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Junior Curators

Each week on the Junior Curators blog, we travel back in time to a different place in Tennessee history. Stories may be about a famous person, place or event from Tennessee’s past. They will include things like priceless artifacts, pictures, videos, and even some games. Be sure to better understand the story by answering the questions at the end of each post.

After learning the story, be sure to share what you've learned with your parents, family, or friends. Try making your own exhibit about it, shooting a movie, or writing a story about it. Let your creativity run wild!

 

Category: Communities

5-18-21

Underwater Ghost Towns of Tennessee

by Jennifer Watts Tennessee is known for its many beautiful lakes. What people don’t know is some lakes have a secret. Under the sparkling waters are sunken towns. Whole communities were flooded by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in the 20th century.  The rivers of Tennessee have a long history of flooding. These floods destroyed farms, washing away crops and homes. In the 1930s, the United States government wanted to help stop this from happening. They also wanted to aid fa... Read More
Posted by Katie Yenna at 5-18-21
Communities Tennessee in the 20th Century

4-1-21

Search and Find: Downtown Nashville

by Emilee Dehmer This painting, titled “Downtown Nashville” was painted in 1951 by Joseph Van Sickle. Believe it or not, this painting is of downtown Nashville. It is the corner of Fifth Avenue North and Union Street. The Banks Clothing Store you can see in the painting is a building that is still there today- just with a different name! There are many different types of painting styles and methods. You can use crayons, pencils, paint, watercolors, and more to create art. This... Read More
Posted by Katie Yenna at 4-1-21
Communities History of Music/The Arts

3-25-21

Name that Tennessee County Quiz

by Jennifer Watts Tennessee has ninety-five different counties.  Each one is unique with its own history and people.  Take the quiz and see how well you know Tennessee.  If you need a hint, check out the picture for a clue.  Have fun and enjoy! Name that Tennessee County Quiz   Jennifer Watts is an Educator at the Tennessee State Museum. Read More
Posted by Katie Yenna at 3-25-21
Communities

3-4-21

Go See Tennessee: 1,000 Miles in 5 Blocks

by Emilee Dehmer West Tennessee: Mud Island, Memphis There are so many cool and exciting places in Tennessee. So many, that you might not know about them all. That’s what Go See Tennessee is all about. We’re here to tell you about places we think are neat and that you might want to visit too. It might be helpful to make a “Go and See” List, and wheneveryou read about a place that sounds cool, write it down, to help you remember it for the future. Ready for ... Read More
Posted by Katie Yenna at 3-4-21
Communities Modern Tennessee

3-2-21

The Unstoppable Josephine Groves Holloway

by Joyska Nunez-Medina Girl Scout troops are groups where girls can come together to learn and grow. The Girl Scouts of America started in 1912 in Savannah, Georgia. Juliette Gordon Low, the organization’s founder, visited Britain in 1911 and learned about the Boy Scouts and the Girl Guides. She thought that a similar organization in the United States could teach girls important skills and lessons. Girl Scouting was supposed to be open to all girls, but that was not the case everywher... Read More
Posted by Katie Yenna at 3-2-21
African American History Communities Women's History

12-24-20

Go See Tennessee: A Bright Holiday Tradition

by Emilee Dehmer Middle Tennessee: Opryland Hotel Holiday Lights, Nashville There are so many cool and exciting places in Tennessee. So many, that you might not know about them all. That’s what Go See Tennessee is all about. We’re here to tell you about places we think are neat and that you might want to visit too. It might be helpful to make a “Go and See” List, and whenever you read about a place that sounds cool, write it down, to help you remember it fo... Read More
Posted by Katie Yenna at 12-24-20
Communities Modern Tennessee

12-17-20

Go See Tennessee: Have You Bean to this Museum?

by Emilee Dehmer East Tennessee: Bush’s Beans Visitor Center and Museum, Chestnut Hill There are so many cool and exciting places in Tennessee. So many, that you might not know about them all. That’s what Go See Tennessee is all about. We’re here to tell you about places we think are neat and that you might want to visit too. It might be helpful to make a “Go and See” List, and whenever you read about a place that sounds cool, write it down, to help y... Read More
Posted by Katie Yenna at 12-17-20
Communities Modern Tennessee

12-3-20

The Great Tennessee Outdoors Board Game

by Christopher Grisham   Tennessee State Museum Collection. You may not realize how much you can learn about the culture of Tennessee by exploring some great outdoor spaces. Play this online boardgame with family and friends and get to know more about the Tennessee State Parks all across the state and maybe even near you. Click here to play. Please read the instruction below. To Play: Each player chooses a different color piece and places it on the Green Flag. The youngest player ... Read More
Posted by Katie Yenna at 12-3-20
Communities

11-24-20

What Is in A Name? How Tennessee and Its Cities Got Their Names

by Matthew Gailani Have you have ever lived in, traveled through, or seen Tennessee on a map? If you have, you know that it is home to many cities, towns, and communities. From McMinn County to Lake County, and Bucksnort to Hohenwald, each place has its own unique name and story. But what is in a name? Why do we call Nashville, Nashville? Why is Memphis, Memphis and not Salt Lake City? This week, on the Junior Curators’ Blog, we are going to learn how a few cities in Tennessee got thei... Read More
Posted by Katie Yenna at 11-24-20
Communities

11-19-20

Go See Tennessee: The G.O.A.T of Tennessee Festivals

by Emilee Dehmer The G.O.A.T of Tennessee Festivals Middle Tennessee: Goats, Music, and More Festival, Lewisburg There are so many cool and exciting places in Tennessee. So many, that you might not know about them all. That’s what Go See Tennessee is all about. We’re here to tell you about places we think are neat and that you might want to visit too. It might be helpful to make a “Go and See” List, and whenever you read about a place that sounds cool, wri... Read More
Posted by Katie Yenna at 11-19-20
Communities Modern Tennessee

11-10-20

Child Labor in Tennessee

by Jennifer Watts How would you feel if you did not have to go to school today? Excited? Upset? What if I told you that instead of school you had to go to work? This was true for thousands of Tennessee children in the past. It has only been in the last 100 years or so that compulsory education has been law. For hundreds of years, children played important roles in the survival of the family. Children worked in a variety of jobs. They worked on family farms, were apprentices learning a trade,... Read More
Posted by Katie Yenna at 11-10-20
Communities

9-3-20

Ratified! Statewide!

by Lauren Grizzard Did you know that Tennessee has 95 counties? Now, did you know that all 95 counties had a part in the women’s suffrage story? Using the State Museum’s Ratified! Statewide! link below, see if you can click your way through the state to see how each county shaped the 19th amendment (women’s vote) journey: https://tnmuseum.org/Ratified-Statewide Challenge! If you are up for an extra challenge, see if you can find the answers to the questions below: Find ... Read More
Posted by Katie Yenna at 9-3-20
Communities Women's History

7-28-20

The Clinton 12: The Integration Story of Tennessee’s Public Schools

by Mamie Hassell  Do YOU love school? Smart teachers, cool computers, a fun playground, art class, fancy instruments for music class, a big library, wonderful sports, and a tasty cafeteria for lunch. Are these some of your favorite things about it? Well what if your school had all this cool stuff, but another school in your town did not? Do you think this would be fair? Sadly, schools were not always equal. Black students were not given rights because of the color of their skin. Many B... Read More
Posted by Katie Yenna at 7-28-20
African American History Communities Tennessee in the 20th Century

6-23-20

You Can Be an Oral Historian

by Jennifer Watts Have you ever heard someone say, “When I was a kid things were different?” I know I have. One of my dad’s favorite things to do was telling me what it was like when he was my age. At the time, it was something I had to listen to. Now I know those stories were important. Life was different for him as a child. Historians use stories, or records, like his to learn about life in the past. You can too! The stories my father told me are called oral histories. H... Read More
Posted by Katie Yenna at 6-23-20
Communities Tennessee in the 20th Century

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