Tennessee’s State Moto: The Volunteer State

 by Karolina Heslin—2021 Intern 

If you're from Tennessee then you're probably familiar with the phrase “The Volunteer State.”  We’ve gained a reputation, but why? Where does the name come from and why has it stuck even after all these years?  

Tennessee is named after the Cherokee village Tanasi. Tanasi is a historic over-hill settlement site in present-day Monroe County, Tennessee, in the southeastern portion of Tennessee. The village became the namesake for our state. It was abandoned by the Cherokee in the 19th century or a rising town whose chief was more powerful. Tanasi served as the de facto capital of the Overhill Cherokee from as early as 1721 until 1730 when the capital shifted to Great Tellico.

West Tennessee by Ciara Potter 2020 intern

After settlers had come through the Cumberland Gap and made their home here—they really began to set up new lives in their new land. The war of 1812 was a conflict fought between the United States and Great Britain over British violations of U.S. maritime rights. It ended with the exchange of ratifications of the Treaty of Ghent. Governor Blount called for volunteers. The excessive amount of volunteers that had fought alongside General Andrew Jackson has earned us the nickname the Volunteer State, but also it honors the soldiers who fought in the Battle of New Orleans on January 8th, 1815.

The War of 1812 thrust Tennessee into the national spotlight by showcasing its “military and political prowess.” There are active military installations and bases in Tennessee. NSA Mid-South, located in Millington, Tennessee, just north of Memphis, serves as the Navy's Human Resources Center of Excellence. Headquartered onboard NSA Mid-South are Navy Personnel Command, Navy Recruiting Command, the Navy Manpower Analysis Center, as well as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Finance Center. Many people in Millington and the surrounding areas were or still are military.