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Did You Know!

Tennessee Was Almost Called “Franklin”

Before Tennessee officially became the 16th state in 1796, part of what is now eastern Tennessee tried to form its own independent state called the State of Franklin.

In 1784, settlers in the western territory of North Carolina were frustrated with poor protection from Native American raids and limited government support. Led by Revolutionary War hero John Sevier, they declared independence and named their proposed state “Franklin,” likely in honor of Benjamin Franklin.

But here’s the twist:
The Continental Congress fell just one vote short of recognizing Franklin as the 14th state.

For about four years, Franklin operated with its own governor, courts, and legislature — essentially functioning as an unofficial state before collapsing and rejoining North Carolina.

A decade later, the territory became Tennessee.

So technically, Tennessee was almost “Franklin” — and history came down to a single vote.