at the ETSU Museum of Natural History and Gray Fossil Site.

Archeologists have already unearthed remains of red pandas, ground sloths and rhinoceroses, and the site is being heralded as having some of the world’s richest tapir deposits.

Reds, Yellows and Oranges

The first week of October means more than just falling temperatures. That is usually the kick-off of the fall foliage season in Tennessee. The season often runs through the first week in November.

The colors in East Tennessee peak before other parts of the state due to the higher elevation. In Middle Tennessee, leaves generally begin to change color during the second week of October, while foliage changes in West Tennessee tend to occur a week later.

Foliage tours have become so popular that the state even has a Tennessee Fall Color Hotline (800-647-4200) that provides up-to-date information on peak times and locations.

Standing Ovation

Take note: Tennessee is known worldwide for its musical heritage.

Bluegrass music has its roots in the East Tennessee hills, while Nashville is home to the renowned gospel music of the Fisk Jubilee Singers and country music’s Grand Ole Opry. Meanwhile, Memphis is known for birthing the blues, as well as being a key breeding ground for rock ‘n’ roll and soul music.

By the way, 2007 marks a couple of important musical celebrations in Tennessee. The Stax Museum of American Soul in Memphis turns 50, and so does the historic Studio B in Nashville where Elvis Presley recorded 200 of his songs.

All the State’s a Stage

It’s all a big act in Tennessee.

The state is graced with a diverse number of performing arts venues that stretch from Bristol to Memphis. Jonesborough offers the International Storytelling Center, Nashville is home to the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, and Memphis is center stage for the long-standing Orpheum Theatre.

Pigeon Forge has the Miracle Theater, Knoxville is home to the Historic Tennessee Theatre, and the Palace Theatre in Crossville is the oldest silent movie theater still standing in the state.

The 1860s in 2008

From Shiloh to Chickamauga, Civil War history buffs, tourists and curiosity seekers can explore historic battlefields, monuments and museums.

Tennessee ranks No. 1 in the total number of soldiers who fought in the Civil War, and more battles were fought in Tennessee than any other state except Virginia. Key sites include the Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park, Fort Negley in Nashville, Shiloh National Military Park, and The Carter House and Carnton Plantation in Franklin.

A Cultural Legacy

From the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis to Knoxville’s Beck Cultural Exchange Center, Tennessee offers a wide range of opportunities to celebrate African American history.

Each year, thousands of people visit important sites such as the Chattanooga African American Museum/Bessie Smith Hall, the Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum in Memphis, and the childhood home of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Alex Haley in Henning.

Worth the Drive

There was a time when hamburgers were 25 cents, hot dogs were 15 cents and movie tickets cost just 50 cents.

Drive-in theaters became an American phenomenon in the 1940s and 1950s, but eventually this entertainment avenue began to fade. Fortunately, there are still 17 drive-ins operating in Tennessee.

Two are in Memphis while others are in Athens, Bristol, Centerville, Dickson, Dunlap, Elizabethton, Estill Springs, Harriman, Lafayette, Lewisburg, Maryville, Sparta, Watertown, Waverly and Woodbury. Many of the drive-ins are open from March to October.

Tennessee: A Great Place to Settle Down

Move over, Florida. Tennessee is a great place to retire.

The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development began a program in 2006 called “Retire Tennessee,” promoting the Volunteer State as an ideal place for retirees to call home. The ECD chose nine Tennessee communities to participate in the pilot promotional program: Cumberland, Greene, Hamilton, Hardin, Henry, Lawrence, Marshall, Putnam and Sullivan counties.

One reason that Tennessee is attracting so many retirees is because it has four distinct seasons, with none of them being too extreme. There is also an abundance of lakes and parks, major medical centers and a number of active civic organizations.