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Johnson City | |
|---|---|
 Downtown Johnson City | |
 Flag  Seal  Logo | |
| Motto: Go. All. Out. | |
 Location of Johnson City in Carter, Sullivan and Washington counties, Tennessee | |
  Johnson City  Johnson City | |
| Coordinates:36°20′N82°22′W / 36.333°N 82.367°W /36.333; -82.367 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Tennessee |
| Counties | Washington,Carter,Sullivan |
| Founded | 1856 |
| Incorporated | 1869[1] |
| Founded by | Henry Johnson |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council-manager government |
| • Mayor | John F. Hunter II |
| • Vice Mayor | Gregory C.G. Cox |
| • City Manager | Cathy Ball |
| • City Commissioners | Jenny Brock Joe Wise Todd Fowler |
| Area | |
• City | 43.75 sq mi (113.32 km2) |
| • Land | 43.44 sq mi (112.52 km2) |
| • Water | 0.31 sq mi (0.80 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,634 ft (498 m) |
| Population | |
• City | 71,046 |
• Estimate (2023) | 73,337 |
| • Rank | 8th in Tennessee |
| • Density | 1,635.4/sq mi (631.42/km2) |
| • Urban | 128,519 (US:261st)[3] |
| • Metro | 207,285 (US:215th) |
| • CSA | 514,899 (US:87th) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes | 37601-37604, 37614, 37615 & 37684 |
| Area codes | 423 and 729 |
| FIPS code | 47-38320[5] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1328579[6] |
| Website | www |
Johnson City is a city inWashington,Carter, andSullivan counties in theU.S. state ofTennessee, mostly in Washington County. As of the2020 United States census, the population was 71,046, making it Tennessee'seighth-most populous city.[7] Johnson City is the principal city of theJohnson City Metropolitan Statistical Area, which consists of Carter,Unicoi, and Washington Counties[8] and had a population of 207,285 as of 2020. The MSA is also a component of theTri-Cities region. This CSA is Tennessee's fifth-largest, with a population of 514,899 as of 2020.
William Bean, traditionally recognized as Tennessee's first white settler, built his cabin along Boone's Creek near Johnson City in 1769.[9] In the 1780s, ColonelJohn Tipton established a farm (now theTipton-Haynes State Historic Site) just outside what is now Johnson City. During theState of Franklin movement, Tipton was a leader of the loyalist faction, residents of the region who wanted to remain part ofNorth Carolina rather than form a separate state. In February 1788, an armed engagement took place at Tipton's farm between Tipton and his men and the forces led byJohn Sevier, the leader of the Franklin faction.[10]
Founded in 1856 by Henry Johnson as arailroad station called "Johnson's Depot",[11] Johnson City became a major rail hub for theSoutheast, as three railway lines crossed in the downtown area.[12]
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Johnson City served as headquarters for thenarrow gaugeEast Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad (theET&WNC, nicknamed "Tweetsie") and thestandard gaugeClinchfield Railroad. Both rail systems featured excursion trips through scenic portions of theBlue Ridge Mountains and were engineering marvels of railway construction. TheSouthern Railway (nowNorfolk Southern) also passes through the city.[13]
During theAmerican Civil War, before it was formally incorporated in 1869, the town's name was briefly changed to "Haynesville" in honor of Confederate SenatorLandon Carter Haynes.[14]
Henry Johnson's name was quickly restored following the war, with Johnson elected as the city's first mayor on January 3, 1870. The town grew rapidly from 1870 until 1890 as railroad and mining interests flourished. But the nationaldepression of 1893, which caused many railway failures (including theCharleston, Cincinnati and Chicago Railroad or "3-Cs", a predecessor of the Clinchfield), and resulting financial panic halted Johnson City's boom town momentum.[15]
In 1901, the Mountain Branch of theNational Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers (now theU.S. Veterans Affairs Medical Center and National Cemetery),Mountain Home, Tennessee[16][17] was created by an act ofCongress introduced byWalter P. Brownlow.Construction on this 450-acre (1.8 km2) campus, which was designed to serve disabled Civil War veterans, was completed in 1903 at a cost of $3 million. Before the completion of this facility, the assessed value of the entire town was listed at $750,000. TheEast Tennessee State Normal School was authorized in 1911 and the new college campus directly across from the National Soldiers Home.[citation needed] Johnson City began growing rapidly and became Tennessee's fifth-largest city by 1930.[18]
Together with neighboringBristol, Johnson City was a hotbed forold-time music. It hostedColumbia Records recording sessions in 1928 known as theJohnson City Sessions. Native son"Fiddlin' Charlie" Bowman became a national recording star via these sessions.[19] The Fountain Square area downtown featured a host of local and traveling street entertainers, includingBlind Lemon Jefferson.
During the 1920s and theProhibition era, Johnson City's ties to thebootlegging activity of theAppalachian Mountains earned the city the nickname of "LittleChicago".[20]Stories persist that the town was one of several distribution centers for Chicago gang bossAl Capone during Prohibition. Capone had a well-organized distribution network within the southern United States for alcohol smuggling; it shipped his products from the mountain distillers to northern cities. Capone was, according to local lore, a part-time resident of Montrose Court, a luxury apartment complex now listed on theNational Register of Historic Places.[citation needed]
For many years, the city had a municipal "privilege tax" on carnival shows, in an attempt to dissuade traveling circuses and other transient entertainment businesses from doing business in town.[21] The use of drums by merchants to draw attention to their goods is prohibited. Title Six, Section 106 of the city's municipal code, the so-called "Barney Fife" ordinance, empowers the city's police force to draft into involuntary service as many of the town's citizens as necessary to aid police in making arrests and preventing or quelling riots, unlawful assemblies, or breaches of peace.[22]
Johnson City is in northeastern Washington County,[23]with smaller parts extending north into Sullivan County and east into Carter County. Johnson City shares a contiguous southeastern border withElizabethton. Johnson City also shares a small contiguous border withKingsport to the far north along I-26 and a slightly longer one withBluff City to the northeast along US 11E.[citation needed]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 43.3 square miles (112.1 km2), of which 42.9 square miles (111.2 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.8 km2), or 0.75 percent, is water.
Buffalo Mountain, a ridge over 2,700 feet (820 m) high, is a city park on the south side of town. TheWatauga River arm ofBoone Lake, aTennessee Valley Authority reservoir, is partly within the city limits.[citation needed]
Johnson City has ahumid subtropical climate (KöppenCfa), with warm summers and cool winters. Temperatures in Johnson City are moderated somewhat by its elevation and proximity to theAppalachian Mountains. Precipitation is abundant, with an average of 45.22 in (1,149 mm). Summer is typically the wettest part of the year, while early autumn is considerably drier. Snowfall is moderate and sporadic, with an average of 15.6 in (40 cm).
| Climate data for Johnson City, Tennessee | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 78 (26) | 80 (27) | 83 (28) | 89 (32) | 94 (34) | 102 (39) | 99 (37) | 99 (37) | 97 (36) | 90 (32) | 84 (29) | 76 (24) | 102 (39) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 45 (7) | 50 (10) | 59 (15) | 68 (20) | 76 (24) | 83 (28) | 86 (30) | 85 (29) | 79 (26) | 69 (21) | 59 (15) | 48 (9) | 67 (19) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 25 (−4) | 28 (−2) | 34 (1) | 42 (6) | 51 (11) | 60 (16) | 64 (18) | 63 (17) | 55 (13) | 44 (7) | 35 (2) | 28 (−2) | 44 (7) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −21 (−29) | −12 (−24) | −1 (−18) | 20 (−7) | 28 (−2) | 39 (4) | 46 (8) | 36 (2) | 34 (1) | 22 (−6) | 11 (−12) | −9 (−23) | −21 (−29) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 3.42 (87) | 3.69 (94) | 3.59 (91) | 3.50 (89) | 4.44 (113) | 4.56 (116) | 5.44 (138) | 4.15 (105) | 3.03 (77) | 2.44 (62) | 3.34 (85) | 3.62 (92) | 45.22 (1,149) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 5.2 (13) | 4.2 (11) | 2.3 (5.8) | 0.4 (1.0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0.9 (2.3) | 2.6 (6.6) | 15.6 (40) |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 59.0 | 71.5 | 69.0 | 67.0 | 69.5 | 73.0 | 75.0 | 76.5 | 76.5 | 74.0 | 68.5 | 69.5 | 74.0 |
| Source 1:[24] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2:[25] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 685 | — | |
| 1890 | 4,161 | 507.4% | |
| 1900 | 4,645 | 11.6% | |
| 1910 | 8,502 | 83.0% | |
| 1920 | 12,442 | 46.3% | |
| 1930 | 25,080 | 101.6% | |
| 1940 | 25,332 | 1.0% | |
| 1950 | 27,864 | 10.0% | |
| 1960 | 31,187 | 11.9% | |
| 1970 | 33,770 | 8.3% | |
| 1980 | 39,753 | 17.7% | |
| 1990 | 49,381 | 24.2% | |
| 2000 | 55,469 | 12.3% | |
| 2010 | 63,152 | 13.9% | |
| 2020 | 71,046 | 12.5% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 73,335 | [26] | 3.2% |
| [4] | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 55,950 | 78.75% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 4,809 | 6.77% |
| Native American | 164 | 0.23% |
| Asian | 1,710 | 2.41% |
| Pacific Islander | 37 | 0.05% |
| Other/mixed | 3,878 | 5.46% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 4,498 | 6.33% |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 71,046 people, 30,724 households, and 15,904 families residing in the city.
As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 55,469 people, 23,720 households, and 14,018 families residing in the city. Thepopulation density was 1,412.4 per square mile. There were 25,730 housing units at an average density of 655.1 units per square mile (252.9 units/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 90.09 percentwhite, 6.40 percentAfrican American, 0.26%Native American, 1.22 percentAsian, 0.02 percentPacific Islander, 0.69 percent fromother races, and 1.32 percent from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino people of any race were 1.89 percent of the population.
There were 23,720 households, out of which 25.0 percent had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.1 percent weremarried couples living together, 11.6 percent had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.9 percent were non-families. 33.9 percent of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.5 percent had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20, and the average family size was 2.82.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 19.8 percent under the age of 18, 13.7 percent from 18 to 24, 28.1 percent from 25 to 44, 22.5 percent from 45 to 64, and 15.9 percent who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,835, and the median income for a family was $40,977. Males had a median income of $31,326 versus $22,150 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $20,364. About 11.4 percent of families and 15.9 percent of the population were below thepoverty line, including 18.9 percent of those under age 18 and 12.7 percent of those age 65 or over.
Johnson City is an economic hub largely fueled by East Tennessee State University and the medical "Med-Tech" corridor,[14] anchored by theJohnson City Medical Center and Niswonger Children's Hospital, Franklin Woods Community Hospital, ETSU's Gatton College of Pharmacy, and ETSU'sQuillen College of Medicine.
The citrus sodaMountain Dew originated in Johnson City. In 2012,PepsiCo announced a new malt-flavored version of the drink named Mountain Dew Johnson City Gold.[28]
Johnson City and its metropolitan area had agross metropolitan product ofUS$9.1 billion in 2019.[29]
| Employer | Number of employees |
|---|---|
| Ballad Health | 3541 |
| East Tennessee State University | 1990 |
| Washington County School System | 1275 |
| James H. Quillen VA Medical Center | 1259 |
| American Water Heater Company | 1194 |
| AT&T Mobility | 1000 |
Public art includes 12 to 15 sculptures that change every two years.[32] Also, 24 bronze statuettes of animals indigenous to the Appalachian Highlands, cast by faculty and students at ETSU, are installed in various downtown locations; staff at the Johnson City Public Library created a list of clues to aid in the search for all the animals.[33] Other public art includes banners and art on light poles and traffic boxes, and quote stones along sidewalks and paths.[34][35] Two annual art events take place in the city.[36]
As a regional hub for a four-state area, Johnson City is home to a large variety of retail businesses, from well-known national chains to local boutiques and galleries.
TheMall at Johnson City is the city's only enclosed shopping mall. Much of the new retail development is in North Johnson City, along State of Franklin Road. Johnson City Crossings is the largest of these developments.
SeveralMinor League Baseball teams have been based in Johnson City.Professional baseball was first played in the city by theJohnson City Soldiers in theSoutheastern League in 1910.[39] The city's longest-running team was theJohnson City Cardinals, who played in theAppalachian League as theRookie affiliate of theSt. Louis Cardinals from 1975 to 2020.[39] In conjunction with a contraction of Minor League Baseball beginning with the 2021 season, the Appalachian League was reorganized as acollegiate summer baseball league, and the Cardinals were replaced by theJohnson City Doughboys, a new franchise in the revamped league designed for rising college freshman and sophomores.[40][41]
In theUnited States House of Representatives, Johnson City is represented byRepublicanDiana Harshbarger of the 1st district.
Johnson City is run by a five-person board of commissioners.[42] The mayor is John Hunter, the vice mayor is Greg Cox, and the commissioners are Jenny Brock, Joe Wise, and Todd Fowler. The city manager is Cathy Ball.[43]
East Tennessee State University has around 16,000 students in addition to a K-12 University School, alaboratory school of about 540 students.[44] University School was the first laboratory school in the nation to adopt a year-round academic schedule.[45]
Milligan University is just outside the city limits in Carter County, and has about 1,200 students in undergraduate and graduate programs.
Northeast State Community College has renovated a building in downtown Johnson City for use as a new satellite teaching site.[46]After a dispute over the leasing amount being increased from $1,000/month to nearly $30,000/month, Northeast State decided not to renew their lease in 2023.[47]
This building is now being utilized byEast Tennessee State University to house the Department of Biological Sciences whilst Brown Hall, the main academic hall for the department onETSU's main campus, goes through a new phase of renovations. Classes will begin being offered at this downtown satellite campus by ETSU in the Fall 2025 semester.
Tusculum University has a center on the north side of Johnson City in theBoones Creek area.
Within Washington County, the vast majority of the city is in theJohnson City Independent School District, while small parts of the city are in theWashington County School District.[48]
The portion in Carter County is within theCarter County School District.[49] The portion in Sullivan County is within theSullivan County School District.[50]
Schools in the Johnson City School System include:
Elementary schools
|
|
Middle schools
High schools
Johnson City is served byTri-Cities Regional Airport (IATA Code TRI) and Johnson City Airport (0A4) in Watauga.
Johnson City Transit operates a system of buses inside the city limits,[52] including BucShot, a system serving the greater ETSU campus.
TheSouthern Railway used to serve Johnson City with several trains: theBirmingham Special (ended 1970), thePelican (ended 1970) and theTennessean (ended 1968).[53]
Johnson City serves as a regional medical center for northeast Tennessee and southwest Virginia, along with parts of western North Carolina and southeasternKentucky.[citation needed]
Johnson City Medical Center includes a level 1 trauma center,[54] the Niswonger Children's Hospital, and Woodridge Hospital, an inpatient psychiatric hospital.
Franklin Woods Community Hospital is an 80-bed hospital with emergency services.[55]
James H. and Cecile C. Quillen Rehabilitation Hospital serves patients who have suffered debilitating trauma, including stroke and brain-spine injuries.[citation needed]
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Johnson City'ssister cities are:[71][72]
Municipalities and communities ofCarter County, Tennessee,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| CDPs | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
Municipalities and communities ofSullivan County, Tennessee,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |  | |
| CDPs | ||
| Other communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
Municipalities and communities ofWashington County, Tennessee,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |  | |
| Town | ||
| CDPs | ||
| Other communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
