Washington County, TN
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Washington County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 133,001. Its county seat is Jonesborough. The county's largest city and a regional educational, medical and commercial center is Johnson City. Washington County is Tennessee's oldest county, having been established in 1777 when the state was still part of North Carolina. Washington County is part of the Johnson City, TN Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a component of the Johnson City– KingsportBristol, TN- VA Combined Statistical Area, commonly known as the "
Tri-Cities Tri-Cities most often refers to: *Tri-Cities, Tennessee, United States *Tri-Cities, Washington, United States Tri-City, Tricity or Tri-Cities may also refer to: Populated places Americas Canada *Tri-Cities (British Columbia), consisting of Co ...
" region.


History


Watauga and the Washington District

Washington County is rooted in the Watauga settlements, which were established in the early 1770s in the vicinity of what is now
Elizabethton Elizabethton is a city in, and the county seat of Carter County, Tennessee, United States. Elizabethton is the historical site of the first independent American government (known as the Watauga Association, created in 1772) located west of both th ...
, in adjacent Carter County. At the outbreak of the Revolutionary War in 1776, the Wataugans organized the "Washington District," which was governed by a committee of safety. North Carolina initially refused to recognize the settlements as legal, but finally agreed to annex the district after the settlers thwarted an invasion by hostile Cherokees. The settlements were governed as the Washington District, which originally included all of what is now Tennessee. The district was reorganized as Washington County in 1777.Mildred Kozsuch and Ruth Broyles,
Washington County
" ''Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture''. Retrieved: 15 November 2013.


Washington County, North Carolina and Franklin

From 1777 until 1784, North Carolina held nominal control over the county, but did little for the residents, at least in their eyes. So the area citizens formed, in 1784, the
State of Franklin The State of Franklin (also the Free Republic of Franklin or the State of Frankland)Landrum, refers to the proposed state as "the proposed republic of Franklin; while Wheeler has it as ''Frankland''." In ''That's Not in My American History Boo ...
to meet their needs. Franklin was an early attempt to create a fourteenth state prior to Kentucky and Vermont's admissions into the union. The county reverted to North Carolina control, however, following the failure of the Franklin state government in 1788.


Part of Tennessee

In 1790 the area became part of Southwest Territory, and afterward it was admitted to the Union in 1796 as the 16th state. Jonesboro, the county seat of Washington County, is Tennessee's oldest town. With many buildings restored, it comprises one of the nation's most authentic historic districts of the period 1790–1870. Washington County was divided between pro-Union and pro-secession sentiments at the outset of the Civil War. In Tennessee's Ordinance of Secession referendum on June 8, 1861, Washington Countians voted 1,445 to 1,022 in favor of remaining in the Union. One of the bridges targeted by the East Tennessee bridge-burners in November 1861 was located in what is now
Watauga Watauga can refer to: ;Places *Watauga, Kentucky * Watauga County, North Carolina * Watauga, South Dakota * Watauga, Tennessee * Watauga, Texas ;Bodies of Water * Watauga Lake in Tennessee * The Watauga River in North Carolina and Tennessee ;Shi ...
near the Washington-Carter county line.
Landon Carter Haynes Landon Carter Haynes (December 2, 1816 – February 17, 1875) was an American politician who served as a Confederate States senator from Tennessee from 1862 to 1865. He also served several terms in the Tennessee House of Representatives, inc ...
, a Confederate senator, hailed from Washington County. Johnson City, originally known as Johnson's Depot, was a major railway center for the southeastern states, connecting the region for freight transportation and passengers. It was the headquarters for both the standard-gauge Carolina, Clinchfield, and Ohio ( Clinchfield Railroad), which required the excavation and blasting of 17 tunnels during its construction; and the narrow-gauge
East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad The East Tennessee & Western North Carolina Railroad , affectionately called the "Tweetsie" as a verbal acronym of its initials (ET&WNC) but also in reference to the sound of its steam whistles, was a primarily narrow gauge railroad established ...
(Tweetsie). Significant restoration is underway, as well as publicizing the railroad heritage of the Johnson's Depot Historic District. Other historic properties are being restored as representative of Johnson City's late nineteenth and early twentieth-century era as a railway center.


Geography

According to the
U.S. 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 ...
, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.0%) is water. The western portion of the county is situated in the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, which are characterized by long, narrow ridges roughly oriented northeast-to-southwest. The county's most prominent Ridge-and-Valley features rise in the vicinity of its northwestern border with Hawkins and Sullivan counties. The eastern portion of the county lies within the Blue Ridge Mountains, specifically the
Bald Mountains The Bald Mountains are a mountain range rising along the border between Tennessee and North Carolina in the southeastern United States. They are part of the Blue Ridge Mountain Province of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. The Bald Mountain ...
(south of the Nolichucky River) and the Unaka Range (north of the Nolichucky). Buffalo Mountain, a long ridge that straddles much of Washington's eastern boundary, contains the county's highest point, Pinnacle Knob. The Cherokee National Forest protects much of the extreme eastern part of the county. Sampson Mountain, which rises in the southeastern part of the county, is home to a designated
national wilderness area The National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS) of the United States protects federally managed wilderness areas designated for preservation in their natural condition. Activity on formally designated wilderness areas is coordinated by the Na ...
. The Nolichucky River flows through the southern part of Washington County. The Watauga River flows the northern part of the county, and forms part of the county's border with Sullivan County. The lower section of the Watauga River is part of
Boone Lake Boone Lake is a reservoir in Sullivan County, Tennessee, Sullivan and Washington County, Tennessee, Washington counties in northeastern Tennessee, formed by the impoundment of the South Fork Holston River and Watauga River behind Boone Dam.
.


Adjacent counties

* Sullivan County (north) * Carter County (east) * Unicoi County (south) * Greene County (west) *
Hawkins County Hawkins County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 56,721. Its county seat is Rogersville, Tennessee, Rogersville, Hawkins County is par ...
(northwest)


National protected area

* Cherokee National Forest (part)


State protected areas

*
Chester Inn The Chester Inn State Historic Site is a former inn on the Great Stage Road at 116 West Main Street in Jonesborough, Tennessee. It was opened in 1797 by Dr. William P. Chester. It was the best hotel in the Tennessee frontier area. Owned by the ...
(state historic site) * Tipton-Haynes State Historic Site


Major Highways

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


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 133,001 people, 55,817 households, and 33,838 families residing in the county.


2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 107,198 people, 44,195 households, and 29,478 families residing in the county. The population density was 328 people per square mile (127/km2). There were 47,779 housing units at an average density of 146 per square mile (57/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 93.72% White, 3.82% Black or African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.73%
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 ...
, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.51% from other races, and 0.97% from two or more races. 1.38% of the population were Hispanic 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. There were 44,195 households, out of which 28.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.60% 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, 10.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.30% were non-families. 27.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.85. In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.30% under the age of 18, 10.80% from 18 to 24, 30.00% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 13.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.70 males. The median income for a household in the county was $33,116, and the median income for a family was $41,162. Males had a median income of $30,874 versus $21,485 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,085. About 10.20% of families and 13.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.80% of those under age 18 and 14.20% of those age 65 or over.


Education


Elementary schools


Middle schools

* Boones Creek Middle School *Jonesborough Middle School. Built in 1950 as a high school. Became a middle school in 1971. Has approximately 500 students in grades 5–8.


High schools

* Asbury Optional High School * Daniel Boone High School * David Crockett High School *
Science Hill High School Science Hill High School is a public high school in Johnson City, Tennessee, United States. Campus The Science Hill/ Liberty Bell/ Freedom Hall complex includes multiple athletic fields, large parking lots, and a 1-1/2-mile walking track that enci ...
*University School


Communities


Cities

* Johnson City (small portion in Carter County and Sullivan County) *
Watauga Watauga can refer to: ;Places *Watauga, Kentucky * Watauga County, North Carolina * Watauga, South Dakota * Watauga, Tennessee * Watauga, Texas ;Bodies of Water * Watauga Lake in Tennessee * The Watauga River in North Carolina and Tennessee ;Shi ...
(mostly in Carter County)


Town

* Jonesborough (county seat)


Census-designated places

* Fall Branch (partial) * Gray * Oak Grove * Spurgeon (partial) * Telford


Unincorporated communities

* Austin Springs * Boone * Boones Creek * Bowmantown * Bumpus Cove (partial) * Embreeville *
February February is the second month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. The month has 28 days in common years or 29 in leap years, with the 29th day being called the ''leap day''. It is the first of five months not to have 31 days (th ...
* Lamar * Limestone * Midway *
Mountain Home A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher th ...
* South Central *
Stewart Hill Stewart Hill (born March 16, 1962) is a former award-winning linebacker in the Canadian Football League. After playing college football with the University of Washington, Hill went to Canada and signed with the Edmonton Eskimos. He would play i ...
* Sulphur Springs * Washington College


Notable residents

*
Joseph Hardin, Sr. Joseph Hardin Sr. (April 18, 1734 – July 4, 1801) was an Assemblyman (in the Provincial Congress) for the Province of North Carolina, and was a signatory of the Tryon Resolves. Early in the War for Independence, as a member of the militia fro ...
– Revolutionary War hero, and North Carolina militia colonel for the Western Counties, 1788;


Politics

Like most of East Tennessee, Washington County has been a Republican stronghold since the Civil War. No National Democratic candidate has won the county since
1856 Events January–March * January 8 – Borax deposits are discovered in large quantities by John Veatch in California. * January 23 – American paddle steamer SS ''Pacific'' leaves Liverpool (England) for a transatlantic voyag ...
, though
Lyndon Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...
came within 359 votes of
Barry Goldwater Barry Morris Goldwater (January 2, 1909 – May 29, 1998) was an American politician and United States Air Force officer who was a five-term U.S. Senator from Arizona (1953–1965, 1969–1987) and the Republican Party nominee for presiden ...
in 1964 and Jimmy Carter came within 819 votes of
Gerald Ford Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. ( ; born Leslie Lynch King Jr.; July 14, 1913December 26, 2006) was an American politician who served as the 38th president of the United States from 1974 to 1977. He was the only president never to have been elected ...
in 1976.
Franklin Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...
is the only other Democrat to even cross the 40 percent mark. The only time the Republicans have failed to win the county since
1868 Events January–March * January 2 – British Expedition to Abyssinia: Robert Napier leads an expedition to free captive British officials and missionaries. * January 3 – The 15-year-old Mutsuhito, Emperor Meiji of Jap ...
, the first election it competed in Tennessee, came in 1912, when the Bull Moose Party divided the Republican vote and won a plurality.


See also

*
National Register of Historic Places listings in Washington County, Tennessee __NOTOC__ This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Washington County, Tennessee. This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington Coun ...


References


External links


Official siteWashington County Schools

Washington County TNGenWeb
* {{authority control 1777 establishments in North Carolina Populated places established in 1777 State of Franklin Johnson City metropolitan area, Tennessee Counties of Appalachia Second Amendment sanctuaries in Tennessee East Tennessee