Blountville, Tennessee
Encyclopedia
Blountville is an unincorporated town and census-designated place
(CDP) in Sullivan County, Tennessee
, United States
. The population was 3,074 at the 2010 census
. It is the county seat
of Sullivan County and 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
, which is a component of the Johnson City
–Kingsport–Bristol, TN-VA
Combined Statistical Area
– commonly known as the "Tri-Cities
" region.
fort prior to its permanent settlement. The site of the town was part of a tract of about 600 acres (242.8 ha) of land bought by James Brigham in 1782. In 1792 Brigham gave 30 acres (12.1 ha) 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.
On the afternoon of September 22, 1863, during the Civil War
, the town was the scene of the four-hour-long Battle of Blountville. During a major expedition into East Tennessee
and Southwest Virginia
, a Union Army
unit attacked Confederate
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
, 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 is 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.
. The Deery Inn was built in the late 1700s and consists of three buildings: a two story log home
, 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.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP has a total area of 5.7 square miles (14.8 km²), all land
of 2000, there were 2,959 people, 1,060 households, and 763 families residing in the CDP. The population density
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, 1.32% African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.07% from other races
, and 0.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino 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
for the CDP was $16,173. About 3.0% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.4% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
. The community is also the site of Northeast State Technical Community College
.
, located in Blountville primarily because of its central location between Johnson City
, Kingsport
, Bristol, TN/VA
. NASCAR
champion Alan Kulwicki
died in an airplane crash near Blountville.
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
are located just south of Blountville.
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) in Sullivan County, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 3,074 at the 2010 census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Sullivan County and is the only Tennessee county seat not to be an incorporated
Municipal corporation
A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. Municipal incorporation occurs when such municipalities become self-governing entities under the laws of the state or province in which...
city or town.
Blountville is part of the Kingsport
Kingsport, Tennessee
Kingsport is a city located mainly in Sullivan County with some western portions in Hawkins County in the US state of Tennessee. The majority of the city lies in Sullivan County...
–Bristol (TN)
Bristol, Tennessee
Bristol is a city in Sullivan County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 26,702 at the 2010 census. It is the twin city of Bristol, Virginia, which lies directly across the state line between Tennessee and Virginia. The boundaries of both cities run parallel to each other along State...
–Bristol (VA)
Bristol, Virginia
Bristol is an independent city in Virginia, United States, bounded by Washington County, Virginia, Bristol, Tennessee, and Sullivan County, Tennessee....
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA MSA
The Kingsport–Bristol–Bristol, Tennessee-Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area is a Metropolitan Statistical Area in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia as defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget...
, which is a component of the Johnson City
Johnson City, Tennessee
Johnson City is a city in Carter, Sullivan, and Washington counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, with most of the city being in Washington County...
–Kingsport–Bristol, TN-VA
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
Combined Statistical Area
Combined Statistical Area
The United States Office of Management and Budget defines micropolitan and metropolitan statistical areas. Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas consist of one or more counties...
– commonly known as the "Tri-Cities
Tri-Cities, Tennessee
In Tennessee and Virginia the name "Tri-Cities" refers to the region comprising the cities of Kingsport, Johnson City and Bristol and the surrounding smaller towns and communities in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia...
" region.
History
The area that is now Blountville is thought to have been the location of a longhunterLonghunter
A Longhunter was an 18th-century explorer and hunter who made expeditions into the American frontier wilderness for as much as six months at a time...
fort prior to its permanent settlement. The site of the town was part of a tract of about 600 acres (242.8 ha) of land bought by James Brigham in 1782. In 1792 Brigham gave 30 acres (12.1 ha) 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
Courthouse
A courthouse is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America. In most other English speaking countries, buildings which house courts of law are simply...
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.
On the afternoon of September 22, 1863, during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, the town was the scene of the four-hour-long Battle of Blountville. During a major expedition into East Tennessee
East Tennessee
East Tennessee is a name given to approximately the eastern third of the U.S. state of Tennessee, one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee defined in state law. East Tennessee consists of 33 counties, 30 located within the Eastern Time Zone and three counties in the Central Time Zone, namely...
and Southwest Virginia
Southwest Virginia
Southwest Virginia, often abbreviated as SWVA, is a mountainous region of Virginia in the westernmost part of the commonwealth. Southwest Virginia has been defined alternatively as all Virginia counties on the Appalachian Plateau, all Virginia counties west of the Eastern Continental Divide, or...
, a Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
unit attacked Confederate
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
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
Incorporated town
-Canada:Incorporated towns are a form of local government in Canada, which is a responsibility of provincial rather than federal government.-United States:...
, it would qualify as the second oldest municipality in Tennessee (second only to Jonesborough
Jonesborough, Tennessee
Jonesborough is a town in and the county seat of Washington County, Tennessee, in the southeastern United States. The population was 4,168 at the 2000 census...
). 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 is was ruled that neighboring Kingsport
Kingsport, Tennessee
Kingsport is a city located mainly in Sullivan County with some western portions in Hawkins County in the US state of Tennessee. The majority of the city lies in Sullivan County...
was not allowed to annex
Annexation
Annexation is the de jure incorporation of some territory into another geo-political entity . Usually, it is implied that the territory and population being annexed is the smaller, more peripheral, and weaker of the two merging entities, barring physical size...
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 PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. The Deery Inn was built in the late 1700s and consists of three buildings: a two story log home
Log home
A log home is structurally identical to a log cabin...
, a three story stone house
Stone House
- Place or building in England :* Stone House, Cumbria, England* Stone House, Deptford , one of the oldest and most distinctive buildings in the London Borough of Lewisham- Place or building in Hong Kong :...
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°32′0"N 82°19′35"W (36.533312, -82.326474).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the CDP has a total area of 5.7 square miles (14.8 km²), all land
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 2,959 people, 1,060 households, and 763 families residing in the CDP. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
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, 1.32% African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.07% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino 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
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
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
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the CDP was $16,173. About 3.0% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.4% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Blountville has eight public schools. The five elementary schools are Akard, Holston, Blountville, Indian Springs, and Central Heights Elementary School. The two middle schools are Blountville Middle School and Holston Middle School. High school students attend Sullivan Central High SchoolSullivan Central High School
Sullivan Central High School is a 9th through 12th grade high school in Blountville, Tennessee. It has around 1000 students annually. The two middle schools that feed into Central are Blountville Middle School and Holston Middle School. The school's mascot is the cougar...
. The community is also the site of Northeast State Technical Community College
Northeast State Technical Community College
Northeast State Community College is a public comprehensive community college based in Blountville, Tennessee, offering technical education and college transfer programs in Blountville and at teaching sites in Elizabethton, Gray, and Kingsport. The school strives to tailor its programs and services...
.
Transportation
Blountville is the site of the Tri-Cities Regional AirportTri-Cities Regional Airport
Tri-Cities Regional Airport , also known as Tri-Cities Regional Airport, TN/VA, is a public airport located adjacent to Blountville, Tennessee...
, located in Blountville primarily because of its central location between Johnson City
Johnson City, Tennessee
Johnson City is a city in Carter, Sullivan, and Washington counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, with most of the city being in Washington County...
, Kingsport
Kingsport, Tennessee
Kingsport is a city located mainly in Sullivan County with some western portions in Hawkins County in the US state of Tennessee. The majority of the city lies in Sullivan County...
, Bristol, TN/VA
Bristol, Tennessee
Bristol is a city in Sullivan County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 26,702 at the 2010 census. It is the twin city of Bristol, Virginia, which lies directly across the state line between Tennessee and Virginia. The boundaries of both cities run parallel to each other along State...
. NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
champion Alan Kulwicki
Alan Kulwicki
Alan Dennis Kulwicki , nicknamed "Special K" and the "Polish Prince", was an American NASCAR Winston Cup Series racecar driver. He started racing at local short tracks in Wisconsin before moving up to regional stock car touring series...
died in an airplane crash near Blountville.
Recreation
Blountville's historic districtHistoric district (United States)
In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided...
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
Boone Lake is a reservoir in Sullivan and Washington counties in northeastern Tennessee, formed by the impoundment of the South Fork Holston River behind Boone Dam....
are located just south of Blountville.