We all know Tennessee is a great state to live in. It is home to many wonderful things such as the University of Tennessee Volunteers and Jack Daniels. But here are some things born in the Volunteer State that you may not know about…

1. Moonpies were first baked in 1917 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. A coal miner walked into a bakery and asked for a sandwich that would sustain working men throughout the day. When the bakery representative asked him how big he would want it the man held up his hands to frame the moon. The bakery then cooked up a batch of Moonpies and the rest is history.

2. Cotton candy as we know today was invented in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1897 William Morrison, a dentist and his partner, John C. Wharton invented the electric cotton candy machine. They called it “Fairy Floss" and began selling it for a quarter at the World's Fair in Saint Louis in 1904. Back then this was about the price for two dozen eggs.

3. Krystal Restaurants first popped up in Chattanooga, Tennessee. During the Great Depression, founder Rody Davenport Jr. and partner J. Glenn Sherrill thought that customers would still eat out knowing the restaurants were spotless and offered a hearty meal at a great price. They were right as now eighty years later these restaurants are still in business. So whether you need some food after a long night or it's just one of your favorites, you can dine here knowing it's a Tennessee icon.

4. Mountain Dew is claimed by many places, but the company states it began in Knoxville, Tennessee. The sugary soft drink was first cooked up in 1940 to be used as a mixer in alcoholic beverages. The name Mountain Dew was originally slang for moonshine, and was suggested as the brand name to hold true to it's southern roots.

5. Maxwell House Coffee began in Nashville, Tennessee at the Maxwell House Hotel. In 1884 Joel Cheek moved to Nashville with a special coffee blend of his own. He sold some to the hotel to sell for a select period of time. When the blend ran out and the hotel returned to using their old blend customers got upset. The hotel exclusively began selling Cheek's blend which later turned into the Maxwell House brand we know today.

So wherever you're traveling through the great state of Tennessee, look out for some historic icons that were created right there in the cities you know and love.