Bean Station | |
|---|---|
 Main Street (OldUS 11W) in Bean Station | |
 Flag  Seal | |
| Nicknames: | |
| Motto: "A Historical Crossroad" | |
 Location of Bean Station in Grainger and Hawkins counties in Tennessee | |
  Bean Station  Bean Station | |
| Coordinates:36°20′37″N83°17′03″W / 36.34361°N 83.28417°W /36.34361; -83.28417 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Tennessee |
| Counties | Grainger,Hawkins |
| Founded | 1776 |
| Incorporated | 1996 |
| Founded by | William Bean[3] |
| Named after | Bean family settlement[4] |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor-council |
| • Mayor | Bryan Baudouin |
| • Vice Mayor | Jeff Atkins |
| • Town Council | Aldermen
|
| Area | |
• Total | 5.99 sq mi (15.52 km2) |
| • Land | 5.99 sq mi (15.51 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0039 sq mi (0.01 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,112 ft (339 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 2,967 |
| • Density | 495.4/sq mi (191.27/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 37708, 37811 |
| Area codes | 865,423 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2403829 |
| FIPS code | 47-03760 |
Bean Station is an American town located mostly inGrainger County, Tennessee, with a small portion inHawkins County.[9][7] As of the2020 census, the population was 2,967.[10] It is part of theKingsport andKnoxville metropolitan statistical areas.[11]
PioneerWilliam Bean established Bean Station in 1776 as a frontier outpost; it is considered one of the earliest permanently settled communities in Tennessee. During the 18th and 19th centuries, due to its strategic location at the crossroads ofDaniel Boone'sWilderness Road and theGreat Indian Warpath, the town grew to become an important stopover for early pioneers and settlers in theAppalachia region.
During theAmerican Civil War, the town was the site of the final battle of theKnoxville campaign beforeConfederate forces surrendered to aUnion blockade in nearbyBlaine. In the early 20th century, Bean Station experienced renewed growth with the development ofTate Springs mineral springs resort, investment from U.S. SenatorJohn K. Shields, and the construction of thePeavine Railroad which provided passenger rail services toKnoxville. In the 1940s, theTennessee Valley Authority inundated the town as part of the construction ofCherokee Dam, and nearly all of the town's residents wereremoved viaeminent domain and federal court orders. Following its inundation, the town was shifted to the new junction ofU.S. Route 11W andU.S. Route 25E, becoming a popular lakeside community, and a commuter town for the city ofMorristown in neighboringHamblen County. Citing annexation attempts by Morristown, Bean Station was incorporated as a town in 1996.
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In 1775, pioneersDaniel Boone andWilliam Bean observed the future site of Bean Station from the top ofClinch Mountain while on a hunting-and-surveying excursion.[3] During theAmerican Revolutionary War, Bean served as a captain for theVirginia militia; in 1776, he was awarded over 3,000 acres (4.7 sq mi; 1,200 ha) in the German Creek valley, where he had earlier surveyed and camped with Boone.[3] At this site, Bean later constructed a four-room cabin, which he used as both his family home and as an inn for prospective settlers,fur traders, andlonghunters.[12] The inn and its surrounding area were variously called Bean's Cabin, Bean's Crossroads, and Bean's Station.[12] This area is believed to be the first permanently-settled European-American community in present-day Tennessee.[13]
Following Bean's death in May 1782, his sons expanded the homestead into a frontier outpost that included the Bean family cabin, a tavern, and ablacksmith's shop they operated.[3][12] The settlement was situated at the intersection ofWilderness Road, a north–south pathway constructed in the 1780s that roughly followed the present-dayU.S. Route 25E; and theGreat Indian Warpath, an east–west pathway that roughly followed what is nowU.S. Route 11W.[14][15][16] This heavily trafficked crossroads location made Bean Station an important stopover for early American travelers. Additional taverns and inns were operating at the station by the early 1800s.[14] By 1821, the pathway of Wilderness Road fromCumberland Gap to Bean Station was established as the privately owned Bean Station Turnpike and received state funding due to its importance for early interstate travel in theAppalachia region.[17]
Throughout the 1800s, Bean Station attracted the attention of merchants and businessmen.[14][18] In 1825, Thomas Whiteside constructed Bean Station Tavern, a large tavern with a 40-room capacity, wine cellar, and ballroom. The tavern was one of the largest of its time betweenNew Orleans andWashington, D.C.; the tavern housed several famous guests, including U.S. PresidentsAndrew Jackson,Andrew Johnson, andJames K. Polk.[14] The main portion of the tavern was destroyed in a fire on the night of December 25, 1886.[19]
During theAmerican Civil War, theBattle of Bean's Station took place in the westernmost area of the community on December 14, 1863.Confederate Army GeneralJames Longstreet attempted to capture Bean Station en route toRogersville afterfailing to drive Union forces out of Knoxville. Bean Station was held by a contingent ofUnion Army soldiers under the command of GeneralJames M. Shackelford. After two days of fighting, Union forces were forced to retreat.[14]
After the Civil War, businessmanSamuel Tate constructedTate Springs hotel west of Bean Station.[20] In 1876, Captain Thomas Tomlinson, a Union army veteran who served in the Battle of Bean's Station, purchased the property and converted it into a resort complex, which included a large,Victorian-style luxury hotel andmineral spring that was purported to have healing properties.[20][21] The resort attracted some of the wealthiest people in America[20] but it declined during theGreat Depression and closed in 1941.[22] In 1943, the hotel site was redeveloped into a school and orphanage known as Kingswood. A fire destroyed the main hotel structure in 1963, and the only remnants of the complex were cabins, the pool bathhouse, and Tate Springs Springhouse, the last of which was listed on theNational Register of Historic Places in 1973.[22] As of 2024, the Kingswood orphanage at the site of Tate Springs remains operational.[22]
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Bean Station was a stop along theKnoxville and Bristol Railroad, which was commonly known by residents as the Peavine Railroad. The railroad was a branch line of theSouthern Railway that ran fromMorristown toCorryton, abedroom community outside Knoxville.[23] Construction of the railroad, which first operated between Morristown and Bean Station, was completed in 1893.[16] The completion of the railroad influenced the formation of the Bean Station Improvement Company (BSIC), which was led by resident and former U.S. SenatorJohn K. Shields with the intent of revitalizing the community.[16] The BSIC laid the groundworks of a townstreet grid system, sold property for development, and promoted the community in widely distributed advertisements and brochures that highlighted the past, present, and future plans for the community. The company helped fund and propose plans to develop the town as an importantmultimodal distribution rail-and-road center, such as an extension of the Peavine Railroad across Clinch Mountain to Cumberland Gap, and northeast toBristol. Both extension plans never came to fruition[16] but rail access was extended west through Grainger County to Knoxville.[24] The popularity of Tate Springs resort located in eastern Bean Station peaked between the 1890s and 1920s when the railroad provided passenger rail connections to the site.[25] The railroad ended service in 1928 and the lines were either demolished or washed out following the inundation of theHolston River by theTennessee Valley Authority in 1942.[24]
Initial plans for the construction ofCherokee Dam by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) several miles downstream along the Holston River included the impounding of the site of Bean Station.[26] In 1941, because of its historical significance, size, and potential relocation problems, officials from the TVA, theGovernment of Tennessee, historians, and concerned community members gathered in public forums to discuss the town's future and relocation efforts before the valley was flooded the following year.[28]
In early 1941, a commission consisting of state planning and TVA personnel hosted town-hall meetings in Bean Station to develop plans for the town to relocate as aplanned village, which was similar to the 1930s planning process forNorris for the TVA's earlierNorris Project.[29] Controversy arose following failed negotiations with unwilling property owners for the relocation sites and reluctance from most residents to relocate; the community relocation project was abandoned and most citizens relocated on their own terms.[26] Following the Cherokee Project's completion, the TVA's project report cited opposition from Bean Station residents as the project's biggest difficulty.[26]
Of the estimated 200 families who lived at the original site of Bean Station,[27] nearly 150 (87.5%) were mandated to move viaeminent domain.[26] Many houses, 20 businesses, and Clinchdale, the estate of Senator John K. Shields,[30] were demolished or moved, and at least one historical structure had to be relocated.[14][26] Bean Station Tavern was deconstructed but after the relocation project was canceled, the parts remained in long-term storage.[31][19]
Following the 1942 inundation of the original site of Bean Station and the failed relocation plans, Bean Station unofficially shifted to the relocated intersection of US 25E and US 11W near the Grainger-Hawkins County border.[32] During the mid-20th century, Bean Station saw a renewed growth in population and economic progress. The community's access to the road network via US 11W and US 25E facilitated the nationwidetrucking industry, and newtruck stops and motels serving truckers were built.[33] During early planning for the nationwide freeway network that became theInterstate Highway System, the corridor that becameInterstate 81 (I-81) was planned to follow US 11W between Knoxville and Bristol through Bean Station.[32] By the 1940s, plans for the route had its alignment shifted south of Morristown.[34][35] Farmers in the town and surrounding area opposed the route through Bean Station, and roadway planners and engineers were also reportedly swooned[clarification needed] by officials in Greene and Hamblen counties.[32]
In 1961, following efforts led by a Morristown historical group, the TVA proposed a 50-acre (20 ha) historical park near the western interchange between US 11W and US 25E, and plans to rebuild the Bean Station Tavern on-site.[36] These plans were scrapped when it was discovered the lengthy storage period had caused the original tavern materials to deteriorate beyond repair,[37][31] and the TVA-owned land reserved for the park was used for a public baseball park on behalf of Grainger County officials.[37] As the region's economy began to diversify, manufacturing overtook agriculture as the area's main source of income.[38] By the mid 20th century, development along Highways 25E and 11W, and the construction of manufacturing facilities increased,[37] and in 1964, the community attempted toincorporate into a city.[39] Residents rejected incorporartion in a referendum by a margin of 153 votes to 94.[39] In 1967, residents organized and chartered the Bean Station Volunteer Fire Department, and in 1975, the Bean Station Volunteer Rescue Squad was established.[1]
In 1977, residents of Bean Station again petitioned to incorporate into a city, whose new boundaries would include portions of the neighboring communityMooresburg across the Hawkins County line. The proposal was rejected in a 291-to-160 vote.[41] In the mid-1990s, rumors portions of southern Bean Station may be annexed into Morristown spread throughout the community, leading residents to petition a third incorporation election in 1994.[40][1] In 1996, the town's residents voted to incorporate Bean Station into a city with a population of 2,171.[38][42] The vote was carried with 627 in favor of incorporation and 142 against.[43]
On May 13, 1972, 14 people were killed and 15 were injured in ahead-on collision between a double-deckerGreyhound bus and a tractor-trailer on U.S. Route 11W in Bean Station.[44][45] The collision led to protests and calls for traffic safety and infrastructure improvements, including the widening of 11W and other state highways, and the completion of I-81 in Tennessee to alleviate congestion on 11W.[46] The accident remains the deadliest traffic collision in the history of Tennessee.[47][48]
On May 23, 2013, an armed robbery and hostage-taking occurred at a pharmacy located in downtown Bean Station. The act was committed by an ex-police officer for the town who killed two people in an execution-style shooting and injured two others after robbing the pharmacy foropioids.[49] The following day, a vigil for the four victims was held at Bean Station town hall with an estimated 300 people in attendance.[50]
Bean Station is located in rural easternmost Grainger County, 45 miles (72 km) northeast ofKnoxville,[51] where it borders the unincorporated community ofMooresburg at the line between Grainger andHawkins Counties. The town is situated in the Richland Valley, which is also known as Mooresburg Valley, withClinch Mountain to the north andCherokee Lake to the south.
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, Bean Station has an area of 5.4 square miles (14.0 km2), of which 0.436 acres (1,763 m2) (0.01%) is covered with water.[10] The town limits include Wyatt Village, which is located next to an arm of Cherokee Lake along US 25E south of downtown, and portions of Tate Springs, which is located near US-11W and Briar Fork Creek on Cherokee Lake. The town limits stretch eight miles (13 km) along the heavily trafficked US 25E to Olen R. Marshall Memorial Bridge across Cherokee Lake,[52] and four miles (6.4 km) along US 11W to Bean Station Elementary School. Since 2014, portions ofunincorporated Hawkins County in the Mooresburg area have beenannexed into the town limits.[53]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 2,356 | — | |
| 2000 | 2,514 | 6.7% | |
| 2010 | 3,092 | 23.0% | |
| 2020 | 2,967 | −4.0% | |
| Sources:[54][8] | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 2,762 | 93.09% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 15 | 0.51% |
| Native American | 3 | 0.1% |
| Asian | 5 | 0.17% |
| Other/Mixed | 109 | 3.67% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 73 | 2.46% |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 2,967 people, 1,144 households, and 774 families residing in the city.
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As of the2010 United States census, there were 3,092 people, 1,149 households, and 827 families residing in the town; 96.8% wereWhite, 0.6%Black or African American, 0.5%Native American, 0.1%Asian, 0.7%of two or more races, and 2.3% wereHispanic or Latino (of any race). The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.88. 25% of households had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.8% were married couples living together, 6.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 13.9% were female householders with no husband present. 28% of households were non-families. The median age of residents in the town was 47.8. 21.7% of residents were under the age of 18, and 16.2% were age 65 years or older.
Bean Station has a small selection of restaurants and stores. A large cluster of fireworks stores are located throughout the town due to Grainger County allowing the year-round sale of fireworks.[2][56] A family-operatedIGA Market is the only grocery store in the Bean Station area.[57] Bean Station includes a furniture manufacturing facility,[58] aClayton Homes manufacturing facility,[59] and a construction materials supplier.[60] In 2010, 72% of the town's population commuted outside Grainger County for work, with most finding employment in Morristown.[61] The average commute time for Bean Station residents is 24 minutes.[62]
Following the opening of the last section of I-81 in Tennessee in December 1974, Bean Station experienced a 60% decline in business as a result of decreased traffic on US 11W.[33] Most truck stops, gift stores, and motels in Bean Station closed in the following years.[33] US 25E experienced an opposite scenario to US 11W in Bean Station; the completion of I-81 led to increased congestion on this highway from its junction with I-75 in Kentucky through Bean Station into Morristown due to the route becoming a popular alternate corridor for truckers bypassing I-75 in Knoxville.[37] Increased, sprawling residential development in Bean Station and residents commuting to neighboring Morristown led to overcapacity on two-lane 25E.[37] In the 1980s, US-25E was widened to a four-lanelimited-access highway from Lakeshore Drive to across Cherokee Lake into Morristown, and from the gap atClinch Mountain to the base near the westernmost junction of 11W and 25E in Bean Station.[63] In 1995, US 11W and US 25E were relocated and widened into a four-lane limited-access highway,[37] bypassing Bean Station'scentral business district and prompting several businesses to relocate near the new bypass.[38]
Since 1996, Bean Station's downtown district has hosted an annual harvest festival celebrating the area's agriculture and craftsmanship.[42] Thousands of guests attend.[64][65] In 2007, aGuinness World Record for the largest pot of beans was established at the 11th Harvest Pride festival, with the pot holding 600 US gal (2,300 L) of baked beans.[64][66][67]
Bean Station is popular with boaters and anglers due to its access to Cherokee Lake.[42] A public golf course is located within the town limits.[42] Parks and public recreation areas include Bean Station Town Park, Harris Court Park, and public access to Cherokee Lake via a fishing pier and boat launches.[68][69]
Bean Station uses themayor-aldermen system, which was adopted in 1996 when the town was incorporated. The town is governed locally by a five-member Board of Mayor and Aldermen, who are elected by residents to four-year terms. The board elects a vice mayor from among the four aldermen.[72]
Bean Station is represented in the 10th district of theTennessee House of Representatives byRick Eldridge, aRepublican. It is represented in the8th district of theTennessee Senate byFrank Niceley, who is also a Republican.[73] The town is part of the state's2nd congressional district in theUnited States House of Representatives, which is represented by RepublicanTim Burchett.[74]
Bean Station Elementary School, which is located in the westernmost part of the town, is operated by the Grainger County Department of Education. Middle-school students attend Rutledge Middle School, and high-school students attendGrainger High School inRutledge. All of these schools are part of theGrainger County Schools District.[75]
Kingswood Home for Children is located in theTate Springs area of Bean Station.[76]
Bean Station Utility District, a municipal utilities company, connects the town and portions of eastern Grainger County with municipal water services.[78] Appalachian Electric Cooperative provides electricity andbroadband internet services.[79][80] As of 2021[update], Bean Station does not have access to public sewers.[81]
All U.S. routes and state routes in Bean Station are maintained by theTennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) in TDOT Region 1, which consists of 24 counties in theEast Tennessee region.[82] Streets in the town are maintained by the Bean Station Street Department.[83]
In the western of portion of the town, adjacent to Kingswood Home for Children on the Tate Springs resort site, two major highways merge;U.S. Route 25E enters from the northwest andU.S. Route 11W enters from the southwest. From this point, US 25E traverses Clinch Mountain toTazewell inClaiborne County, while US 11W runs west through the Richland Valley toRutledge. The highways split again just south of Bean Station'scentral business district (CBD); US 11W bypasses the CBD and continues northeastward toRogersville, and US 25E continues southward across Cherokee Lake intoHamblen County toMorristown.Tennessee State Route 375 (SR 75, Lakeshore Drive) also intersects US 25E south of the CBD and traverses several of Bean Station's affluent outskirt lakefront neighborhoods and subdivisions.
US 11W /
SR 1 (Lee Highway)
US 25E /
SR 32 (East Tennessee Crossing Byway,Appalachian Development Corridor S)
SR 375 (Lakeshore Drive)Bean Station was referenced on theNBCpolice proceduralcomedy seriesBrooklyn Nine-Nine; one of the show's secondary charactersBill Hummertrout cites it as his hometown.[86]
In Bean Station, which has a small section in Hawkins County, the alderman seats held by Patsy Harrell and Jeff Atkins are up for re-election.
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Municipalities and communities ofGrainger County, Tennessee,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Town | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
Municipalities and communities ofHawkins County, Tennessee,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Towns | ||
| CDP | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Ghost town | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| Principal city |     | |
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| Other cities | ||
| Counties | ||
| Principal city |    | |
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| Other cities | ||
| Counties | ||
