The French Broad River flows from near Rosman in Transylvania County, North Carolina, into Tennessee. Its confluence with the Holston River at Knoxville, Tennessee is considered to be the headwaters of the Tennessee River. It was originally named for being one of two broad rivers in western North Carolina . The one which flowed into French colonial territory was named the French Broad, and the other which stayed in English territory (the American colonies) was named the English Broad, now just the Broad River. A variant name of the French Broad River is Agiqua River, commonly seen on old maps.