Old Washington (formerly Washington) is an
unincorporated community
An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either hav ...
and a former county seat of
Rhea County, Tennessee
Rhea County (pronounced ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 32,870. Its county seat is Dayton. Rhea County comprises the Dayton, TN Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also inc ...
.
History
After considering several options, a site at the head of Spring Creek was selected in 1812 to be the county seat of
Rhea County. This site was established as the town of Washington. The land for the town was donated by David Campbell, and the lots were auctioned off from May 21–22, 1812. A brick courthouse was completed in 1832. The town was busy marketplace, with ten stores and its own newspaper, The Valley Freeman. 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 polic ...
, the courthouse was used as a headquarters by various officers in 1863. The
Cincinnati Southern Railway, constructed in 1880, passed through
Dayton
Dayton () is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County. The 2020 U.S. census estimate put the city population at 137,644, while Greater Da ...
but bypassed Washington, and the inhabitants of Rhea County voted in 1889 to move the county seat from Washington to Dayton. Washington's population declined; the courthouse was torn down, and its bricks were used to build the
courthouse in
Dayton
Dayton () is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County. The 2020 U.S. census estimate put the city population at 137,644, while Greater Da ...
. The Washington Ferry operated on the
Tennessee River
The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other names ...
between Old Washington and
Meigs County from 1807 until the construction of the
Highway 30
The following highways are numbered 30:
International
* Asian Highway 30
* European route E30
Australia
* Albany Highway (State Route 30, Western Australia)
Brazil
* BR-030
Canada
* Alberta Highway 30 (defunct)
* British Columbia Highway 3 ...
bridge in the 1990s.
Education
Rhea County Schools is the local school district.
The district's sole high school is
Rhea County High School.
References
Unincorporated communities in Tennessee
Unincorporated communities in Rhea County, Tennessee
Former municipalities in Tennessee
Tennessee populated places on the Tennessee River
Former county seats in Tennessee
{{RheaCountyTN-geo-stub