Tennessee Town Names (Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga: homes, living in, safe)

[hiknapster]

I found the answer, according to Wikipedia.

"Great Tellico was a Cherokee town at the site of present-day Tellico Plains, Tennessee, where the Tellico River emerges from the Appalachian Mountains. Great Tellico was one of the largest Cherokee towns in the region. Its name in Cherokee is more properly written Talikwa. It is sometimes spelled Telliquo, or, in Oklahama, Tahlequah. There were several Cherokee settlements named Tellico, the largest of which is distinguished from the others by calling it "Great". The meaning of the word "Talikwa" is lost."

[mbmouse]

Originally Posted by AppalachianAngler

Oddly enough, I think there is about 5 or 6 (maybe more) Midway's in Tennessee. I know of two off hand, the one in Greene County, and there is one right by Johnson City.

You are so right! I believe there are also 1 or 2 in middle TN and 1 or 2 in West TN. It was a pain getting mail sometimes! I learned to never trust getting all my bills in the mail and just had to know when everything was due and not count on getting a reminder from the mail man hahahahahha

[Elrod]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

I found the answer, according to Wikipedia.

"Great Tellico was a Cherokee town at the site of present-day Tellico Plains, Tennessee, where the Tellico River emerges from the Appalachian Mountains. Great Tellico was one of the largest Cherokee towns in the region. Its name in Cherokee is more properly written Talikwa. It is sometimes spelled Telliquo, or, in Oklahama, Tahlequah. There were several Cherokee settlements named Tellico, the largest of which is distinguished from the others by calling it "Great". The meaning of the word "Talikwa" is lost."

Interesting, so Tahlequah, (in Oklahoma) is actually the same name as Tellico. Somebody else said it means "plains," which means that "Tellico Plains" is actually "Plains Plains." Kind of like Shrimp Scampi...

Oh wait, Talikwa means "lost" not "plains." So Tellico Plains means "Lost Plains".

Somebody mentioned upthread that Johnson City was named after President Andrew Johsnon. That's not true. Johnson City was named after Henry Johnson, of the "Johnson's Depot" in the 1850s. Henry Johnson became mayor of the town in 1870. During the Civil War the town was renamed Haynesville after Confederate Senator Landon Carter Haynes. But the Unionists of the area struck back by renaming the town Johnson City again in the post-war era. By the way, Landon Carter was one of Colonial Virginia's largest slaveholders. Carter County is named for him.

[jkmewright]

Gruetli Laager was named after a famous Swiss meadow. Land was advertised in Switzerland for .50 an acre.

[Elrod]

I've always found this name funny for adolescent reasons. It's named after William Cocke, one of Tennessee's first two Senators. Cocke actually served as a legislator in Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Mississippi. He was actually the official delegate of the lost State of Franklin to the Articles of Confederation Congress; he could have served in five states if one hadn't "disappeared." Cocke and William Blount were the first two Senators for Tennessee after admission to the Union in 1796.

[rubytue]

Originally Posted by JMT

There's also a Midtown in Roane County, it's got its own exit on I-40, it's where the new Kroger and Lowe's are located. Is that what you're talking about?

And I love the name Wartburg!!

I also think it's funny that East Tennessee has both Tellico and Jellico.

DOH! You are right. It IS Midtown. *sigh* Maybe I should stay out of the TN threads - it has been awhile since I was there. But man I love it.

Side note - we just moved to MD. We are looking for houses now. Just this afternoon I was talking with my husband about the area. He said "Well, its much better than DC [where we moved from], but it ain't no Tennessee."

[Elrod]

Somebody else noticed that Tennessee has a Tellico and Jellico. According to a 1938 history of Jellico written by James Hayden Siler, there are three possible explanations for the name "Jellico." All of them are possible but not definite.

1) Jellico refers to the word "Angelica," a plant that grows in the Jellico Creek area. Early settlers made an "intoxicating drink" from Angelica.

2) Jellico is a corruption of the word "Tellico." A Vanderbilt geologist posited this thesis. This had more to do with the Tellico Land Grants than Tellico Plains.

3) There is a prominent English family name, Jellicoe, that may have given name to the town. Nobody knows of any Jellicoe family members in the area.

The first explanation seems most plausible.

[TNBound_FLGIRL]

After reading all this, I am curious... Anyone know about Paris or Big Sandy? Alot of Springs in Springville? Just trying to find out alittle more about my new area!

[firepower]

Cookeville was named for Richard Fielding Cooke,who fought in the war of 1812,and settled in the area in 1816. He brought forth a resoultion to form Putnam County,which was formed originally in 1842,then dissolved in 1845.He was then elected a Tennessee State Senator from 1851-1854.While in office he directed the formation of Putnam County again in 1854.
Putnam County was named after General Isreal Putnam,who was an American Revolutionary War hero.


firepower

[madly]

Originally Posted by rubytue

There is a Midway in Roane County too. About halfway between Kingston and Harriman. I don't think its a town (or even zipcode) so much as it is an area that locals refer to. But it has some great junk stores.

My favorite TN town names: Ootelwah and Wartburg. I assume the first is an American Indian name and the second, maybe from German immigrants?

Wartburg was named after the Wartburg Castle in Germany were Martin Luther posted his thesis.