We love this great state, from one side to the other, whether we’re hiking the craggy slopes of Eastern Tennessee or wandering the expansive farmland to the west. Tennessee is a long and skinny state, running strong and narrow across the southern United States. As you can expect, with that wide of geographical region, there are a few differences from one side of the state to the other. Did we get them all right? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

  1. The landscape, for one.

Bill Showalter - Flickr You’ll find rolling farmland to the west, gorgeous mountains to the east.

  1. Plus those cities.

Sean Davis - Flickr To the east you’ll find the biggest city to be Knoxville, whereas western Tennessee boasts the much bigger metropolis of Memphis.

  1. The music scene tends to differ quite a bit.

Tim Smythe - Flickr Think bluegrass to the east, blues to the west.

  1. As do the music legends.

Counselman Connection - Flickr Dolly Parton belongs solidly in the Great Smoky Mountains, and Elvis will always be Memphis.

  1. Industry work is wildly obtuse as well.

Bill Showalter - Flickr You’ll find a medical and agricultural emphasis to the west, and the eastern side of the state subsists on more granola tourist opportunities, like hiking and running the ever fabulous Ober Gatlinburg.

  1. Would you rather small farm towns, or small mountain towns?

lucianvenutian - Flickr We’re sure you can guess which one’s which.

  1. Eastern Tennessee has mountain streams, whereas…

Brent Moore - Flickr …Western Tennessee boasts the great Mississippi.

  1. Unfortunately, crime is a little higher on one side than the other.

Bill Showalter - Flickr Mainly because Memphis is a sprawling, massive town with quite a few tourists and newbies filtering in and out. It’s not a reason to bash the city, though - we’ll love it either way.

  1. The dialect is different on both sides of the state.

Jeremy Sorrells - Flickr In Memphis, you’re bound to hear a more classic southern accent like that of neighboring Mississippi, but in the mountains the twang is reedy, solid pronunciation.

  1. But we all belong right here…

Bill Showalter - Flickr …in our great Tennessee. And for that, we will always be thankful.

Pretty true, wouldn’t you say? If you can’t choose a side, check out this gorgeous middle Tennessee town!

Bill Showalter - Flickr

You’ll find rolling farmland to the west, gorgeous mountains to the east.

Sean Davis - Flickr

To the east you’ll find the biggest city to be Knoxville, whereas western Tennessee boasts the much bigger metropolis of Memphis.

Tim Smythe - Flickr

Think bluegrass to the east, blues to the west.

Counselman Connection - Flickr

Dolly Parton belongs solidly in the Great Smoky Mountains, and Elvis will always be Memphis.

You’ll find a medical and agricultural emphasis to the west, and the eastern side of the state subsists on more granola tourist opportunities, like hiking and running the ever fabulous Ober Gatlinburg.

lucianvenutian - Flickr

We’re sure you can guess which one’s which.

Brent Moore - Flickr

…Western Tennessee boasts the great Mississippi.

Mainly because Memphis is a sprawling, massive town with quite a few tourists and newbies filtering in and out. It’s not a reason to bash the city, though - we’ll love it either way.

Jeremy Sorrells - Flickr

In Memphis, you’re bound to hear a more classic southern accent like that of neighboring Mississippi, but in the mountains the twang is reedy, solid pronunciation.

…in our great Tennessee. And for that, we will always be thankful.

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