Until the creation of the Tennessee Valley Authority, the opening of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the building of the interstate highways, life had continued in the remote hills and valleys of eastern Tennessee in much the same way as it had ever since the arrival of the first pioneers. Now visitors flock here for its endless expanses of natural beauty; and as a result, especially in the fall, the Smokies can get clogged with traffic. Most communities are small, and either over-touristed or just bland. The two main cities, modern Knoxville and picturesque Chattanooga , have much in common, including healthy post-World War II industrial growth, thanks to cheap TVA power.

Eastern Tennessee

• Eastern Tennessee

Explore Eastern Tennessee

• Chattanooga
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park
• Knoxville
• Toward the Great Smoky Mountains

Tennessee cities


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