Blountville is a
census-designated place
A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only.
CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the count ...
(CDP) in and the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
of
Sullivan County,
Tennessee
Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
, United States. The population was 3,074 at the
2010 census.
It is the only Tennessee county seat not to be an
incorporated city or town.
Blountville is part of the
Kingsport–
Bristol (TN)–
Bristol (VA) Metropolitan Statistical Area
In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...
, which is a component of the
Johnson City–Kingsport–Bristol, TN-
VA Combined Statistical Area
Combined statistical area (CSA) is a United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) term for a combination of adjacent metropolitan (MSA) and micropolitan statistical areas (µSA) across the 50 US states and the territory of Puerto Ric ...
– commonly known as the "
Tri-Cities" region.
History
The area that is now Blountville is thought to have been the location of a
longhunter
A longhunter (or long hunter) was an 18th-century explorer and hunter who made expeditions into the American frontier for as much as six months at a time. Historian Emory Hamilton says that "The Long Hunter was peculiar to Southwest Virginia onl ...
fort prior to its permanent settlement. The site of the town was part of a tract of about of land bought by James Brigham in 1782. In 1792 Brigham gave to Sullivan County for use as a county seat and established a hotel nearby.
[ Blountville was laid off as a town and established as the county seat in 1795. The county's first courthouse and jail was a log structure. In 1825 it was replaced with a brick building.] By 1830, the settlement had 209 residents, two churches, six stores, two taverns, ten mechanics, one doctor, and one lawyer.[Oliver Taylor, ''Historic Sullivan: A History of Sullivan County, Tennessee'', 1909]
Chapter XIX, Blountville
(pages 137-148), The King Printing Co., Sullivan County (Tenn.), 330 pages
On the afternoon of September 22, 1863, during the Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
, the town was the scene of the four-hour-long Battle of Blountville
The Battle of Blountville, sometimes called Battle of Blountsville, was a battle of the American Civil War, occurring on September 22, 1863, in Sullivan County, Tennessee.
Battle
The battle occurred during a Union expedition into East Tenness ...
. During a major expedition into East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia
Southwest Virginia, often abbreviated as SWVA, is a mountainous region of Virginia in the westernmost part of the commonwealth. Located within the broader region of western Virginia, Southwest Virginia has been defined alternatively as all Virg ...
, a Union Army
During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...
unit attacked Confederate
Confederacy or confederate may refer to:
States or communities
* Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities
* Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...
troops at Blountville. The town was shelled in the fighting and the courthouse was burned in the battle, which forced the Confederates to withdraw. The courthouse was rebuilt within the old walls in 1866. The current courthouse dates from a major construction that was done in 1920; it also includes additions made in 1958.[
If Blountville were an ]incorporated town
An incorporated town is a town that is a municipal corporation.
Canada
Incorporated towns are a form of local government in Canada, which is a responsibility of provincial rather than federal government.
United Kingdom
United States
An in ...
, it would qualify as the second oldest municipality in Tennessee (second only to Jonesborough); however, it was unincorporated at one point in order to avoid having redundant government services for such a small area and population. This unique status has led to some odd results, including a lawsuit in which it was ruled that neighboring Kingsport was not allowed to annex areas of Sullivan County within a defined distance of the courthouse, in effect ensuring that the county seat could not be annexed out of existence.
Historic district
Several of Blountville's surviving 18th and 19th century buildings are included in an historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
. The Deery Inn was built in the late 1700s and consists of three buildings: a two-story log home
A log house, or log building, is a structure built with horizontal logs interlocked at the corners by notching. Logs may be round, squared or hewn to other shapes, either handcrafted or milled. The term "log cabin" generally refers to a sma ...
, a three-story stone house and a two-story frame building. All buildings are next to each other and attached. The home is a private residence.
Geography
Blountville is located at (36.533312, -82.326474).
According to the United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...
, the CDP has a total area of , all land.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census
The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
, there were 3,120 people, 1,036 households, and 683 families residing in the CDP.
2000 census
As of the census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...
of 2000, there were 2,959 people, 1,060 households, and 763 families residing in the CDP. The population density
Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...
was 518.0 people per square mile (200.1/km2). There were 1,134 housing units at an average density of 198.5 per square mile (76.7/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 98.01% White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...
, 1.32% African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.17% Native American, 0.20% Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 0.07% from other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 0.20% from two or more races. Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...
or Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 0.88% of the population.
There were 1,060 households, out of which 25.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.0% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.0% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 16.9% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 35.3% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 123.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 127.6 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $37,609, and the median income for a family was $41,594. Males had a median income of $31,842 versus $18,163 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the CDP was $16,173. About 3.0% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 1.4% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
Motocross
On June 1, 2013, the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship was held at Muddy Creek Raceway in Blountville. This was the first time the Pro Motocross Championship was held in the South in 15 years. The 2013 Built Ford Tough Tennessee National was the first ever Pro National held at Muddy Creek Raceway.
Education
Blountville has five public schools. The three elementary schools are Holston, Indian Springs, and Central Heights Elementary School. The new middle school is Sullivan Central Middle School. High school students attend the recently opened West Ridge High School. The community is also the site of Northeast State Community College
Northeast State Community College is a public community college based in Blountville, Tennessee. It offers technical education and college transfer programs in Blountville and at teaching sites in Elizabethton, Gray, Johnson City, and Kingspo ...
.
Transportation
Blountville is the site of the Tri-Cities Regional Airport
Tri-Cities Airport (also known as Tri-Cities Airport, TN/VA), is in Blountville, Tennessee, United States. It serves the Tri-Cities area (Bristol, Kingsport, Johnson City) of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. The airport is governed ...
, located in Blountville primarily because of its central location between Johnson City, Kingsport, Bristol, TN/VA. NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and ...
champion Alan Kulwicki
Alan Dennis Kulwicki (December 14, 1954 – April 1, 1993), nicknamed "Special K" and the "Polish Prince", was an American auto racing driver and team owner. He started racing at local short tracks in Wisconsin before moving up to regional ...
died in an airplane crash near Blountville.
Recreation
Blountville's historic district includes two 18th-century buildings— the Old Deery Inn and the Anderson Townhouse— and several notable 19th-century structures. Appalachian Ghost Walks— a ghost tour company that specializes in the "haunted" history of the Appalachian Mountains— has established a ghost tour of Blountville's historic district. The Big Hollow Par 3 Golf Course, Factory Stores of America, and Country Side Vineyard and Winery are all located in the Blountville vicinity. Appalachian Caverns— the largest show cave in East Tennessee— and Boone Lake
Boone Lake is a reservoir in Sullivan and Washington counties in northeastern Tennessee, formed by the impoundment of the South Fork Holston River and Watauga River behind Boone Dam. are located just south of Blountville.
Notable people
*Joseph A. Brownlow, an itinerant farmer and father of Tennessee Governor and U.S. Senator William Gannaway Brownlow
William Gannaway "Parson" Brownlow (August 29, 1805April 29, 1877) was an American newspaper publisher, Methodist minister, book author, prisoner of war, lecturer, and politician who served as the 17th Governor of Tennessee from 1865 to 1869 and ...
, died during 1816 in Blountville.
*Ron Ramsey
Ronald Lynn Ramsey (; born November 20, 1955) is an American auctioneer, politician, and lobbyist, who served as the 49th lieutenant governor of Tennessee and speaker of the State Senate from 2007 to 2017. A Republican from Blountville in East ...
, 49th Lieutenant Governor of Tennessee.
References
{{authority control
Census-designated places in Sullivan County, Tennessee
Census-designated places in Tennessee
County seats in Tennessee
Kingsport–Bristol metropolitan area
Populated places established in 1792
Former municipalities in Tennessee