Jefferson City (originally named Mossy Creek) is a
city
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
in
Jefferson 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.
It is part of the
Morristown 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 town, incorporate ...
. As of the
2020 census the population was 8,419.
History
Heading southwest along the
Holston River
The Holston River is a river that flows from Kingsport, Tennessee, to Knoxville, Tennessee. Along with its three major forks (North Fork, Middle Fork and South Fork), it comprises a major river system that drains much of northeastern Tennessee ...
from
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
, Adam and Elizabeth Peck arrived on the banks of Mossy Creek in 1788, soon settling the area with a fort, a house of worship, and a
gristmill
A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and Wheat middlings, middlings. The term can refer to either the Mill (grinding), grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist i ...
.
It is suggested that the original name of the city, Mossy Creek, originated due to the first settlers' description of the 'vivid' green
moss
Mosses are small, non-vascular flowerless plants in the taxonomic division Bryophyta (, ) '' sensu stricto''. Bryophyta (''sensu lato'', Schimp. 1879) may also refer to the parent group bryophytes, which comprise liverworts, mosses, and hor ...
developed around a creek near the settlement. By 1797, Mossy Creek had around 75 to 100 families with a four-mile-radius of the city.
Around the beginnings of the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
in September 1861,
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 (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...
General
Ambrose Burnside
Ambrose Everett Burnside (May 23, 1824 – September 13, 1881) was an American army officer and politician who became a senior Union general in the Civil War and three times Governor of Rhode Island, as well as being a successful inventor ...
liberated the city from the
Confederacy, but was attacked in an unsuccessful siege by Confederate General
James Longstreet
James Longstreet (January 8, 1821January 2, 1904) was one of the foremost Confederate generals of the American Civil War and the principal subordinate to General Robert E. Lee, who called him his "Old War Horse". He served under Lee as a corps ...
. Several skirmishes took place around Mossy Creek, most notably the
Battle of Mossy Creek
The Battle of Mossy Creek was a minor battle of the American Civil War, occurring on December 29, 1863, in Jefferson County, Tennessee.
Background
Union Brig. Gen. Samuel D. Sturgis, while encamped at Mossy Creek and forward towards Talbott's ...
on December 19, 1863.
In the later 19th century, two communities formed around Mossy Creek, Frame Addition and Carsonville. In 1901, Mossy Creek merged with the two communities, incorporating as Jefferson City.
In 1940, the
Tennessee Valley Authority
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is a federally owned electric utility corporation in the United States. TVA's service area covers all of Tennessee, portions of Alabama, Mississippi, and Kentucky, and small areas of Georgia, North Carolina ...
(TVA) began purchasing property in Jefferson City for the construction of
Cherokee Dam
Cherokee Dam is a hydroelectric dam located on the Holston River in Grainger County and Jefferson County, Tennessee, in the southeastern United States. The dam is operated and maintained by the Tennessee Valley Authority, which built the dam in t ...
and the impounding of the Holston River for
Cherokee Lake
Cherokee Lake, also known as Cherokee Reservoir, is an artificial reservoir in the U.S. state of Tennessee formed by the impoundment of the Holston River behind Cherokee Dam.
Hydrology
The reservoir has a surface area of about , a flood-storage ...
. Many residents reluctantly gave up their farms and homes for the promise of
flood control
Flood control methods are used to reduce or prevent the detrimental effects of flood waters."Flood Control", MSN Encarta, 2008 (see below: Further reading). Flood relief methods are used to reduce the effects of flood waters or high water level ...
and electricity offered by the TVA. Construction brought many new residents to the city, and Cherokee Lake made Jefferson City a popular recreational hub for locals and tourists alike.
In the late 20th century, Jefferson City became industrialized with the
zinc mining industry after geologists discovered valuable zinc ore deposits around the city earlier in the century.
Since 2010,
redevelopment
Redevelopment is any new construction on a site that has pre-existing uses. It represents a process of land development uses to revitalize the physical, economic and social fabric of urban space.
Description
Variations on redevelopment include: ...
and revitalization efforts have been underway in the downtown district of Jefferson City. The Mossy Creek Foundation, a
501(c)(3) organization
A 501(c)(3) organization is a United States corporation, Trust (business), trust, unincorporated association or other type of organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code. It is one of t ...
, was established in 2012 to advance these efforts, receiving funding a for a public park with a mock
train depot
A train station, railway station, railroad station or depot is a railway facility where trains stop to load or unload passengers, freight or both. It generally consists of at least one platform, one track and a station building providing su ...
pavilion on the original site of the Mossy Creek station, and
facade grants for existing structures downtown.
Geography
Jefferson City is located in northern Jefferson County at (36.116389, -83.486500).
It is bordered to the west by
New Market New Market may refer to:
Bangladesh
*New Market, Dhaka
*New Market, Khulna, in Sonadanga Model Thana
*New Market, Chittagong, near Government City College, Chittagong
India
* New Market, Bhopal
*New Market, Kolkata
Jamaica
*New Market, Jama ...
, to the south by
Dandridge, and to the northeast by
Morristown.
U.S. Route 11E
U.S. Route 11E (US 11E) is a divided highway of US 11 in the U.S. states of Tennessee and Virginia. The U.S. Highway, which is complemented by US 11W to the north and west, runs from US 11, US 11W, and US 70 in Knoxville, Tennessee north and ea ...
, the Andrew Johnson Highway, passes through the south side of the city. It leads northeast to the center of Morristown and west to New Market.
Knoxville
Knoxville is a city in and the county seat of Knox County in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, Knoxville's population was 190,740, making it the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division and the state's ...
is to the southwest via Route 11E.
Tennessee State Route 92
State Route 92 (SR 92) is a state highway in East Tennessee with both four lane and two lane sections.
Route description
SR 92 begins at US 411/ SR 35 in Chestnut Hill. It heads north toward Dandridge and crosses over the French Broad River/D ...
passes through the west side of Jefferson City, leading north to
Rutledge and south to the center of Dandridge.
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 the ...
, Jefferson City has a total area of , of which are land and , or 0.72%, are water.
The northwest boundary of the city touches the southernmost arm of
Cherokee Lake
Cherokee Lake, also known as Cherokee Reservoir, is an artificial reservoir in the U.S. state of Tennessee formed by the impoundment of the Holston River behind Cherokee Dam.
Hydrology
The reservoir has a surface area of about , a flood-storage ...
, a reservoir on the
Holston River
The Holston River is a river that flows from Kingsport, Tennessee, to Knoxville, Tennessee. Along with its three major forks (North Fork, Middle Fork and South Fork), it comprises a major river system that drains much of northeastern Tennessee ...
.
Climate
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 8,419 people, 2,846 households, and 1,703 families residing in the city.
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 incl ...
of 2000, there were 7,760 people, 2,821 households, and 1,692 families residing in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: 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 term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 1,464.0 people per square mile (565.3/km
2). There were 3,155 housing units at an average density of 595.2 per square mile (229.8/km
2). The racial makeup of the city was 89.99%
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 on ...
, 6.29%
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 ...
, 0.44%
Native American, 0.76%
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 ...
, 0.17%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 1.15% 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 1.21% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, 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 Vic ...
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 2.73% of the population.
There were 2,821 households, out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.9% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.0% were non-families. 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29, and the average family size was 2.86.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 19.0% under the age of 18, 25.6% from 18 to 24, 24.1% from 25 to 44, 16.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,911, and the median income for a family was $33,964. Males had a median income of $28,306 versus $18,739 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 city was $13,770. About 19.7% of families and 24.7% 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 28.4% of those under age 18 and 14.4% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Municipal
Jefferson City uses the
council-manager government system, which was established in 1901 when the city was incorporated. It is governed by a five-member city council composed of the mayor and four council members.
State
Jefferson City is represented in the
Tennessee House of Representatives
The Tennessee House of Representatives is the lower house of the Tennessee General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee.
Constitutional requirements
According to the state constitution of 1870, this body is to consis ...
in the 17th and 11th districts by Representatives
Andrew Farmer
Andrew Ellis Farmer (born December 14, 1979) is an American politician and a Republican Party (United States), Republican member of the Tennessee House of Representatives representing District 17 since January 8, 2013.
Education
Farmer earned hi ...
and
Jeremy Faison
Jeremy Faison is a Republican member of the Tennessee House of Representatives for the Eleventh District and is the Chairman of the House Republican Caucus. He represents all of Cocke County and part of Hamblen and Jefferson counties.
Biograp ...
respectively, both
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
.
In the
Tennessee State Senate
The Tennessee Senate is the upper house of the U.S. state of Tennessee's state legislature, which is known formally as the Tennessee General Assembly.
The Tennessee Senate has the power to pass resolutions concerning essentially any issue rega ...
, Jefferson City is represented by the 8th district by Republican
Frank Niceley.
Federal
Jefferson City is represented in the
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
by Republican
Tim Burchett
Timothy Floyd Burchett (born August 25, 1964) is an American politician who is the U.S. representative for , based in Knoxville, serving since 2019.
A Republican, Burchett was formerly mayor of Knox County, Tennessee. He served in the Tennessee ...
of the
2nd congressional district.
Education
Public schools
Public schools in Jefferson City are operated by the Jefferson County Department of Education. Elementary students attend Jefferson Elementary, middle school students attend Jefferson Middle, and high school students attend Jefferson County High School in neighboring
Dandridge along with other students in the
Jefferson County Schools District.
Carson-Newman University
Carson-Newman University, a
private
Private or privates may refer to:
Music
* " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation''
* Private (band), a Denmark-based band
* "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...
Southern Baptist liberal arts university
A liberal arts college or liberal arts institution of higher education is a college with an emphasis on undergraduate study in liberal arts and sciences. Such colleges aim to impart a broad general knowledge and develop general intellectual capac ...
, is located in Jefferson City adjacent to its downtown district. It was founded in 1851, and has an estimated student enrollment of 2,500.
Notable people
*
Dana X. Bible, college football coach at Texas A & M, Nebraska, and Texas
*
Mark Dean, inventor and computer scientist
*
Phil Garner
Philip Mason Garner (born April 30, 1949) is an American former professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as an infielder with the Oakland Athletics, Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers and ...
, ex-Major League Baseball player and manager
*
Jim Henry, minority leader in the Tennessee House of Representatives from 1981 to 1986
*
Kenneth Massey
Kenneth Massey is an American sports statistician known for his development of a methodology for ranking and rating sports teams in a variety of sports. His ratings have been a part of the Bowl Championship Series since the 1999 season. He is ...
, American statistician
*
Robert Edward Lee Mountcastle, a member of the
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee (RNC) is a U.S. political committee that assists the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican brand and political platform, as well as assisting in fu ...
*
Carolyn Peck
Carolyn Arlene Peck (born January 22, 1966) is an American television sportscaster and former college basketball coach. She was the head coach for the women's basketball teams of Purdue University and the University of Florida, and also the first ...
, former women's basketball coach, currently a basketball analyst at ESPN
*
Herbert S. Walters
Herbert Sanford Walters (November 17, 1891August 17, 1973) was a Democratic United States Senator from Tennessee from 1963 to 1964.
Early life and education
Walters was a native of Jefferson County, Tennessee. He was a graduate of the former Ca ...
, U.S. senator
*
Clyde Wright
Clyde Wright (born February 20, 1941), nicknamed "Skeeter", is an American former professional baseball player. A left-handed pitcher, he played all or part of ten seasons in Major League Baseball for the California Angels (1966–73), Milwauk ...
, ex-Major League Baseball pitcher
References
External links
*
Jefferson County's ''Standard Banner'' newspaper
{{authority control
Cities in Tennessee
Cities in Jefferson County, Tennessee
Morristown metropolitan area, Tennessee
Mining communities in Tennessee