Tennessee Town Names

[Creekcat]

In 1779 Col. Evan Shelby led a group of militia down the Tennessee River. It's purpose was to destroy several Indian towns and the supplies that the British had given them. They were successful. The return trip they travelled overland. They came to a creek, and they decided to sell the captured supplies here. Sale Creek gets it's name from this event.

[dotchianni]

We lived in Ten Mile, TN. I thought for awhile that it was named that because it was 10 miles from Athens, Sweetwater, Kingston, Decatur... basically, drawa 10 mile ring around it and you'll fond all the surrounding towns. But then I learned that at it's widest point Meigs County is Ten Miles across and that is where Ten Mile is. Not sure which one is how it got it's name, but I am guessing #2.

[mrs1885]

Yes, it does exist.

Courtesty of Wikipedia:

Big Bone Cave is a cave located in Van Buren County, Tennessee that is notable both for its history and current recreational use. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a 334-acre (1.4 km²) State Natural Area[1] in the State Park system. It is named for the discovery of the bones of a giant ground sloth in 1811. The cave was operated as a saltpeter mine, notably during the War of 1812 and the American Civil War. A variety of natural remains and human artifacts has been well preserved in the dry atmosphere of the cave.

The cave is the 7th longest mapped cave in Tennessee.

Big Bone Cave is notable for the 1811 discovery of the fossil skeleton of a giant ground sloth (Megalonyx jeffersonii), from which its name is derived. The skeleton is now in the collection of the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. Later notable discoveries, in 1971, include the fossil bones of a large, Pleistocene jaguar (Panthera onca augusta).

Big Bone Cave was mined extensively by Native Americans from about 3,000 years ago to 1,500 years ago. These people were mining medicinal salts and gypsum. The exact use of the gypsum is unknown, but it may have served some religious purpose. Other caves in the region were also mined for salts and gypsum, including Mammoth Cave, Kentucky.

Due to the extremely dry nature of much of Big Bone Cave, some remarkable artifacts have been found inside the cave. These are items that would have rapidly deteriorated in surface sites. Especially numerous were cane torches, which have yielded Carbon-14 dates of from 1,050 B.C. to A.D. 355. Other artifacts found in the cave include woven moccasins, gourd fragments, and a woven fiber bag. Desiccated human feces are also numerous in the cave. These were originally located by the Clayton County Cavers Grotto on December 13, 1981. This discovery led to a full-scale archaeological study conducted between August 1984 and August 1985. Archaeological studies continue in the cave to the present.[2]

Big Bone Cave was operated as a saltpeter mine (the principal ingredient of gunpowder) from 1810 to 1815, and again during the American Civil War from about 1861 through 1863. Big Bone Cave was possibly the largest ever saltpeter mining operation in the United States. Mining ceased when Tennessee was occupied by Federal troops.

Again, due to the extremely dry nature of most of this cave, these saltpeter mining artifacts remain in a remarkable state of preservation. The area known as the "Skyway", which is located in the Bone Cave Branch, has dozens of large, square-shaped leaching vats, located beneath an aerial walkway, known as the "Skyway". Also in this section are wooden water pipes and a few wooden ladders. The wood is basically as sound as when it was placed in the cave, probably during the Civil War. The area known as the "Musterground" has five (5) large, square-shaped vats that are also in a well-preserved state. It is assumed that these date from the Civil War. However, there are dozens of smaller, V-shaped vats that are in a deteriorated state. It is assumed that these are older and date from the War of 1812. The cave had another entrance at the far end of the Musterground that was known as the Arch Cave Entrance. There is good reason to believe that this entrance may have collapsed during the New Madrid Earthquakes that occurred between December 16, 1811 and February 7, 1812.

Big Bone Cave was purchased by the State of Tennessee in 1974 and is now a State Natural Area in the State Park system.

The current map of Big Bone Cave shows 9.627 miles (15.494 kilometers) of surveyed passage. The original copyright of the map was 1972 and revised edition copyright 1979 by Ronald L. Zawialak and John L. Smyre. Cartography by Ronald L. Zawislak. This makes Big Bone Cave the 7th longest mapped cave in Tennessee, the 60th longest mapped cave in the United States and the 230th longest mapped cave in the world. It is securely gated and entrance is by permission only.

The National Speleological Society, the largest group of cave scientists and cave explorers in the United States, published the book "Big Bone Cave" in May, 2006. This 226 page long book by Larry E. Matthews chronicles the complete history of Big Bone Cave from prehistoric times through the present and includes 104 illustrations, mostly photographs. It can be ordered from the National Speleological Society at The National Speleological Society or from Amazon.com.

[dixiemom_004]

Originally Posted by KC38506

Calfkiller isn't actually a town, just a river, but the name came as it implies. A load of cattle overturned in the river and died.

Cookeville is named for Richard Fielding Cooke, hence the silent "e" in the name. Cooke was a early town father.

Red Boiling Springs used to be reknowned for its healthful mineral springs, so that's how it got it's name. Evian (or is it Perrier?) bottles water there now.

...actually...in response to the subject of the calfkiller river valley along the cumberland plateau in putnam/white counties. Yes there is the river and also a small community there and has been since early 1800's and before that a remaining small band of cherokee indians whose chief was named calfkiller. The original settlers of the valley and the indians lived together peacefully, and that is the true origin of the name. There were a couple of different schools and several churches. Many of the families in Monterey & Sparta originated from the early pioneers in the valley. Some also are descended from the cherokee in calfkiller who married into the white settlements- my husband is one of them- his great-grandmother was half cherokee and his great-great grandmother was full cherokee. Yes, I also,have heard the drowning cow story & it could very well be true- @ one time or another some cattle have drowned in that river...i'm sure, considering there are reports of entire families, soldiers, etc. drowning in the calfkiller river back then...Still today it gets swift & dangerous when the water is up. But, thats not where the name is from- its the name of the cherokee chief that resided there with his tribe when the settlers came into the area. For anyone interested in visiting or researching it..is a very beautiful river valley steeped in wonderful history from the time of the cherokee-early settlers with many original farmhouses/barns still standing. On through to the civil war era with skirmishes, divided families w loyality to opposite sides, where the enigmatic capt champ ferguson hid out in the coves and caves of calfkiller with his guerrilla fighters and is now buried there after being hanged at the end of the war. The valley has many other connections with other civil war characters such a tinker dave beaty, the site of lots of lost indian relics/arrowheads, civil war artifacts, spelunking in several area caves, mined for salt peter during the war and filled with lots of rich folklore. During prohibition many moonshine stills were operated back in the hidden coves and blufflines of calfkiller by hard-working hill folks trying to feed their families. Still today the valley makes for, a beautiful scenic drive, a great hike, abounds with wildlife and native flora. It is is trully one of my favorite places to go. I love that era and after escaping the highway and getting back to some of the old farms and hidden coves up in the hills your imagination wanders, and its easy lose yourself snapping pictures and feel transported back to a simpler time.

[JoAnn5]

Thanks, dixiemom, for that most interesting information on the origin of Calfkiller! I love such rich history!

[Ooltewhere]

About the town of Ooltewah - just outside of Chattanooga. It IS an Indian word. It's Cherokee for "owl's nest". My pet peeve is that almost everyone mispronounces it - even Ooltewah residents. Think "Cooltewah" and leave off the 'C'.

[pfifltriggi]

So you're saying that the L is not silent? I always hear it as "OOH ti wah", with an underaspirated t beginning the second syllable (almost a d rather than a t, but not quite.) But then, I live in Chattanooga.

Speaking of odd pronunciations, what about Fairyland (the community up on top of Lookout Mountain)? Woe to anyone who calls it "Fairy Land" - it's "FAIRlund."

[jkmewright]

Ok I did a quick poll on Ooltewah LOL We have 7 without the L and 4 with. Southerners are notoriously lazy with our speech doncha know? EX: Sequatchie turns into Squaw (as in Indian Squaw) Chi - Squawchi lol You want to? into y'ont to? So the poll isn't that suprising.

Of the 4 who actually used the L, one has a hearing impairment so he speaks phonetically and two were raised in the area. The other one must be a transplant.

[RyannTN]

Originally Posted by Ooltewhere

About the town of Ooltewah - just outside of Chattanooga. It IS an Indian word. It's Cherokee for "owl's nest". My pet peeve is that almost everyone mispronounces it - even Ooltewah residents. Think "Cooltewah" and leave off the 'C'.

You're right about it being mispronounced...everyone here (including me) says its kinda like ooh-da-wah...oops