The sender used this card as her Christmas card a few years ago, which makes it feel a bit more personal—like a small glimpse into her hometown. She’s from Portland, Tennessee , a small city in north-central Tennessee with a population of around 13 000people. It’s part of the Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area, so while it has a small-town feel, it’s closely connected to a much larger city. Portland’s early settlers were drawn to the area for the production of dark tobacco. The climate and soil conditions made it especially well suited for growing this crop, and tobacco farming played an important role in the town’s early economy. Today, Portland is growing quickly, helped by the expansion of nearby Nashville . Many residents commute there for work, making Portland part of the wider rhythm of the Nashville area while still mai ntaining its quieter character.

Cleveland is a city of almost 50 000 people in south east Tennessee. You would think it was named after Grover Cleveland, former president of the United States. Instead it was named for Benjamin Cleveland (1738 - 1806), best known as a colonel in the Wilkes County Regiment of the North Carolina militia during the American War of Independence. Cleveland was one of the commanders of the Battle of Kings Mountain, which took place on 7 October 1780 between Colonial Patriot militias and Loyalist militias.  The battle has been described as "the war's largest all-American fight." Of the 900 colonial patriots, 28 were killed, and 62 wounded. The Loyalist side had 1105 men: 290 were killed, 163 wounded, and 668 were taken prisoner after Captain Abraham de Peyster surrendered. Major Patrick Ferguson, the commander of the Loyalist forces was killed in action. He was the only regular army officer participating on either side of the battle. Patriot forces desecrated his body in the af...

Jackson is the county seat for Madison County and it located 110 kilometers from Memphis. It is the main city in the Jackson Metropolitan Area. It is the seat to Tennessee's Supreme Court for west Tennessee. Of course the sports are what interests me the most and the Jackson Generals were a Double-A team in the Southern League. In 2020 the team had to fold as they lost their Major League Baseball affiliate.  The Winnipeg Goldeyes, who play in the American Association, an independent minor league baseball league, temporarily moved to Jackson in 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions at the international border. They played 33 games in Jackson before the Canadian government gave them permission to resume play in Winnipeg.

An official World Postcard Day card from Tennessee. Tullahoma has a population of just over 20 000. We know what metropolis areas are. Ever heard of a micropolitan area? Tullahoma is the principal city in the Tullahoma Micropolitan Area. Coffee, Franklin, and Moore Counties are a part of it and it is the second largest micropolitan area in Tennessee.  

Happy World Postcard Day! Another official card! Harriman is a town of 6350 found in the Knoxville, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was founded as a temperance town in 1889 led by Frederick Gates. Gates was a plant manager and minister from New York. He wanted to start a company town that would avoid the vices that befell on other company towns - drinking, prostitution, gambling. Gates charted the East Tennessee Land Company and acquired several hundred thousand acres of land. The company would have its hand in all economic activity of the town and area. They created the East Tennessee Mining Company to control the areas coal and iron extraction; the Harriman Coal and Iron Railroad Company to develop the local railroad system; and the Harriman Manufacturing Company to attract industries by providing start up capital.  The East Tennessee Land Company collapsed in 1893. Today there are still the planned community of the company. There are still many Victorian architecture...