Beautiful cities, scenic surroundings, friendly people and a statewide devotion to music of all kinds, there’s plenty to appreciate living in Tennessee. As the third most affordable state to live in, the majority of Tennessee’s population lives in urban areas, although farms and small towns are still quite prevalent.
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During the civil war, Tennessee was one of the premier battlegrounds. Splashed across the face of history, in black powder and blood are the names Shiloh, Stones River, Chiamauga and Chattanooga. However, when the war was over, Tennessee was the first state to re-enter the Union.
Prior to the turn of the 20th century, Tennessee endured a series of plagues and epidemics that was devastating. In 1878 Memphis was struck by a Yellow Fever outbreak that took thousands of lives. The health of the city’s populace was in such dire straits that the city charter was revoked for thirteen years, until 1891.
A new century brought growth and prosperity. The biggest step was the creation of the Tennessee Valley Authority which oversaw the development of a huge system of dams to create hydroelectric power for itself and several surrounding states. The cheap electricity lured businesses and the formation of lakes brought in numerous tourists.
Farming has been and continues to be the number one economic factor, with tobacco being the number one crop. Cotton, soybeans, hay and corn are also farmed heavily with the Memphis Cotton Exchange handling about one third of the nation’s cotton crop.
The 1940s brought a growth in industry, shifting the focus from farming. Soon industry became the largest employer with apparel, fabricated products and transportation equipment leading the way. A national research center has been developed in the corridor between the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Tennessee for work in the electronics and space age technologies fields.
The statewide sales tax is 6 percent, with local options for cities and counties to levy an additional increment of no more than three percent. Occupancy taxes are generally 3 to 5 percent.
A favorite recreation destination is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park drawing campers and tourists alike. Because of the efforts of the TVA, their man-made lakes offer boating, fishing, swimming and rafting. The typically warm climate doesn’t preclude winter sports as Gatlinburg is a popular destination for cross country skiing.
