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Mike
Moser
"I Say"
Published June 17, 2005 |
Why not a fourth star in the
state flag?
Have you ever wondered what you are, or where you are? An
East Tennessean or a Middle Tennessean?
I have been confused by this issue since I first set foot
on the Plateau in February 1984. I like the flag of my adoptive
state but wondered for what the three stars stood. And the circle
that held them together.
It was not long before I learned that the three stars stand
for the three grand divisions of Tennessee; the circle holds
them together as one. To be sure, each division is as distinctive
today as it was 200-plus years ago. West is the flatlands leading
to the mighty Mississippi. Great farms, cotton and soybeans.
Middle represents the rolling terrain that is noticeably distinctive
from West Tennessee in culture and character. Country music today,
walking horses yesterday and today. And industry.
East Tennessee is the hills and valleys and mountains that
range from the North Carolina border west to the rim of the Plateau.
But where do we Cumberland Countians stand, I asked.
"Dunno," was the most frequent response I received.
No one answer seemed to gain more response than another. Some
said East. Some said Middle.
Even state and federal government seems to be confused about
the issue.
Some state agencies in the past lumped us in with the Middle
Tennessee counties. Upper Cumberland Development District includes
more of what is considered Middle Tennessee than East Tennessee.
But we are in it.
When I first moved here Cumberland County cases in federal
court were ambidextrous. Some went to the Middle Tennessee federal
courts; others to East Tennessee. Today we seem to be under the
protection of the U.S. District Court of Middle Tennessee.
One might reason that the time zone would be a good divider
for these two grand divisions.
But wait! Cumberland County is in both time zones. That figures.
I checked the Tennessee Blue Book but could find no authoritative
description of just exactly what is officially considered Middle
Tennessee and what is East Tennessee.
So I resorted to "Googling it."
The TNGenWeb Project actually discusses this issue. Map No.
1 includes Cumberland County in East Tennessee. The site also
notes that in the beginning, around 1796 and as late as 1806,
Tennessee had two Grand Divisions.
The earliest official reference to the three divisions of
Tennessee is in the Acts of Tennessee 1835-36. Cumberland County
didn't exist then so we have no claim to either during that era.
In 1858 we were lumped into the Middle Division. It wasn't
until 1932 that the legislature officially kicked us out of Middle
Tennessee and we landed in East Tennessee.
No wonder there is confusion.
At a recent meeting of the Alliance for the Cumberlands, held
to explore interest in creating a National Heritage Corridor
for the Cumberland Plateau, it was suggested that a fourth grand
division be created. Sounds reasonable to me.
Let's add a star to the Tennessee flag. East Tennessee. West
Tennessee. Middle Tennessee. And the Cumberland Plateau.
After all, no region holds a like culture and heritage like
the 21 counties making up the Cumberland Plateau. We share little
with East Tennessee. Less with Middle Tennessee. Nothing with
West Tennessee. We are the Plateau.
The Plateau has been fragmented by Tennessee governments and
society for years.
We have so much to offer that cannot be found in the other regions.
It is high time we were recognized for who we are.
While we're changing things around, Putnam County should go
ahead and give us Monterey since they are on the mountain and
the rest of Putnam County is not ... well, OK, Monterey and the
mountain share of Cumberland Cove. It only makes sense.
Miss Charlotte, Mr. Swafford. You are our voice in the Tennessee
General Assembly. Let's get those bill writers busy and let's
claim our rightful place in Tennessee history. Give us our star.
While we're at it ... what about that time zone thing?
· · ·
Mike Moser is the editor of the Crossville Chronicle. His
column is published periodically on Fridays.
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