Bristol, Tennessee
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Bristol is a city in Sullivan County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 27,147 at the 2020 census. It is the twin city of
Bristol, Virginia Bristol is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 17,219. It is the Twin cities (geographical proxi ...
, which lies directly across the state line between Tennessee and
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
. The boundary between the two cities is also the state line, which runs along State Street in their common downtown district. It is a principal city in the Kingsport–Bristol metropolitan area, which had a population of 307,614 in 2020. The metro area is a component of the larger Tri-Cities region of Tennessee and Virginia, with a population of 508,260 in 2020. Bristol is known for being the site of some of the earliest commercial recordings of
country music Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...
, showcasing
Jimmie Rodgers James Charles Rodgers ( – ) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician who rose to popularity in the late 1920s. Widely regarded as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Father of Country Music", he is best known for his di ...
and the Carter Family, and later a favorite venue of mountain musician Uncle Charlie Osborne. The
U.S. Congress The United States Congress is the legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a bicameral legislature, including a lower body, the U.S. House of Representatives, and an upper body, the U.S. Senate. They both ...
recognized Bristol as the "Birthplace of Country Music" in 1998, and the Birthplace of Country Music Museum is located nearby in Bristol, Virginia. It also is the birthplace of Tennessee Ernie Ford. Bristol is the site of
Bristol Motor Speedway Bristol Motor Speedway (formerly known as the Bristol International Raceway from 1978 to 1996 and as the Bristol International Speedway from 1961 to 1978) is a oval Oval track racing#Short track, short track in Bristol, Tennessee. The track ha ...
, a
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. It is considered to be one of the top ranked motorsports organizations in ...
short track. The world's fifth-largest coal producer, Contura Energy, is based in Bristol.


History

Before 1852, the land where Bristol is located was owned by Reverend James King. His son-in-law, Joseph R. Anderson of Blountville, Tennessee, bought of the plantation and named it Bristol. The G.W. Blackley House, one of the oldest houses in Bristol, was constructed in 1869.


Country Music

The U.S. Congress declared Bristol to be the "Birthplace of Country Music", according to a resolution passed in 1998, recognizing its contributions to early country music recordings and influence, and the Birthplace of Country Music Museum is located in Bristol."Birthplace of Country Music", AmericasLibrary.gov, 2011, web
AL
In
1927 Events January * January 1 – The British Broadcasting ''Company'' becomes the BBC, British Broadcasting ''Corporation'', when its Royal Charter of incorporation takes effect. John Reith, 1st Baron Reith, John Reith becomes the first ...
, record producer Ralph Peer of Victor Records began recording local musicians in Bristol, to attempt to capture the local sound of traditional "folk" music of the region. One of these local sounds was created by the Carter Family, who got their start on July 31, 1927, when A.P. Carter and his family journeyed from Maces Spring, Virginia, to Bristol to audition for Ralph Peer, who was seeking new talent for the relatively embryonic recording industry. They received $50 for each song they recorded. That same visit by Peer to Bristol also resulted in the first recordings by Jimmie Rodgers.David Sanjek, "All the Memories Money Can Buy: Marketing Authenticity and Manufacturing Authorship", p. 155–172 in Eric Weisbard, ed., ''This is Pop'', Harvard University Press, 2004. (cloth), (paper). p. 158. Since 1994, the Birthplace of Country Music Alliance has promoted the city as a destination to learn about country music and the city's role in the creation of an entire music genre. The alliance is organizing the building of a new Cultural Heritage Center to help educate the public about the history of country music in the region."BCMA - Birthplace of Country Music Alliance", BCMA, 2012, webpage
BCMA
On August 1, 2014, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum opened in
Bristol, Virginia Bristol is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 17,219. It is the Twin cities (geographical proxi ...
to commemorate the historical significance of the Bristol sessions. The museum features a 24,000-ft building that houses core exhibits, space for special exhibits, a performance theater, and a radio station. Every year, during the third weekend in September, a music festival called the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion takes place. The festival is held downtown, where Tennessee and Virginia meet, and it celebrates Bristol's heritage as the birthplace of country music.


Geography

Bristol is located in the northeast corner of Tennessee, at (36.569135, −82.197489). Bristol is located 20.95 miles east of Kingsport, Tennessee, 21.51 miles northeast of
Johnson City, Tennessee Johnson City is a city in Washington, Carter, and Sullivan counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, mostly in Washington County. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 71,046, making it Tennessee's eighth-most populous cit ...
, 38.74 miles northwest of Boone, North Carolina, 105.96 miles northeast of
Knoxville, Tennessee Knoxville is a city in Knox County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. It is located on the Tennessee River and had a population of 190,740 at the 2020 United States census. It is the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division ...
, and 132.61 miles southwest of
Roanoke, Virginia Roanoke ( ) is an Independent city (United States), independent city in Virginia, United States. It lies in Southwest Virginia, along the Roanoke River, in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Blue Ridge range of the greater Appalachian Mountains. Roanok ...
. According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of , of which are land and (0.44%) is covered by water.


Climate

Like much of the rest of the state, Bristol has a
humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...
(
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
: ''Cfa''), although with significantly cooler temperatures, especially in the summer, due to elevation; it is part of USDA
hardiness zone A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most widely ...
6b, with areas to the southwest falling in zone 7a. The normal monthly mean temperature ranges from in January to in July, while, on average, 8.8 days have temperatures at or below freezing and 17 days with highs at or above per year. The all-time record low is , set on January 21, 1985, while the all-time record high is , set on June 30, 2012. Precipitation is low compared to much of East Tennessee, averaging annually, and reaches a low during autumn. The rainiest calendar day on record is October 16, 1964, when of rain fell; monthly precipitation has ranged from in October 2002 to in July 2012. Bristol's normal (1981–2010) winter snowfall stands at , significantly more than what most of Tennessee receives. The most snow in one calendar day was on November 21, 1952, while the most in one month is during March 1960, which contributed to the winter of 1959–60, with a total of , finishing as the snowiest on record.


Demographics


2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 27,147 people, 11,450 households, and 6,808 families residing in the city.


2000 census

As of the
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2000, 24,821 people, 10,648 households, and 6,825 families were residing in the city. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing 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 geog ...
in 2000 was 846 people per square mile (326.5/km). The 11,511 housing units averaged 392.2 per square mile (151.4/km). The racial makeup of the city was 95.15% White, 2.97% African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.64% Asian, 0.24% from other races, and 0.70% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 0.68% of the population. Of the 10,648 households, 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.0% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were not families. Nearly 32% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26, and the average family size was 2.84. In the city, the age distribution was 21.1% under 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.3 males. The median income for a household in the city was $30,039, and for a family was $37,341. Males had a median income of $28,210 versus $21,173 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the city was $18,535. About 11.5% of families and 15.0% 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 ...
, including 19.4% of those under age 18 and 12.0% of those age 65 or over.


Sports

Bristol is the location of
Bristol Motor Speedway Bristol Motor Speedway (formerly known as the Bristol International Raceway from 1978 to 1996 and as the Bristol International Speedway from 1961 to 1978) is a oval Oval track racing#Short track, short track in Bristol, Tennessee. The track ha ...
, a motorsports venue that hosts several NASCAR events. It is also home to Bristol Dragway, which hosts the Ford Thunder Valley Nationals, an NHRA national event. A
Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...
rookie A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year). In contrast with a veteran who has experience, a rookie is typically considered needing more tra ...
Minor League Baseball Minor League Baseball (MiLB) is a professional baseball organization below Major League Baseball (MLB), constituted of teams affiliated with MLB clubs. It was founded on September 5, 1901, in response to the growing dominance of the National Le ...
affiliate, the
Bristol Pirates The Bristol Pirates were a Minor League Baseball team in Bristol, Virginia, United States. They were a Rookie-level team in the Appalachian League. The team played home games at DeVault Memorial Stadium. Opened in 1969, Devault Memorial Stadium ...
, played its home games at DeVault Memorial Stadium in Bristol, Virginia, from 1969 to 2020. In conjunction with a contraction of Minor League Baseball beginning with the 2021 season, the Appalachian League, in which the Pirates played, was reorganized as a collegiate summer baseball league, and the Pirates were replaced by a new franchise in the revamped league designed for rising college freshman and sophomores.


Education


Colleges and universities

* King University *Graham Bible College


Primary and secondary schools

Bristol Tennessee City Schools operates public schools serving almost all of the city, with Tennessee High School being its public high school. Small sections are in the Sullivan County School District.


Media

Television: * WCYB-TV (NBC Channel 5.1) * WCYB-DT2 (CW Channel 5.2) * WEMT-TV ( FOX Channel 39.1) Note-WEMT is licensed to
Greeneville, Tennessee Greeneville is an incorporated town in and the county seat of Greene County, Tennessee, United States. The population as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census was 15,479. The town was named in honor of American Revolutionary War, Revol ...
, but co-located with sister station WCYB-TV.


Radio

* WZAP (AM 690 kHz) Christian * WFHG (FM 92.9 MHz) SuperTalk WFHG * WWTB (AM 980 kHz) The Sports Fox * WXBQ (FM 96.9 MHz) Twenty-four Carrot Country * WAEZ (FM 94.9 MHz) Electric 94.9 * WEXX (FM 99.3 MHz) The X 99.3 * WTFM (FM 98.5 MHz) WTFM 98.5 * WBCM-LP (FM 100.1 MHz) WBCM Radio Bristol


Newspapers

*'' Bristol Herald Courier''


Infrastructure


Fire Department

The Bristol Fire Department has 82 full-time and six part-time employees. It responds to over 5,000 calls per year and has five stations. The department is accredited by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International.


Police department

The Bristol Police Department is the municipal law enforcement agency for the city. The department has 73 sworn officers and 27 civilian support staff. It also makes use of citizen volunteers as an auxiliary staff, which saves the department over $100,000 annually.


Notable people

* Clarence Ashley, old-time musician * George Lafayette Carter, entrepreneur * John I. Cox, Governor of Tennessee (1905−1907) * Cara Cunningham, internet celebrity and blogger * Tennessee Ernie Ford (1919–1991), actor, singer * Justin Grimm, professional baseball player for the
Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (frequently referred to as the Oakland A's) were an American Major League Baseball (MLB) team based in Oakland, California from 1968 to 2024. The Athletics were a member club of the American League (AL) American League We ...
* Doyle Lawson, Grammy-nominated bluegrass musician and front man of Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver * Dave Loggins, songwriter, recording artist * David Massengill, folk singer-songwriter * Jayma Mays, actress *
Ricky Morton Richard Wendell Morton (born September 21, 1956) is an American professional wrestler, currently performing on the independent circuit. For most of his career, Morton has performed with Robert Gibson (wrestler), Robert Gibson as the Rock 'n' Roll ...
, professional wrestler and WWE Hall of Famer; one half of tag team Rock N Roll Express * Eureka O'Hara, drag queen *
Chase Owens Steven Owens, better known by the ring name Chase Owens (チェーズ・オーエンズ ''Chēzu Ōenzu'', born March 7, 1990) is an American professional wrestler signed with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a member of House of Tor ...
, professional wrestler * Davyd Whaley, painter


See also

*'' Rader v. State'' (1880)


Notes


References


Further reading

*Phillips, V.N. Bud. (1992) ''Bristol Tennessee/Virginia: A History-1852-1900''. Johnson City: Overmountain Press.


External links


City of Bristol official home page
{{Authority control Cities in Tennessee Cities in Sullivan County, Tennessee Divided cities East Tennessee Twin cities Kingsport–Bristol metropolitan area