Tennessee Town Names (Chattanooga, Cookeville, Athens: sale, schools, earthquakes)

[Makupfool]

I always got a kick while driving to Chattanooga from Nashville and saw a sign for Ooltewah, Tennessee.
I would imagine it's origin is indian/native american.

[Jmar686]

Pigeon Forge is named after the Passenger Pigeons (now Extinct) that used to be abundant in the area and a metal forgery on the Pigeon River.

[alloverthecity]

Leiper's Fork, TN--kinda near Franklin and Columbia, TN--always makes me think of someone "leaping" about the land maybe around some streams specifically a "fork in a stream or creek". Then there's Finger, TN--north of Pocahontas, TN--how'd Finger, TN get it's name?!? I'm sure many have heard of Bucksnort, TN--has it's own exit too, where, at least several years ago made the news in a big way for being the locale where the fugitives known as the "Alabama five" were caught behind the BP gas station right off of I-40 (or may have been the Alabama six, not sure which). Anyone ever noticed how many city or town names aren't in the county you might think? Shelbyville, TN is NOT in Shelby County. Fayetteville is in Lincoln County and NOT Fayette County. Johnson City is in Washington County and not in Johnson County. Rutherford, TN is NOT in Rutherford County. Dyer, TN is not actually in Dyer County in West TN. Decaturville is in Meigs County and NOT in Decatur County. Tiptonville, TN is in Lake County, NOT Tipton County. Madison, TN is NOT in Madison County. There are a bunch more, just don't feel like thinking of any more right now. At least Knoxville, TN is in Knox County!

[JEANNE61]

KNOW ITS NOT in tenn . . but i saw an interesting name on my way to and from adamsville tenn recently .. TWO EGG FLA . .. looked it up once we got home on the atlas and sure enough there it was . .
saw no 'town' , so to speak, whatsoever .. just a green sign post on the side of the road .. love t o know thE background of that name .. why not two eggS ?

[williboy]

Two Egg, FL
Hot Coffee, MS
We need some help with breakfast here.

[Capt. Dan]

Originally Posted by LauraC

How did the Tennessee town you live in or will live in get its name? Do you know?

Some are obvious like Oak Ridge and Alcoa but what about places like Johnson City? Who is Johnson? Soddy Daisy (very curious, can't even guess)? Which Mary is Maryville named for? Signal Mountain - who was signaling from it and when? Ditto - Lookout Mountain. Crossville - someone named Cross? Something religious? Something crossed in the town? White House - Some building looks like THE White House? All of the homes are painted white? Joe White had the biggest house and they didn't want to call the town Joesville? Paris - first settlers French? First person that lived there named Joe Paris? How does someplace in TN get the name Paris? Or Moscow or Athens? I'm thinking New Florida is coming soon. Banner Hill - What banner? Were the first settlers the Banner family?

I like this one - Gruetli-Laager (can't even guess). Red Boiling Springs - Scary name. What's red in the water there and why is it boiling? Three Way - only 3 streets in the town? There's a three way stop sign in the town? Some original settler guy was kinky? Beersheeba Springs - can't be about beer, right? Bell Buckle - you want to say Belt Buckle but that would be a strange town name, too. Crab Orchard - I'm ruling out the sea critters, crab apples maybe? Finger - love to hear the story of this town name likewise a Tennessee town called Guys (no women allowed there?). Parrotsville and Pigeon Forge - about the birds? Are there really parrots in Tennessee?

Tell us if you know. How did your Tennessee town or future Tennessee town get its name?

No self respecting Vol would EVER name a town New Florida!

[TnHilltopper]

This area's history and roots are tied mostly to the coal and logging industry so many of the names tend to reflect this. A little village near here named Twinton got its name from the "Twin-In" two shaft coal mine. While the names of Crawford, Davidson, and possibly Wilder were names of prominent people who settled the area, I suspect Wilder may also have gotten its name from its notoriously rowdy settlers. I have been told by the lady down at our historical society that Overton County was not always beer only and that at one time liquor flowed like the Obey in spring, however each Friday and Saturday night, the "Wilder" folks would head down the mountain into Livingston and shoot the place up. Subsequently, liquor was then banished to the realm of shiners, keeping towns folks safe and providing an additional means to make a living as well as saving time driving into town.


The county was named for Andrew Jackson's friend Judge John Overton, Judge of the State Supreme Court, and co-founder, with Andrew Jackson and James Winchester, of Memphis. In 1835 the county seat was moved from Monroe to Livingston. There was an election in 1835 to see if the people preferred Monroe or Livingston. Jesse Eldridge and ten others who favored Monroe, started out to vote but stopped overnight in the Oakley community. Eldridge, who personally favored Livingston, arose early in the morning and released the horses of the others who favored Monroe. He then rode to Monroe and voted.

Jesse Eldridge was later charged as a horse thief but our county seat remained in Livingston instead of Monroe.

For those folks visiting or living in the area who haven't had a chance to visit our tiny little historical society, please do it is worth the visit. Around these parts, history and genealogy are much akin to church and is the topic of many a discussion.

History of Livingston - Overton County, Tennessee Chamber of Commerce

[Capt. Dan]

In west Tennessee is a small town called Bolivar. It is named after the South American liberator. Why would a southern, Confederate town name itself after a Latin American?

[JMT]

Originally Posted by alloverthecity

Leiper's Fork, TN--kinda near Franklin and Columbia, TN--always makes me think of someone "leaping" about the land maybe around some streams specifically a "fork in a stream or creek". Then there's Finger, TN--north of Pocahontas, TN--how'd Finger, TN get it's name?!? I'm sure many have heard of Bucksnort, TN--has it's own exit too, where, at least several years ago made the news in a big way for being the locale where the fugitives known as the "Alabama five" were caught behind the BP gas station right off of I-40 (or may have been the Alabama six, not sure which). Anyone ever noticed how many city or town names aren't in the county you might think? Shelbyville, TN is NOT in Shelby County. Fayetteville is in Lincoln County and NOT Fayette County. Johnson City is in Washington County and not in Johnson County. Rutherford, TN is NOT in Rutherford County. Dyer, TN is not actually in Dyer County in West TN. Decaturville is in Meigs County and NOT in Decatur County. Tiptonville, TN is in Lake County, NOT Tipton County. Madison, TN is NOT in Madison County. There are a bunch more, just don't feel like thinking of any more right now. At least Knoxville, TN is in Knox County!

Very true! Here are some others that don't make much sense:

Franklin is not in Franklin County
McMinnville is not in McMinn County.
Jackson is not in Jackson County
Smithville is not in Smith County.
Hendersonville is not in Henderson County.
Lake City is not in Lake County.

Here are some that do work:

Dyersburg is in Dyer County.
Greeneville is in Greene County.
Dickson is in Dickson County.
Jefferson City is in Jefferson County.
Tipton is in Tipton County.
Waynesboro is in Wayne County.
Lawrenceburg is in Lawrence County.
Sevierville is in Sevier County.

[fragments38]

Bucksnort, TN is not the original Bucksnort, TN... and each Bucksnort seems to have a different legend.

Modern day Mimosa, TN, which is in South TN near Fayetteville, was originally named Bucksnort, TN. The name was changed to Mimosa in 1898. But this is location is nearly a hundred miles from modern day Bucksnort.

There's a bunch of information about it at this link... Bucksnort, Tennessee (original - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

I just think it's weird that the two towns have the same name, one of which is renamed, but each have a different legend of how they got the name "Bucksnort". Hm. And does anyone know if there is anything in the current Bucksnort other than a couple gas stations???


Another interesting town is Cornersville, TN, which is in southern central TN just off of I-65, near Lewisburg. Cornersville is essentially nestled in the corner of Marshall county. Go figure.