Welcome to The Tennessee History Nerd!

 TTHN Ep 1 - Sweet 16

In this first episode of The Tennessee History Nerd, we step back into that world to trace Tennessee’s path to statehood—how it happened, who made it happen, and why it still matters today.

Because Tennessee didn’t just join the Union—it earned its place in it

 TTHN Bonus INTERVIEWSDAY Material - Interview with Norman Jetmundsen (Topics of Discussion: The Undefeated 1899 Sewanee Football Team, Its Significance, Its Legacy, and Telling Their Story)

It's INTERVIEWSDAY (Interview Tuesday)!

We made this interview, which previously required a Patreon subscription to be able to access, available to the general public now--no subscription required.

For Ep 7 - The Iron Men, I had the opportunity to sit down with Norman Jetmundsen—author, historian, and co-producer of Sewanee 1899: Unrivaled—whose work served as a primary narrative source for Episode 7 - The Iron Men -- the story of the 1899 University of the South football team: the Iron Men of Sewanee.  

This conversation goes well beyond the story told in the episode.

TTHN Ep 10 -  Horror on the Mississippi:  The Forgotten Inferno (The Sultana Tragedy)

In this episode, we tell the story of the Sultana disaster: how it happened, why so many were aboard, the corruption and negligence surrounding the voyage, the human cost of the disaster, and why one of the deadliest maritime tragedies in American history has so often been forgotten.

Because sometimes history is not lost because it was small.

Sometimes it is lost because the nation was already trying to move on.

 TTHN Bonus INTERVIEWSDAY Material (4) - Interview with Bob Keast (Topics of Discussion - Freshwater Pearls, The Tennessee River, TVA, and much more!)

As part of the research for Episode 12 – A Pearl of a Story, I had the opportunity back in February 2026 to sit down with Bob Keast at the Tennessee River Freshwater Pearl Museum and Farm near Camden, Tennessee for an extended conversation about freshwater pearls, Tennessee rivers, aquaculture, the TVA, tourism, and the remarkable history of one of Tennessee’s most unusual industries.

If you enjoyed A Pearl of a Story, I think you’ll really enjoy this deeper dive into one of Tennessee’s strangest and most fascinating hidden industries.

TTHN Ep 15 - Driving Across Tennessee (2): Bedford County Edition

Bedford County is a county of crossroads.

Formed in 1807 from the southern portion of Rutherford County and named for Revolutionary War veteran and early Tennessee pioneer Thomas Bedford, the county sits at the intersection of some of the most important transportation corridors in Middle Tennessee. Long before railroads crossed the region, the Warrior's Path passed through what would become Bedford County, carrying Native American travelers, traders, and warriors through the area. Later came the railroad, and with it communities like Wartrace, Bell Buckle, and Normandy.

Along those routes came people whose stories helped shape both Tennessee and the nation.

And then there are the stories that make Bedford County uniquely Bedford County.

A county seat known as Little Boston. An alligator named Bedford that somehow found its way into a Tennessee fishing lake. Whiskey, horses, railroads, pencils, governors, and a few surprises along the way.

This is the story of Bedford County, Tennessee.