View source for Tennessee Valley

{{Short description|Drainage basin of the Tennessee River}}
{{For|the region in Alabama|North Alabama}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}} {{Use American English|date=February 2024}}
[[File:Tennessee watershed.png|thumb|Map of the Tennessee Watershed]]

The '''Tennessee Valley''' is the [[drainage basin]] of the [[Tennessee River]] and is largely within the [[U.S. state]] of [[Tennessee]]. It stretches from southwest [[Kentucky]] to north [[Alabama]] and from northeast [[Mississippi]] to the mountains of [[Virginia]] and [[North Carolina]]. The border of the valley is known as the [[Tennessee Valley Divide]]. The Tennessee Valley contributes greatly to the formation of Tennessee's three legally recognized sectors (the [[Grand Divisions]]).

==Geography==
[[Image:Tennessee-valley-mt-roosevelt1.jpg|right|thumb|The Upper Tennessee Valley, looking east from the edge of the Cumberland Plateau near [[Rockwood, Tennessee]]]]

The Tennessee Valley begins in the upper head water portions of the [[Holston River]], the [[Watauga River]], and the [[Doe River]] in  [[Tri-Cities, Tennessee|Northeast Tennessee]] and [[Southwest Virginia]], as well as east of [[Asheville, North Carolina]], with the headwaters of the [[French Broad River|French Broad]] and [[Pigeon River (Tennessee - North Carolina)|Pigeon]] rivers, all of which join at the confluence of the French Broad and the Holston to form the Tennessee River in Knoxville.  From there, the river travels southwest, absorbing additional tributaries of the [[Little River (Tennessee)|Little River]], the [[Little Tennessee River|Little Tennessee]], and the [[Clinch River|Clinch]], and further down, the [[Hiwassee River|Hiwassee]] and the [[Ocoee River|Ocoee]] (both of which have sources in [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]), before reaching [[Chattanooga, Tennessee|Chattanooga]].

The river then enters the [[Tennessee River Gorge]] as it winds its way through the [[Cumberland Plateau]], reaching the lower portion of the [[Sequatchie Valley]]. After traversing [[North Alabama]], the river veers northwestward. From the beginning of the Tennessee Valley to this point is roughly {{convert|150|mi|km}}; as it runs through [[East Tennessee]] the Valley is bound on the east by the [[Appalachian Mountains]] (including the [[Great Smoky Mountains]]) and on the northwest by the [[Cumberland Plateau]] and [[Cumberland Mountains]].

After forming the boundary between Alabama and [[Mississippi]] for a stretch of {{convert|10|mi}}, the river reenters Tennessee, where it creates the dividing line between [[Middle Tennessee]] and [[West Tennessee]].  It empties into the [[Ohio River]] in western [[Kentucky]], where it divides the region known as the [[Jackson Purchase]] from the rest of Kentucky.

Geologically, the eastern portion of the Tennessee Valley consists of many small valleys and ridges within a great valley. The larger region is termed the [[Ridge-and-valley Appalachians|Ridge and Valley Province]] and the great valley is termed the [[Great Appalachian Valley]].

==Important cities==

*[[Chattanooga, Tennessee]], about {{convert|120|mi|km}} from both Huntsville and Knoxville, in opposite directions, is nicknamed "The Scenic City" for its beautiful views of the Tennessee Valley from atop the many mountaintops that surround the city. Chattanooga and its suburbs form the second most populous metropolitan area in the valley. The [[Third Battle of Chattanooga|Battle of Chattanooga]] was fought on nearby [[Lookout Mountain]]. Chattanooga is also well known for the ''[[Chattanooga Choo-Choo]]'', its transformation from a declining early industrial city to a thriving modern city, the famous ''[[Delta Queen]]'', and the first publicly available one [[gigabit per second]] Internet access from a municipally-owned utility company, i.e. the [[EPB|Electric Power Board]] (EPB), in the United States. Chattanooga is the 3rd largest city in the Tennessee Valley, with just over 180,000 people, and its [[Chattanooga metropolitan area|Metropolitan Area]] Is home to about 560,000 people.
*[[Decatur, Alabama]], known as "The River City", dominated the economic landscape of north Alabama until the late 1950s, when the [[space race]] catapulted its neighbor Huntsville into that position. For most of the 20th century up to that point, Decatur held the top position in terms of economic impact and population. Its mixture of river transport and rail access has made it a busy hub of business, commerce, and manufacturing (chemicals and textiles especially) flowing down the river on the barges and boats of numerous companies and docking at the [[Port of Decatur]]. Decatur also claims the nickname "The Heart of the Valley" because of its location near the exact center of the length of the Tennessee River.  Also because most north–south shipping traffic is funneled through the town utilizing three river crossings that are main routes for rail and road traffic between [[Birmingham, Alabama|Birmingham]] and [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]].  The city is also an important river port that uses intermodal facilities to switch shipping methods between trains, trucks, and barges. It is the 10th largest city in Alabama home to 58,000 people, slightly less than nearby Madison City. Its metro area is home to 160,000 and combines with Huntsville to form the [[Huntsville-Decatur, AL Combined Statistical Area|Huntsville-Decatur CSA]].
*[[Elizabethton, Tennessee]],  is a small city formerly known by the moniker "The City of Power" prior to the post [[World War II]] era of [[nuclear power]] production. It is located at the confluence of the [[Doe River]] and [[Watauga River]] downstream from the Watauga Reservoir and the Wilbur Reservoir. Both are maintained by the [[Tennessee Valley Authority]] (TVA). It is home to about 15,000 people and is located near Knoxville 
*[[Florence, Alabama]], considered part of the ''Shoals'' with Muscle Shoals, [[Sheffield, Alabama|Sheffield]], and [[Tuscumbia, Alabama|Tuscumbia]], is located immediately across the Tennessee River from Muscle Shoals. (The river divides [[Lauderdale County, Alabama|Lauderdale County]] from [[Colbert County, Alabama|Colbert County]]). Florence is the birthplace of [[W.C. Handy]] and is where the only [[Frank Lloyd Wright]] designed house in Alabama is located, the [[Rosenbaum House]]. Home to 40,000 people, it is the 11th [[List of municipalities in Alabama|largest city]] in Alabama. Its metro area is home to just over 150,000 people.
*[[Guntersville, Alabama]],  is a major city of northeast Alabama and has a major lake and river port, [[Lake Guntersville]] and the Port of Guntersville, respectively. The city is famous for being the place where [[Ricky Nelson]] played his last concert before dying in a plane crash on New Year's Eve 1986 (December 31, 1985). It is home to just under 9,000 people, however its [[sister city]] of [[Albertville, Alabama|Albertville]] to the south is home to 23,000 people.
*[[Huntsville, Alabama]], nicknamed "the Rocket City", has risen to be the center of north Alabama economic activity since the dawn of the [[space age]] in the 1950s. It is now the largest city in Alabama.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Huntsville Now Alabama's Largest City, Overtakes Birmingham|work=U.S. News & World Report|url=https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/alabama/articles/2021-08-13/huntsville-now-alabamas-largest-city-overtakes-birmingham}}</ref> Its aerospace and military technology centers of [[Redstone Arsenal]], [[Cummings Research Park]], and [[NASA]]'s [[Marshall Space Flight Center]] define the high-tech landscape for Alabama. Huntsville had in 2022 a population of over 220,000 people and is the largest city within the Tennessee Valley, and the 95th [[List of United States cities by population|most populous city]] nationally. Despite being the largest city proper, its [[Huntsville metropolitan area|Metropolitan Area]] is the 3rd largest in The Tennessee Valley by population with 510,000 people. Huntsville was also ranked as the best major city to live in the entire country in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Snodgrass |first=Tanza Loudenback, Mark Abadi, Erin McDowell, Sarah Jackson, Jordan Hart, Erin |title=The 50 best places to live in America based on cost of living, quality of life, and more |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/us-news-best-places-to-live-in-america-2016-3 |access-date=2023-10-28 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}</ref>
*[[Knoxville, Tennessee]], the most populous metropolitan area in the valley, and the 2nd largest city proper after Huntsville. It is located where the Tennessee River begins at the confluence of the [[Holston River|Holston]] and the [[French Broad River|French Broad]] Rivers. Knoxville along with nearby [[Oak Ridge, Tennessee|Oak Ridge]] and [[Maryville, Tennessee|Maryville]]-[[Alcoa, Tennessee|Alcoa]], form a major research and manufacturing corridor anchored by the [[University of Tennessee]], the [[Oak Ridge National Laboratory]], and the [[Tennessee Valley Authority]] headquarters (since 1980). It is home to 190,000 people and has a [[Knoxville metropolitan area|Metropolitan Area]]  of 900,000 people.
*[[Madison, Alabama]], The largest suburb of nearby Huntsville, and one of the best suburbs to live in both Alabama, and the country. Madison has many [[Fortune 500]] companies that have operations in the city, including [[Intergraph]] (now [[Hexagon AB]]) that was headquartered here and was on the Fortune 500 for much of the early 2000s. Madison is the 9th [[List of municipalities in Alabama|largest city]] in Alabama and is also one of the fastest growing cities in the state, with a population of just under 60,000 in 2022<ref>{{Cite web |title=US census places with 50,000 or more people |url=https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/tables/2020-2022/cities/totals/SUB-IP-EST2022-ANNRNK.xlsx |website=U.S. Census Bureau}}</ref> [[Madison City Schools]], the school board that provides education for Madison and the nearby city of [[Triana, Alabama|Triana]] is the best school board in Alabama and its two high schools, [[James Clemens High School|James Clemens]], and [[Bob Jones High School|Bob jones]] ranked 6th and 8th in the state respectively.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2024 Best Public High Schools in Alabama |url=https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-public-high-schools/s/alabama/ |access-date=2023-10-28 |website=Niche |language=en}}</ref>
*[[Muscle Shoals, Alabama]], considered part of the ''Shoals'' along with Florence, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia, is a major city of northwest Alabama, along [[U.S. Route 72]] and Alabama 157. The city is located immediately across the Tennessee River from Florence. (The river divides Colbert County from Lauderdale County.) Muscle Shoals is famous for its 1960s ''Muscle Shoals Sound'', produced at such studios as [[FAME Studios]] and [[Muscle Shoals Sound Studio]], where many famous musicians and bands, such as [[Aretha Franklin]], [[Bob Dylan]], and [[The Rolling Stones]], also have recorded and produced numerous songs. Tuscumbia is the birthplace of Helen Keller. The original Congressional Act creating the government-owned Tennessee Valley Authority, May, 1933, designated the government reservation at Wilson Dam as the location for the headquarters of the TVA. In 1980, a court order reassigned the headquarters to Knoxville. The second largest city in the [[Florence–Muscle Shoals metropolitan area|Shoals Metropolitan Area]] after Florence. It is home to 17,000 people.
*[[Scottsboro, Alabama]], located about halfway between Huntsville and Chattanooga, about {{convert|63|mi|km}} from Chattanooga and {{convert|40|mi|km}} east of Huntsville, It is located on Highway 72. nicknamed "the Friendly City", It was founded in the mid-1850s and is most famous for the [[Scottsboro Boys]] and the [[Unclaimed Baggage Center]], as well as "First Monday," an open-air marketplace held in and around downtown on Mondays following the first weekend of the month. It is the county seat of [[Jackson County, Alabama]]. Scottsboro is home to just under 16,000 people.

==Transportation==

===Interstates===
*{{jct|country=USA|I|24}} connects [[Paducah, Kentucky]], at the mouth of the Tennessee River, with Chattanooga via [[Clarksville, Tennessee|Clarksville]] and [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]]. Much of this road's route in Kentucky and Tennessee actually lies outside the Tennessee Valley.
*{{jct|country=USA|I|26}} is an east–west main route of the Interstate Highway System in the [[Tri-Cities, Tennessee|Northeast Tennessee]]. It runs from the junction of [[U.S. Route 11W in Tennessee|U.S. Route&nbsp;11W]] and [[U.S. Route 23 in Tennessee|U.S. Route&nbsp;23]] in [[Kingsport, Tennessee]], generally south and southeast to [[U.S. Route 17 in South Carolina|U.S. Route&nbsp;17]] in [[Charleston, South Carolina]].
*{{jct|country=USA|I|40}} runs west–east across the Tennessee portion of the Tennessee Valley, connecting Nashville with Knoxville and [[Asheville, North Carolina]].
*{{jct|country=USA|I|59}} runs along the border of the Tennessee Valley, connecting Chattanooga with [[New Orleans, Louisiana]].
*{{jct|country=USA|I|65}} is the main north–south road in the central part of the valley, connecting Birmingham, Huntsville, Decatur, and Nashville.
*{{jct|state=AL|I|565|AL|20|US-Alt|72}} is the main corridor of the [[Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area]] that links the [[Huntsville, Alabama|Huntsville Metropolitan Area]] and the [[Decatur, Alabama Metropolitan Area|Decatur Metropolitan Area]], along with all of the scientific research and space exploration institutions in [[North Alabama]]. The road also provides a vital link to I-65 for both urban and suburban areas. 
*{{jct|country=USA|I|75}} runs down the middle of the valley of East Tennessee. It connects Chattanooga and Knoxville with [[Atlanta, Georgia]] and [[Cincinnati, Ohio]].
*{{jct|country=USA|I|81}} is a north–south highway that connects areas east of Knoxville to the Tri-State area of Tennessee and [[Virginia]].

===Airports===
*[[Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport]], Chattanooga
*[[Huntsville International Airport]], Huntsville
*[[McGhee Tyson Airport]], [[Alcoa, Tennessee]] (serves the [[Knoxville]] metropolitan area)
*[[Northwest Alabama Regional Airport]], Muscle Shoals
*[[Pryor Field Regional Airport]], Decatur
*[[Tri-Cities Regional Airport]], [[Blountville, Tennessee]] (serves the [[Tri-Cities, Tennessee|Tri-Cities]] area and [[Southwest Virginia]])
*[[Guntersville Municipal Airport]] (also known as Joe Starnes Field) in [[Guntersville, Alabama]]

===River Ports===
* Chattanooga
* Decatur 
* Florence
* Guntersville 
* Knoxville
* Muscle Shoals
* Paducah

==See also==
*[[Tennessee Valley Authority]]
* Finger, J. R. (2001) ''[[Tennessee Frontiers: Three Regions in Transition]]''. Indiana University Press.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Alabama}}
{{Georgia (U.S. state)}}
{{Kentucky}}
{{Mississippi}}
{{North Carolina}}
{{Tennessee}}
{{Virginia}}
{{Authority control}}

{{Coord missing|Tennessee}}

[[Category:Tennessee River]]
[[Category:Valleys of Tennessee]]
[[Category:Valleys of Alabama]]
[[Category:Valleys of Kentucky]]
[[Category:Valleys of Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:Valleys of Mississippi]]
[[Category:Valleys of Virginia]]
[[Category:Landforms of North Carolina]]