Jefferson City, Tennessee

Last updated

Jefferson City
Mossy Creek [1]
City
Downtown Jefferson City looking west.jpg
Old A.J. Highway in downtown Jefferson City
Motto(s): 
"A Great Place to Live, Work, and Play."
Jefferson County Tennessee Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Jefferson City Highlighted 4737960.svg
Location of Jefferson City in Jefferson County, Tennessee
Coordinates: 36°6′59″N83°29′11″W / 36.11639°N 83.48639°W / 36.11639; -83.48639
Country United States
State Tennessee
County Jefferson
Settled1788 [2]
Incorporated 1901 [3]
Named for Thomas Jefferson
Government
[4]
 • Type Council-manager
 •  Mayor Mitch Cain
 •  City Manager James Gallup
 •  City Council
Councilmembers
Area
[5]
 • Total7.02 sq mi (18.18 km2)
 • Land6.98 sq mi (18.07 km2)
 • Water0.04 sq mi (0.11 km2)
Elevation
[6]
1,161 ft (354 m)
Population
 (2020) [7]
 • Total8,419
 • Density1,206.85/sq mi (465.99/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
37760
Area code 865
FIPS code 47-37960 [8]
GNIS feature ID2404796 [6] [9]
Website www.jeffcitytn.com

Jefferson City (originally named Mossy Creek) is a city in Jefferson County, Tennessee, United States. [6] It is part of the Morristown Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2020 census the population was 8,419. [10]

Contents

History

Heading southwest along the Holston River from Virginia, 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. [1] It is suggested that the original name of the city, Mossy Creek, originated due to the first settlers' description of the 'vivid' green moss developed around a creek near the settlement. [11] 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 in September 1861, Union Army General Ambrose Burnside liberated the city from the Confederacy, but was attacked in an unsuccessful siege by Confederate General James Longstreet. Several skirmishes took place around Mossy Creek, most notably the Battle of Mossy Creek on December 19, 1863. [1]

In the later 19th century, two communities formed around Mossy Creek, Frame Addition and Carsonville. In 1890, the historically segregated African American school of Nelson Merry College was founded in Mossy Creek. [12] [13] In 1901, Mossy Creek merged with the two communities, incorporating as Jefferson City. [1]

In 1940, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) began purchasing property in Jefferson City for the construction of Cherokee Dam and the impounding of the Holston River for Cherokee Lake. Many residents reluctantly gave up their farms and homes for the promise of flood control 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. [1]

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. [14] [1]

Since 2010, redevelopment and revitalization efforts have been underway in the downtown district of Jefferson City. The Mossy Creek Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, was established in 2012 to advance these efforts, receiving funding a for a public park with a mock train depot pavilion on the original site of the Mossy Creek station, and facade grants for existing structures downtown. [15]

Geography

Jefferson City is located in northern Jefferson County at 36°6′59″N83°29′11″W / 36.11639°N 83.48639°W / 36.11639; -83.48639 (36.116389, -83.486500). [16] It is bordered to the west by New Market, to the south by Dandridge, and to the northeast by Morristown.

U.S. Route 11E, the Andrew Johnson Highway, passes through the south side of the city. It leads northeast 13 miles (21 km) to the center of Morristown and west 3 miles (5 km) to New Market. Knoxville is 28 miles (45 km) to the southwest via Route 11E. Tennessee State Route 92 passes through the west side of Jefferson City, leading north 14 miles (23 km) to Rutledge and south 9 miles (14 km) to the center of Dandridge.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Jefferson City has a total area of 6.4 square miles (16.6 km2), of which 6.4 square miles (16.5 km2) are land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km2), or 0.72%, are water. [10] The northwestern boundary of the city touches the southernmost arm of Cherokee Lake, a reservoir on the Holston River.

Climate

Climate data for Jefferson City, Tennessee, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1981–2010
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Record high °F (°C)74
(23)		79
(26)		84
(29)		89
(32)		103
(39)		98
(37)		98
(37)		102
(39)		95
(35)		89
(32)		81
(27)		79
(26)		103
(39)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)47.4
(8.6)		51.4
(10.8)		60.5
(15.8)		69.6
(20.9)		77.9
(25.5)		84.2
(29.0)		87.0
(30.6)		86.5
(30.3)		81.6
(27.6)		71.4
(21.9)		59.9
(15.5)		50.3
(10.2)		69.0
(20.6)
Daily mean °F (°C)35.9
(2.2)		39.1
(3.9)		46.2
(7.9)		55.1
(12.8)		64.2
(17.9)		71.8
(22.1)		75.0
(23.9)		74.2
(23.4)		68.2
(20.1)		56.6
(13.7)		45.9
(7.7)		38.6
(3.7)		55.9
(13.3)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)24.5
(−4.2)		26.7
(−2.9)		31.8
(−0.1)		40.5
(4.7)		50.4
(10.2)		59.3
(15.2)		62.9
(17.2)		61.9
(16.6)		54.9
(12.7)		41.8
(5.4)		31.8
(−0.1)		26.9
(−2.8)		42.8
(6.0)
Record low °F (°C)−26
(−32)		−14
(−26)		1
(−17)		15
(−9)		20
(−7)		35
(2)		40
(4)		47
(8)		32
(0)		13
(−11)		11
(−12)		−6
(−21)		−26
(−32)
Average precipitation inches (mm)4.12
(105)		4.46
(113)		4.64
(118)		4.64
(118)		4.10
(104)		3.75
(95)		5.05
(128)		3.84
(98)		3.33
(85)		2.69
(68)		3.36
(85)		4.55
(116)		48.53
(1,233)
Average snowfall inches (cm)1.3
(3.3)		1.5
(3.8)		0.0
(0.0)		0.0
(0.0)		0.0
(0.0)		0.0
(0.0)		0.0
(0.0)		0.0
(0.0)		0.0
(0.0)		0.0
(0.0)		0.1
(0.25)		0.1
(0.25)		3.0
(7.6)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)9.89.711.19.810.310.510.78.47.26.98.410.4113.2
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in)0.70.60.10.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.10.21.7
Source 1: NOAA [17]
Source 2: XMACIS2 [18]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1910 1,328—
1920 1,4146.5%
1930 1,89834.2%
1940 2,57635.7%
1950 3,63341.0%
1960 4,55025.2%
1970 5,12412.6%
1980 5,6129.5%
1990 5,494−2.1%
2000 7,76041.2%
2010 8,0473.7%
2020 8,4194.6%
2023 (est.)8,761 [19] 4.1%
Sources: [20] [21] [7]

2020 census

Jefferson City racial composition [22]
RaceNumberPercentage
White (non-Hispanic)6,95582.61%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)3043.61%
Native American 280.33%
Asian 861.02%
Pacific Islander 20.02%
Other/Mixed 3524.18%
Hispanic or Latino 6928.22%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 8,419 people, 2,846 households, and 1,703 families residing in the city.

2000 census

As of the census [8] of 2000, there were 7,760 people, 2,821 households, and 1,692 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,464.0 inhabitants per square mile (565.3/km2). There were 3,155 housing units at an average density of 595.2 per square mile (229.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 89.99% White, 6.29% African American, 0.44% Native American, 0.76% Asian, 0.17% Pacific Islander, 1.15% from other races, and 1.21% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino 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 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 for the city was $13,770. About 19.7% of families and 24.7% of the population were below the poverty line, 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. [23]

State

Jefferson City is represented in the Tennessee House of Representatives in the 17th and 11th districts by Representatives Andrew Farmer and Jeremy Faison respectively, both Republican. [24] [25]

In the Tennessee State Senate, Jefferson City is represented by the 8th district by Republican Frank Niceley. [26]

Federal

Jefferson City is represented in the United States House of Representatives by Republican Tim Burchett of the 2nd congressional district. [27]

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. [28]

Carson-Newman University

Carson-Newman University, a private Southern Baptist liberal arts university, is located in Jefferson City adjacent to its downtown district. It was founded in 1851, and has a student enrollment of over 2,500. [29]

Notable people

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington County, Virginia</span> County in Virginia, United States

Washington County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 53,935. Its county seat is Abingdon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott County, Virginia</span> County in Virginia, United States

Scott County is a county located in the far southwestern part of the U.S. state of Virginia, on the border with Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 21,576. Its county seat is Gate City. Scott County was formed by an act of the General Assembly on November 24, 1814, from parts of Washington, Lee, and Russell counties and was named for Virginia -born General Winfield Scott. Scott County is part of the Kingsport–Bristol–Bristol, TN-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. The County Administrator is Freda Russell Starnes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sullivan County, Tennessee</span> County in Tennessee, United States

Sullivan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee on its northeast border. As of the 2020 census, the population was 158,163. Its county seat is Blountville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jefferson County, Tennessee</span> County in Tennessee, United States

Jefferson County is an exurban county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 54,683. Its county seat is Dandridge. Jefferson County is part of the Morristown Metropolitan Statistical Area with neighboring Grainger and Hamblen counties. The county, along with the Morristown MSA, is included in the Knoxville-Morristown-Sevierville Combined Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hamblen County, Tennessee</span> County in Tennessee, United States

Hamblen County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 64,499. Its county seat and only incorporated city is Morristown. Hamblen County is the core county of the Morristown, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Hamblen, Jefferson, and Grainger counties. The county and the Morristown MSA are included in the Knoxville-Morristown-Sevierville, TN Combined Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grainger County, Tennessee</span> County in Tennessee, United States

Grainger County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 23,527. Its county seat is Rutledge. Grainger County is a part of both the Knoxville Metropolitan Statistical Area and Morristown Metropolitan Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carter County, Tennessee</span> County in Tennessee, United States

Carter County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 56,356. Its county seat is Elizabethton. The county is named in honor of Landon Carter (1760–1800), an early settler active in the "Lost State of Franklin" 1784-1788 secession from the State of North Carolina. Carter County is part of the Johnson City, TN Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a component of the Johnson City–Kingsport–Bristol, TN-VA Combined Statistical Area, located in northeastern Tennessee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clinton, Tennessee</span> City in Tennessee, United States

Clinton is a city in and the county seat of Anderson County, Tennessee. Clinton is included in the Knoxville metropolitan area. Its population was 10,056 at the 2020 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rutledge, Tennessee</span> City in Tennessee, United States

Rutledge is a city in and the county seat of Grainger County, Tennessee. The city is part of both the Knoxville metropolitan area and the Morristown metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 1,321.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rogersville, Tennessee</span> Town in the United States

Rogersville is a town in, and the county seat of, Hawkins County, Tennessee, United States. It was settled in 1775 by the grandparents of Davy Crockett. It is named for its founder, Joseph Rogers. Tennessee's second oldest courthouse, the Hawkins County Courthouse, first newspaper The Knoxville Gazette, and first post office are all located in Rogersville. The Rogersville Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dandridge, Tennessee</span> County seat of Jefferson County, Tennessee, United States

Dandridge is a town in and the county seat of Jefferson County, Tennessee. It had a population of 3,344 at the 2020 census. The town is part of the Morristown, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area, which consists of Jefferson, Hamblen, and Grainger counties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Market, Tennessee</span> Town in Tennessee, United States

New Market is a town in Jefferson County, Tennessee, United States. It is part of the Morristown metropolitan area. The population was 1,334 at the 2010 census and 1,349 at the 2020 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingston, Tennessee</span> City in Tennessee, United States

Kingston is a city in and the county seat of Roane County, Tennessee, United States. This city is thirty-six miles southwest of Knoxville. It had a population of 5,934 at the 2010 United States census, and is included in the Harriman, Tennessee Micropolitan Statistical Area. Kingston is adjacent to Watts Bar Lake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morristown, Tennessee</span> Largest city and county seat of Hamblen County, Tennessee, United States

Morristown is a city in and the county seat of Hamblen County, Tennessee, United States. Morristown also extends into Jefferson County on the western and southern ends. The city lies within the Ridge and Valley of the Appalachians. The city's population was recorded to be 30,431 at the 2020 United States census. It is the principal city of the Morristown Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Grainger, Hamblen, and Jefferson counties. The Morristown metropolitan area is also part of the Knoxville-Morristown-Sevierville Combined Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White Pine, Tennessee</span> Town in Jefferson and Hamblen counties in Tennessee, United States

White Pine is a town in Jefferson and Hamblen counties in Tennessee, United States. It is part of the Morristown metropolitan area. The population was 2,471 at the 2020 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingsport, Tennessee</span> City in Tennessee, United States

Kingsport is a city in Sullivan and Hawkins counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, its population was 55,442. Lying along the Holston River, Kingsport is commonly included in what is known as the Mountain Empire, which spans a portion of southwest Virginia and the mountainous counties in northeastern Tennessee. It is the largest 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bean Station, Tennessee</span> Lakeside town in Grainger and Hawkins counties, Tennessee

Bean Station is a town split between the counties of Grainger and Hawkins in Tennessee, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 2,967. It is part of the Kingsport, Knoxville, and Morristown metropolitan statistical areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Knoxville metropolitan area</span> Metropolitan area in Tennessee, United States

The Knoxville metropolitan area, commonly known as Greater Knoxville, is a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) centered on Knoxville, Tennessee, the third largest city in Tennessee and the largest city in East Tennessee. It is the third largest metropolitan area in Tennessee. In 2020, the Knoxville metro area had a population of 879,773, and a population of 903,300 including Grainger County. The Knoxville–Morristown–Sevierville Combined Statistical Area (CSA) had a population of 1,156,861 according to the census bureau in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morristown metropolitan area</span> Metropolitan area based in Morristown, Tennessee, United States

The Morristown Metropolitan Statistical Area, commonly known as the Lakeway Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of three counties - Grainger, Hamblen, and Jefferson - in eastern Tennessee, anchored by the city of Morristown. Grainger County is both in the Knoxville and Morristown Metropolitans. Including Grainger County, the 2020 census showed that the MSA had a population of 142,709.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cherokee Dam</span> Dam in Tennessee, United States

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 the early 1940s to help meet urgent demands for energy at the outbreak of World War II. Cherokee Dam is 175 feet (53 m) high and impounds the 28,780-acre (11,650 ha) Cherokee Lake. It has a generating capacity of 136 megawatts. The dam was named for the Cherokee, a Native American tribe that controlled much of East Tennessee when the first European settlers arrived in the mid-18th century.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Gass, Linda; Lang, Albert (2014). Jefferson City (Paperback). Arcadia Publishing. ISBN   9781467112604.
  2. ↑ Jefferson City official website. Retrieved: January 16, 2013.
  3. ↑ Tennessee Blue Book , 2005-2006, pp. 618-625.
  4. ↑ "Jefferson City". Municipal Technical Advisory Service. University of Tennessee . Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  5. ↑ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
  6. 1 2 3 "City of Jefferson City". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  7. 1 2 "Census Population API". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
  8. 1 2 "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  9. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  10. 1 2 "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Jefferson City city, Tennessee". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  11. ↑ "City History". jeffcitytn.com. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  12. ↑ Booker, Robert J. (June 28, 2023). "Nelson Merry School founded to educate Black students post-Civil War". Knoxville News Sentinel . OCLC   12008657 . Retrieved December 8, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Nelson Merry College, Jefferson City, Tennessee, 1890-1965". lost-colleges. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
  14. ↑ Muncy, Estle (October 8, 2017). "Jefferson County". Tennessee Encyclopedia . Tennessee Historical Society . Retrieved August 19, 2020.
  15. ↑ "Timeline". Mossy Creek Foundation. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  16. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  17. ↑ "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Jefferson City, TN". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
  18. ↑ "xmACIS2". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
  19. ↑ "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2023". United States Census Bureau. May 16, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
  20. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing: Decennial Censuses". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved March 4, 2012.
  21. ↑ "Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions Datasets: Subcounty Resident Population Estimates: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012". Population Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 11, 2013. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
  22. ↑ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  23. ↑ "Meet the Jefferson City Council". Jefferson City. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  24. ↑ "Representative Andrew Farmer". capitol.tn.gov. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  25. ↑ "Representative Jeremy Faison". capitol.tn.gov. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  26. ↑ "Senator Frank S. Niceley". capitol.tn.gov. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  27. ↑ "Our District". Congressman Tim Burchett. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  28. ↑ "Jefferson County School District". jc-tn.net. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  29. ↑ "Carson-Newman University". cn.edu/. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.