Where did the City of Tullahoma get its name?That's a question that has been asked for many years in the area and, depending on whom you ask, you might get three to four different answers.There are several of colorful Indian fables about the origin of Tullahoma's name that have been handed down over the years. One tells the tale of the Indian Chief who rescued his daughter, Tulla, from men working at the railroad camp during the city's early history with the words - "Tulla-homa".
Then, there is the supposed Indian translation of Tullahoma that means "the Land of Golden Flowers". Although the name fits the area perfectly due to the amount of wildflowers, there is yet another Indian name attributed to the area.
In former Mayor W.J. Davidson's 1929 edition of the History of Tullahoma, the claim is made that land speculator John C. McLemore of Memphis was visiting during the early days of the community and suggested that it be named Tullahoma for an Indian name meaning "red dirt."
Either several dialects of the native tongue were spoken in the area at the time, or early historians had a vivid imagination.Another interesting tale comes from then most unlikely of sources: a restaurant place mat. According to the tale told to visitors of Darras Restaurant in Grenada, Mississippi, the town was once split into two villages: Tullahoma and Pittsburgh. A political rivalry went on for years until the two communities were joined in 1836 to form the town of Grenada.According to historical record of that area, land speculator McLemore also had bought tracts in Mississippi and that he had purchased a one tenth interest in the land that was once Tullahoma but was later renamed. It would appear that McLemore brought the Tullahoma name with him to Tennessee.
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