Day: May 19, 2025

– Clinton, TN, was named after Vice President George Clinton, so not Bill Clinton.

– The town was a key site during the 1956 Clinton 12 school desegregation crisis.

– Additionally, Norris Dam, nearby, was the first project completed by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).

– Oak Ridge, just west of Clinton, was a secret WWII atomic bomb development site.

– The Museum of Appalachia in Norris showcases rare Appalachian artifacts and history.

– Clinch River, running through Clinton, is one of the most ecologically diverse rivers in the U.S.

– East Tennessee was a pro-Union stronghold during the Civil War, unlike most of the South.

– Also, the region has over 10,000 documented caves, including the famous Tuckaleechee Caverns.

– The Trail of Tears passed through East Tennessee, forcing Cherokee removal in the 1830s.

– Similarly, Clinton’s Green McAdoo Cultural Center honors the bravery of the first Black students to integrate schools.

– The area is home to the oldest continually operating post office in Tennessee, in Norris.

– East Tennessee has more than 150 species of salamanders, therefore earning it the nickname “Salamander Capital of the World.”

– The Secret City (Oak Ridge) wasn’t marked on maps during WWII due to its classified work.

– Clinton’s annual Appalachian Festival celebrates regional music, crafts, and heritage.

– Earlier, the region was once part of the failed State of Franklin, an early attempt at independence.

– Norris Freeway (now I-75) was one of the first modern highways in Tennessee.

– The Clinch River Breeder Reactor near Clinton was an experimental nuclear project in the 1960s.

– East Tennessee has more than 30 species of rare, endangered mussels in its rivers.

– The area was a major moonshining hub during Prohibition, with many hidden stills.

– Clinton’s downtown still has original 19th-century buildings, some with Civil War bullet marks.

Finally, these facts highlight the rich, often overlooked history of Clinton and East Tennessee.