Established in 1855, Morristown developed into a thriving community due to its strategic location at the intersection of two major stagecoach routes. It would experience turmoil from battles in its immediate area and its change of control under Union and Confederate forces during the Civil War. Following the war, Morristown furthered its industrial growth with companies expanding rail access, making it a prominent logistics hub into the 20th century. Since the mid-20th century, the city has established itself as the regional economic hub and metropolis of the Lakeway Area region following efforts to expand the industrial sector of the city's economy into a market with over 100 companies, providing a workforce of an estimated 30,000 people.[16]
History
Early years and establishment
Before its settlement by European-Americans, the area of Morristown was inhabited by Native Americans, predominately members of the Cherokee tribe.[17] During the Cherokee's inhabitance, the area was based around two major pathways, an east-west route that was later developed into the Great Stage Road in the settlement era, and a north-south route known as Buffalo Trail, named for a legend stating the path was formed from herds of buffalo traveling from Asheville, North Carolina to the Powell River near the Cumberland Gap for the river's salt licks.[18]
Morris, along with his siblings, petitioned to have the Watauga Settlement annexed in the State of North Carolina.[19] With the petition's success, the settlement was named Morristown, and land grants containing present-day Hamblen and Jefferson counties were assigned to Morris and his brothers in 1787 by North Carolina state officials.[22][16] The Morris household built their first home off of present-day South Cumberland Street in Morristown, which remained occupied by descendants of the Morris family for several generations.[23]
From 1792 to 1793, the community's main street was added onto a major stagecoach route connecting it to Knoxville and Abingdon, Virginia, aiding further early settlement efforts.[24][25] Among these settlers was frontiersman John Crockett, who arrived and settled east of the Morris residence in 1794 with his son, famed pioneer and folk-hero Davy Crockett who was seven years old at the time. John Crockett constructed a log cabin that later served as a tavern, and a hospital treating smallpox during the American Civil War. After the Civil War, the Crockett Tavern was destroyed to prevent further infections of smallpox.[23] The current-day Crockett Tavern Museum sits at the approximate location of the former tavern and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[26] John's son, Davy resided in Morristown until 1809, when he relocated to Middle Tennessee to go into Tennessee state politics.[23]
By 1833, Morristown developed into a small village, consisting of a post office, a general store, a blacksmith and machine shop which was the first major enterprise in the town, and several log cabin residences along the main stagecoach route known as the Great Stage Road that divided the community into two counties, Grainger to the north, and Jefferson to the south.[23][27] Morristown Academy, the community's first documented school, opened to students in 1830.[23] In 1855, Morristown was incorporated into a city to provide new services to the community's growing population.[28][23] Railroad access became available to Morristown when construction completed on the East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad in 1858, which was the first railroad line to be operational in the state of Tennessee.[23] Morristown was serviced by its first newspaper, the American Statesman, in 1857 after relocating to Morristown from Dandridge, the seat of Jefferson County.[23] By 1860, Morristown was recorded by the United States Census Bureau to have an initial population of 500 as an incorporated city.[23]
Between 1855 and 1870, Morristown's municipal limits were divided along Main Street into Grainger and Jefferson counties.[28] Many residents brought concerns regarding transportation and communication access in Morristown, and neighboring communities such as Russellville and Panther Springs raised concerns as well regarding accessibility to Morristown.[29] After working with government officials from the neighboring counties and the state government, Hamblen County was formed from portions of Grainger, Jefferson, Hawkins, and Greene counties.[29] Morristown was chosen as the county seat of Hamblen County shortly after its formation in 1870.[28]
As the Civil War approached, the town's sympathies were divided between the Union and secessionist sides. In December 1863, some 25,000 Confederate Army soldiers under the command of General James Longstreet arrived at Bethesda Presbyterian Church, northeast of the town, to spend the winter, after the Battle of Bean's Station. They remained there until February 1864 and used the Bethesda Church building as a hospital.[30][31] Military engagements occurred near the church in both October and November 1864.[30] On October 28, 1864, Union General Alvan C. Gillem attacked Confederate forces under General John C. Vaughn in the Battle of Morristown. They fought in and around the town with Gillem routing Vaughn's Confederates in what became known as "Vaughn's Stampede." Vaughn was forced to retreat to Carter's Station on the Watauga River in northeastern Tennessee. The battle resulted in about 335 total casualties.[32][33][34] In the Battle of Bull's Gap ("Gillem's Stampede") in November, Confederate forces under General John C. Breckinridge prevailed over Gillem's troops, chasing the Union forces westward to a defensive position at Strawberry Plains near Knoxville.[34][35] During one of these skirmishes, a cannonball penetrated one of the church walls, causing structural damage that was repaired by reinforcing the walls with large iron rods.[30] The Union Army used the church as a hospital for soldiers wounded in these operations.[35] Many soldiers from both sides are interred in the Bethesda Church cemetery. Eighty of the wartime burials are unidentified.[30][31]
Later 18th century developments
Morristown saw a steady shift into an industrially-based economy in the early beginnings of the Industrial Revolution, around the early to late 19th century. The first industry in the area was the Shields Paper Mill, located on the Holston River, operating from 1825 to 1861.[36] Other prominent early businesses included the Morristown Manufacturing Company and the later Knoxville-based J. F. Goodson Coffee Company in 1882.[36][37]
From 1891 to 1928, Morristown was a terminal on the Knoxville and Bristol Railroad, commonly known by locals as the "Peavine Railroad." The railroad was a branch line of the Southern Railway that ran from downtown Morristown on Main Street to Corryton, a bedroom community outside of Knoxville.[38][39] The Peavine Railroad had first operated between Morristown and Bean Station, with plans to connect north to the Cumberland Gap, but instead extended west through Grainger County towards Knoxville due to feasibility concerns regarding construction through the Clinch Mountain valley.[40]
In March 1950, workers at the facility walked out on strike. Officials from American Enka Company then advertised for replacements of the striking workers. Tensions soon built when residents of Morristown and Lowland appeared at the gates of the Enka plant to apply for the listed jobs. Violence then followed, with shots fired, cars damaged, and one adjacent house destroyed by dynamite. The then-governor of Tennessee, Gordon Browning, dispatched National Guard troops to restore order at the Enka factory. By the end of the strike, and following acts of violence and vandalism, its story had become national front-page news, and on-site congressional hearings regarding labor relations and the labor movement were held in Morristown, led by Democratic Senator Hubert Humphrey.[43][44]
In 1985, the American Enka facility was acquired by BASF and continued under their operations until 1992, when it was sold to Lenzing AG.[41] The plant closed in 2005, after the company that operated the plant, Liberty Fibers, filed for bankruptcy.[45] The plant site and its adjacent wastewater treatment plant have since been annexed into the Morristown city limits.[45]
Industrial development
Beginning in 1959, following then presidential candidate John F. Kennedy's exposure to poverty in Appalachia, Morristown officials began a joint effort with Tennessee economic development representatives to establish the city as a major industrial hub, and the program began with the construction and completion of the East Tennessee Valley Industrial District (ETVID) industrial park in eastern Morristown near Russellville.[46] In 1962, the world's largest manufacturer of chains, the Jeffrey Manufacturing Company opened a plant to manufacture its steel thimble roller chains.[47]
By 1978, the 375 acres (1.52 km2) ETVID industrial park had reached its estimated capacity, prompting city officials to develop a second industrial park.[46] After acquiring a 670 acres (2.7 km2) site in western Morristown near Morristown Regional Airport in the same year, city officials developed the site into the Morristown Airport Industrial District (MAID) industrial park in 1981.[46] Five months after the park's completion, two companies opened facilities at the MAID.[46] As overall economic prosperity continued to make gains in Morristown, city officials and development representatives have cited Morristown's industrial development initiative as an example of economic growth:[46]
In the 1990s, the City of Morristown acquired over 900 acres (3.6 km2) near Interstate 81 exit 8 for its third industrial park, the East Tennessee Progress Center (ETPC).[48] Initial site development such as roadway and utility upgrades were completed in 2001.[48] Several large manufacturers opened facilities at the site, but further infrastructure upgrades, grading work, and property acquisition was done on the site throughout the 2000s and 2010s.[48][49]
Following the 2007-2012 global economic crisis, Morristown saw the loss of one of its largest employers, Berkline, which closed after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2011.[50] The furniture manufacturer, which relocated to the city in 1937, eliminated 602 jobs and ended an era of Morristown being known as a predominately furniture manufacturing hub:[51]
"For two or three generations, Morristown has been considered a furniture town, and this is the last of the major furniture operations here."
— Hamblen County Mayor Bill Brittain, "Furniture maker Berkline closing Morristown operation", Knoxville News Sentinel (2011)
In 2018, Belgian bus manufacturer Van Hool announced the construction of a 500,000 square feet (46,000 m2) facility at the ETPC (East Tennessee Progress Center), [48] one of the largest industrial development projects in the history of Morristown.[52][53] The project expects to create an estimated 650 jobs, over $47 million in private investment and an influx of interest of further industrial development in the Morristown area.[48][54]
By 1833, Morristown had its first post office and store located along Main Street.[24] Fourteen years later, railroad lines were built, stimulating further commercial growth until the beginning of the American Civil War.[24] Morristown's Main Street district, measuring approximately 1 square mile (2.6 km2), arose from the intersection of two railroad lines, gradually turning Morristown into wholesale/retail hub after the end of the Civil War.[24]
At the start of the 20th century, new buildings were erected in the downtown area, including the Henry Street Post Office, the First National Bank Building, and the Princess Theater. The Princess Theater was the first theater in Morristown and showcased touring musical acts, ministerial shows, pageants, films, and special Grand Ole Opry performances. Following the opening of theaters in neighboring shopping complexes, the Princess Theater closed in 1982, and was demolished in 1995.[24]
Following the 1950s, the downtown district saw losses in revenue, as a suburban shopping mall on the city's west side jeopardized businesses downtown. The city developed a plan to modernize Main Street by creating an "overhead sidewalk" as part of the nationwide push for urban renewal projects, enabling businesses to form on the second floor of existing buildings while serving as a canopy for passage below. Building owners spent nearly $2 million ($16 million today) upgrading their properties and linking them to ramps, while the government contributed over $5 million to build the elevated walkways.[24] The underground channel for Turkey Creek was also enlarged and rerouted. In 1962, Turkey Creek, which bisects the street, flooded and damaged the downtown commercial district. The project was completed in 1967, becoming the first second-story sidewalk system in an American city.[55] Over time, the Skymart has served as little more than a remnant of the idealism of 1960s urban renewal projects. Despite the aftermath of the project, the overhead sidewalks still stand in the downtown area.[56][57]
Morristown is embarking on a resurrection of the Skymart, eyeing the structure as a key redevelopment tool for turning downtown into a social and commercial hub. It has been made a key element in a greenway master plan along Turkey Creek, with plans to connect downtown Morristown to Cherokee Park and Cherokee Lake.[58][59] In an effort to renew public interest, city officials, the Crossroads Downtown Partnership, and the Morristown Area Chamber of Commerce hold events in the city's downtown or the "Skymart District" throughout the year, mainly during the warmer months of May to September.[60]
According to the 2010 census, the city has a total area of 28.0 square miles (72.4 km2), of which 0.04 square miles (0.1 km2), or 0.19%, are water. Cherokee Lake, an artificial reservoir built by the Tennessee Valley Authority in the 1940s, is north of the city.
Climate
Morristown falls in the humid subtropical climate zone (Köppen climate classificationCfa), although it is not quite as hot as areas to the south and west of Tennessee due to the higher elevations. Summers are hot and humid, with July highs averaging 85 °F (29 °C), lows averaging 66 °F (19 °C), and an average of eight days per year with temperatures above 90 °F (32 °C).[63] Winters are generally cool, with occasional small amounts of snow. January averages a high of around 45 °F (7 °C) and a low of around 28 °F (−2 °C), although low temperatures in the single digits and teens are not uncommon. The record high for Morristown, since 1994, is 103 °F (39 °C), while the record low is −2 °F (−19 °C). Annual precipitation averages around 44.3 in (1,125 mm), and average winter snowfall is 11.7 inches (30 cm). The average monthly relative humidity is around 70 percent.
Climate data for Morristown, TN (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1982–present)
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 30,431 people, 11,639 households, and 6,985 families residing in the city.
2010 census
As of the census of 2010,[11] there were 29,137 people, 11,412 households, and 7,278 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,194.7 inhabitants per square mile (461.3/km2). There were 12,705 housing units at an average density of 528.1 per square mile (203.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 86.52% White, 6.63% African American, 0.87% Asian, 0.20% Pacific Islander, and 2.15% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origins were 19.37% of the population.
There were 11,412 households, out of which 22.5% had children under 17 years of age living with them, 45.2% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.2% were non-families. 31% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.85% under 17 years of age, 9.45% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 16% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,005, and the median income for a family was $33,391. Males had a median income of $26,724 versus $20,515 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,894. About 14.6% of families and 19.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.9% of those under age 18 and 17.3% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Being centrally located in the East Tennessee region, Morristown serves at the hub for a labor market area pulling most of its labor force from a surrounding seven-county area of 337,000 people.[71] Morristown and its metropolitan area in 2019 was reported to have a gross metropolitan product of US$5.1 billion.[72]
As of August 2020, Morristown has seen a high demand for both single-family and multi-family residential developments.[75][76] Morristown reported a 110% increase in residential construction in the city's annual economic and community development report in 2020.[77]
A study by Middle Tennessee State University found that the Morristown metropolitan area saw an 8.1% increase in housing prices in the third quarter of 2019 compared to the same period in 2018.[78]
As of 2010, the median price for a home in the Morristown-Hamblen area was $125,600, compared with $142,000 in the Knoxville metropolitan area, and $177,900 nationally.[16]
In 2010, the Morristown-Hamblen area was home to over 1,000 businesses, employing over 25,000 people.[16] Total property tax revenue was almost equally divided amongst residential, commercial, and industrial properties, with residential property tax supplying 50.1%, commercial at 26.1%, and industrial at 20.1%.[16]
In 2019, the Morristown area was reported to be home to 109 manufacturing companies, with projections showing Morristown could gain 3,000 jobs and over $600,000,000 in investment in the manufacturing sector alone by the year 2024.[76]
Morristown's manufacturing market employs nearly 10,000 or 24% of the workforce in Hamblen County, and an extra 11,000 commuting from surrounding counties such as Jefferson, Grainger, Cocke, and Hawkins for employment.[71]
Retail
Morristown is considered a hub for retail, with the indoor regional College Square Mall serving an area of 300,000 people, and a diverse array of locally owned shops and franchised stores in retail developments dispersed around Morristown and in its downtown area.[82][83] In 2016, the city saw nearly $1.4 billion in retail sales.[28]
Arts and culture
Festivals
There are several annual festivals and events held in Morristown,[84] some of the more notable events include:
Morristown Strawberry Festival – festival held every May celebrating strawberries harvested in Morristown.[85]
Morristown Craft Beer Festival – Craft beer festival with live music held at the Morristown Farmers Market every September.[86]
Crockett Tavern Museum in East Morristown, which is replica of the original tavern owned by John Crockett and boyhood home of Davy Crockett on the original site.
Little League softball and baseball in Morristown dates back to the late 20th century. In 1985 and 1987, Morristown had baseball teams qualify for the Little League World Series; the 1985 team finished in third place. The Morristown teams are two of eleven Tennessee teams that have advanced to the series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Morristown would see podium placement by the 2000s, placing fourth in the 2006 Little League Softball World Series,[97] and winning it the following year.[98]
Parks and recreation
Municipal and county recreation areas include Cherokee Park, Frank Lorino, Fred Miller, and Fulton-Hill. Public access for boating and swimming to Cherokee Reservoir is available in the northern area of the city and county. Morristown is also home to several golf and disc golf courses.[99]
Morristown uses the mayor-council government system, which was established in 1855 when the city was incorporated. Morristown is governed by a seven-member city council composed of the mayor and six council members, four members are elected from single-member districts and two members are elected at-large for the entire city.[6] The citizens elect the mayor to a four-year term and the six council members to two-year terms.
The City Council meets every first and third Tuesday of each month at 5:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at the City Center building.[6]
Citizen Tribune, daily news publication for Morristown and its greater area in operation since 1966.[105]
Infrastructure
Healthcare
Morristown is home to the Morristown-Hamblen Hospital. The hospital has a 167-room capacity with 23 designated for emergency use. It is considered the main healthcare center in the Morristown metropolitan area.[106]
Utilities
Morristown Utilities System (MUS) provides electricity, water, sewer, and fiber broadband internet to the City of Morristown and several eastern Hamblen County residents and businesses. It provides services to approximately 15,000 customers.[107]
Appalachian Electric Cooperative (AEC), a utilities company based out of New Market in neighboring Jefferson County, provides electricity and fiber broadband internet for western and northern portions of Morristown, portions of Hamblen County, Jefferson County (including New Market, Baneberry, Jefferson City, Dandridge, and White Pine), and Grainger County (including Bean Station and Rutledge).[108][109] AEC, as of June 2018, provides services to 46,000 customers.[109]
Transportation
Morristown is primarily populated with car-dependent stroad infrastructure.
Morristown is an automobile-dependent city, almost entirely reliant on roadway infrastructure to support its large commuting-base residing inside the city and from surrounding counties.[110]
All U.S. routes, state routes in Morristown, along with I-81,[111] are maintained by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) in TDOT Region 1, which consists of 24 counties in East Tennessee.[110][112] Streets, sidewalks, and greenways in the Morristown-Hamblen area are maintained by either the Hamblen County Highway Department or the City of Morristown Public Works Department.[113][114][115][116]
In 2002, the United States Census Bureau declared the municipalities of Morristown, Jefferson City, White Pine, and portions of unincorporated Hamblen and Jefferson counties as a part of an urbanized area.[117] The Lakeway Area Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization (LAMPTO) was created following the requirement of a designated MTPO for all urbanized areas in the United States.[117] The LAMPTO plans and coordinates regional transportation projects in Morristown and its urbanized area.[117]
Major highways
The sole interstate highway serving Morristown is Interstate 81, which connects the city to Interstate 40 in nearby Dandridge to the west, and the Tri-Cities region in northeasternmost Tennessee to the east.[118]
Tennessee State Route 66 is a connector route to serving Morristown, connecting the city to I-81 exit 4 in White Pine, and to SR 160 and US 11E in west Morristown.[118]
Public transportation is provided by Lakeway Transit. Three fixed bus routes connect to the downtown area, most residential areas, and major shopping centers throughout the city. Lakeway Transit operates using passenger fares, and city, state, federal funding.[123]
Morristown and the surrounding area is served by Morristown Regional Airport (IATA:MOR), a 160-acre (65 ha) airport equipped with one 5,717-foot (1,743 m) runway. The airport is located southwest of Morristown's central business district near the neighborhood of Alpha, and is operated by the municipal government.[124]
^"JFG Coffee Company Building". Knox Heritage. Retrieved August 8, 2020. JFG Coffee Company was founded in Morristown in 1882 by James Franklin Goodson as a wholesale grocery company. JFG was one of the best-known regional roasters and marketers of ground coffee, tea, mayonnaise, and peanut butter.
^Faulkner, Charles (1985). "Industrial Archaeology of the "Peavine Railroad": An Archaeological and Historical Study of an Abandoned Railroad in East Tennessee". Tennessee Historical Quarterly. 44 (1). Tennessee Historical Society: 40–58. JSTOR42626500.
^"Station: Morristown Radio WCRK, TN". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
^US Department of Commerce, NOAA. "Morristown, TN". www.weather.gov. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
^"Top 20 Employers". Morristown Area Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
^Moore, Robert (August 14, 2020). "Subdivision planned for South Cumberland". Citizen Tribune. Retrieved August 17, 2020. As residential growth – mostly apartments – in Morristown is proceeding at breakneck speed.. Kramps says the demand for single-family homes in Morristown in all price ranges remains high.
^LAMTPO Railroad Relocation Feasibility Study and Site Development for an Intermodal Freight Facility Report, Lakeway Area Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization
^"Considered For Post". Kingsport News. Kingsport, Tennessee. August 31, 1973. p. 6. Archived from the original on October 30, 2018. Retrieved October 29, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
Baker, Christopher Warren. “The Small Town in the Global Economy: A Case Study of Development and Resistance in a Southern Appalachian Industrial Center” University of Tennessee. 1995
Brooks, Cora Davis. "History of Morristown 1787 - 1936" 1936.
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