About AQT
A patchwork of blue mountains and green hills, rolling farmland and meandering rivers, rocky ridges and fast-moving streams, East Tennessee extends from the deep mists of the Great Smoky Mountains to the blue ridges of the Cumberland Plateau, and is bisected by the ecologically diverse Clinch River, as well as the Holston, the French Broad and the Tennessee Rivers.
As you explore these rural byways of East Tennessee, you will travel through breathtaking scenery along roads where.
The Land
Along the way, you will stop at farms and century barns where rugged Tennessee pioneers helped forge a new nation out of a wild land.
The easternmost Unaka Mountains, the highest and most rugged area in the state, is part of the Appalachian chain. The Unakas include several ranges, including the Great Smoky Mountains, and cover about 2,600 square miles, with several peaks of 6,000 feet or more. Clingman’s Dome in the Great Smokies, at 6,643 feet, is the highest point in the state.
Due west of the Unakas is the Great Valley of East Tennessee. This region’s long, narrow ridges and broad valleys cover more than 9,000 square miles of Tennessee. Since the coming of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in 1933, the area has been dotted with artificial lakes and dams, which supply electric power and aid in flood control. Today those lakes are a vital part of Tennessee’s much admired quality of life, providing economic and recreational resources for everyone to enjoy.
What’s on the Trail
Past and present often travel side-by-side along the trail, with old homesteads, farms or stores kept in families for generations. Many of the quilt squares you will see on buildings are replicas of old family patterns.
The variety of stops along the Appalachian Quilt Trail showcases our rich history. Tennessee’s life earliest-known inhabitants of Tennessee were mound builders, still present when the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto became the first European in what is now Tennessee. At that time the Cherokee Indians inhabited East Tennessee; the Shawnee, Middle Tennessee, apparently on Cherokee sufferance; and the Chickasaw remained in West Tennessee until 1818. As you travel the trail you will have the chance to explore the storied Native American traditions of East Tennessee.
If you are a history buff, you will want to see some of the homesteads, battlefields, and historic sites that reflect 200 years of Tennessee life. Visit the homes of future governors John Sevier and William Blount, learn about heroes like Davy Crockett and Sam Houston, and see the sites of decisive battles such as King’s Mountain.
Because of its position as a border state, more Civil War battles were fought in Tennessee than any other state except Virginia. Tennessee was the last Southern state to secede, torn between the nearly unanimous Union support in the abolitionist east and equally strong support of the Confederacy in the slave-holding middle and west. Stop along the way to learn about the people and the battles that shaped this unique region.
If you are interested in a more contemporary experience, take advantage of the shopping, the romantic dining, the boating, the theaters, and of course, the scenery. So whether you are in search of colleges or covered bridges, llamas or cranberry bogs, country fairs or wineries, you are sure to find something to please along the Appalachian Quilt Trail.
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