NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Before becoming a state 225 years ago, Tennessee was America’s frontier. Come learn how Tennessee’s land influenced where pioneers settled at the next Tennessee State Library & Archives’ free TN225 Lunchtime Speaker Series event on Friday, Feb. 11, from noon to 1 p.m. CT with special guest speaker Dr. Aaron Astor.

“From the mountains of East Tennessee to the banks of the Mississippi River, the makeup of our beautiful state has influenced the people who called it home,” said Secretary of State Tre Hargett. “If you are interested in learning more about the history of our great state, I invite you to join us on your lunch break for this TN225 Lunchtime Speaker Series event.”

This lecture will explore the deep history of Tennessee’s significant geological formations, and how Tennessee’s topography influenced where native people settled and how people migrated from the eastern colonies and states in the 18th and 19th centuries. The talk will also highlight how Tennessee’s nine distinct soil type regions and major land formations affected the social, political, economic patterns that emerged in Tennessee and still impact our state today.

Aaron Astor, Ph.D., a historian and Associate Professor at Maryville College, is the author of the books Rebels on the Border: Civil War, Emancipation and the Reconstruction of Kentucky and Missouri, 1860-1872, and The Civil War Along Tennessee’s Cumberland Plateau. He also wrote 11 articles for the award-winning New York Times Disunion series. Astor serves with numerous historic preservation groups across Tennessee, including the Board of the Tennessee Civil War Preservation Association and the East Tennessee Civil War Alliance. Astor earned his Ph.D. in History at Northwestern University and his B.A. at Hamilton College.

“The Library & Archives is excited to host our first Lunchtime Speaker Series event in 2022 as we continue to celebrate Tennessee’s 225th anniversary of statehood,” said Chuck Sherrill, Tennessee State Librarian and Archivist. “We are fortunate to have Dr. Aaron Astor, one of the leading experts on Tennessee history, as our guest speaker for this event.”

This Lunchtime Speaker Series event will be in person and livestreamed on the Library & Archives’ Facebook page and the Secretary of State’s YouTube channel. In-person attendees are welcome to bring their lunch. This event is free to the public. To make a reservation to attend in person, visit bit.ly/TN225TF. Seating is limited.

After the presentation, in-person attendees can view maps, photographs and other items giving insight to Tennessee’s topography and geology from the Library & Archives collections. Guided tours of the new state-of-the-art facility will also be available after the presentation.

The Library & Archives is located at 1001 Rep. John Lewis Way North on Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, across from the Tennessee State Museum. Parking is available for guests in the Library & Archives garage on Jackson Street/Junior Gilliam Way.

For the latest information about the Lunchtime Speaker Series, follow social media channels: Facebook: Tennessee State Library and Archives and Instagram: @tnlibarchives and the Secretary of State’s Twitter account: @SecTreHargett.

To attend the Lunchtime Speaker Series in person, reserve your spot at visit bit.ly/TN225TF. To learn more about the Library and Archives or schedule a research visit, call 615-741-2764, email ask@tsla.libanswers.com or visit sos.tn.gov/tsla/plan-your-visit.