Morristown | |
|---|---|
 Main Street in thedowntown district of Morristown. | |
 Flag  Logo | |
| Nicknames: | |
| Motto: "A City Always Expanding" | |
 Location inHamblen County and the state ofTennessee | |
  Morristown  Morristown | |
| Coordinates:36°12′38″N83°17′46″W / 36.21056°N 83.29611°W /36.21056; -83.29611 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Tennessee |
| Counties | Hamblen,Jefferson |
| Settled | ca. 1787 |
| Incorporated | 1855[4] |
| Founded by | Gideon Morris |
| Named after | Gideon Morris |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council-manager |
| • Mayor | Gary Chesney |
| • City Manager | Tony Cox |
| • City Council | Council members
|
| Area | |
• City | 27.72 sq mi (71.79 km2) |
| • Land | 27.67 sq mi (71.67 km2) |
| • Water | 0.042 sq mi (0.11 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,302 ft (397 m) |
| Population | |
• City | 30,431 |
| • Density | 1,099.7/sq mi (424.58/km2) |
| • Urban | 65,631[9] |
| • Metro | 142,749[8] |
| Demonym | Morristownian |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes | 37813-37816 |
| Area codes | 423 and 729 |
| FIPS code | 47-50280[11] |
| GNIS feature ID | 2404307[12] |
| Primary Airport | Morristown Regional Airport |
| Interstate |  |
| Website | www |
Morristown is a city in and thecounty seat ofHamblen County, Tennessee, United States.[13] Morristown also extends into Jefferson County on the western and southern ends. The city lies within theRidge and Valley region of the Appalachians, alongCherokee Lake on theHolston River. The city's population was recorded to be 30,431 at the2020 United States census.[14] It is theprincipal city of theMorristown Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses Hamblen andJefferson counties. (Grainger County was included in the metropolitan area until 2023).[15] The Morristown metropolitan area is also part of theKnoxville-Morristown-SeviervilleCombined Statistical Area.[16]
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 theCivil 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 andmetropolis of theLakeway 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.[17]
Before its settlement byEuropean-Americans, the area of Morristown was inhabited byNative Americans, predominately members of theCherokee tribe.[18] During the Cherokee's inhabitance, the area was based around two major pathways, an east-west route that was later developed into theGreat 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 ofbuffalo traveling fromAsheville, North Carolina to thePowell River near theCumberland Gap for the river's salt licks.[19]
The settlement of Morristown was established bytrans-Appalachian pioneerGideon Morris, a farmer who arrived with his brothers Daniel and Absalom from theWatauga Settlement, a semi-autonomous government based on land that was leased to European-American settlers from the inhabiting Cherokee tribes.[20] Prior to his settlement, Morris had fought alongsideJohn Sevier in theCherokee Expedition in 1776, and obtained land grants after serving in theAmerican Revolutionary War at theBattle of Kings Mountain.[21][22]
Morris, along with his siblings, petitioned to have the Watauga Settlement annexed in the State ofNorth Carolina.[20] 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.[23][17] 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.[24]
From 1792 to 1793, the community's main street was added onto a major stagecoach route connecting it toKnoxville andAbingdon, Virginia, aiding further early settlement efforts.[25][26] Among these settlers was frontiersmanJohn Crockett, who arrived and settled east of the Morris residence in 1794 with his son, famed pioneer and folk-heroDavy Crockett who was seven years old at the time. John Crockett constructed alog cabin that later served as a tavern, and a hospital treatingsmallpox during theAmerican Civil War. After the Civil War, the Crockett Tavern was destroyed to prevent further infections of smallpox.[24] The current-dayCrockett Tavern Museum sits at the approximate location of the former tavern and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[27] John's son, Davy resided in Morristown until 1809, when he relocated toMiddle Tennessee to go into Tennessee state politics.[24]
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 theGreat Stage Road that divided the community into two counties,Grainger to the north, andJefferson to the south.[24][28] Morristown Academy, the community's first documented school, opened to students in 1830.[24] In 1855, Morristown wasincorporated into a city to provide new services to the community's growing population.[29][24] Railroad access became available to Morristown when construction completed on theEast Tennessee and Virginia Railroad in 1858, which was the first railroad line to be operational in the state ofTennessee.[24] Morristown was serviced by its first newspaper, theAmerican Statesman, in 1857 after relocating to Morristown fromDandridge, the seat of Jefferson County.[24] By 1860, Morristown was recorded by theUnited States Census Bureau to have an initial population of 500 as an incorporated city.[24]
Between 1855 and 1870, Morristown'smunicipal limits were divided along Main Street intoGrainger andJefferson counties.[29] Many residents brought concerns regarding transportation and communication access in Morristown, and neighboring communities such asRussellville and Panther Springs raised concerns as well regarding accessibility to Morristown.[30] After working with government officials from the neighboring counties and the state government,Hamblen County was formed from portions of Grainger, Jefferson,Hawkins, andGreene counties.[30] Morristown was chosen as thecounty seat of Hamblen County shortly after its formation in 1870.[29]
As theCivil War approached, the town's sympathies were divided between theUnion andsecessionist sides. In December 1863, some 25,000Confederate Army soldiers under the command of GeneralJames Longstreet arrived atBethesda Presbyterian Church, northeast of the town, to spend the winter, after theBattle of Bean's Station. They remained there until February 1864 and used the Bethesda Church building as a hospital.[31][32] Military engagements occurred near the church in both October and November 1864.[31] On October 28, 1864, Union GeneralAlvan C. Gillem attacked Confederate forces under GeneralJohn C. Vaughn in theBattle 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 theWatauga River in northeastern Tennessee. The battle resulted in about 335 total casualties.[33][34][35] In theBattle of Bull's Gap ("Gillem's Stampede") in November, Confederate forces under GeneralJohn C. Breckinridge prevailed over Gillem's troops, chasing the Union forces westward to a defensive position atStrawberry Plains nearKnoxville.[35][36] During one of these skirmishes, acannonball penetrated one of the church walls, causing structural damage that was repaired by reinforcing the walls with large iron rods.[31] The Union Army used the church as a hospital for soldiers wounded in these operations.[36] Many soldiers from both sides are interred in the Bethesda Church cemetery. Eighty of the wartime burials are unidentified.[31][32]
Morristown saw a steady shift into an industrially-based economy in the early beginnings of theIndustrial Revolution, around the early to late 19th century. The first industry in the area was the Shields Paper Mill, located on theHolston River, operating from 1825 to 1861.[37] Other prominent early businesses included the Morristown Manufacturing Company and the laterKnoxville-basedJ. F. Goodson Coffee Company in 1882.[37][38]
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 theSouthern Railway that ran from downtown Morristown on Main Street toCorryton, a bedroom community outside ofKnoxville.[39][40] The Peavine Railroad had first operated between Morristown andBean Station, with plans to connect north to theCumberland Gap, but instead extended west throughGrainger County towards Knoxville due to feasibility concerns regarding construction through the Clinch Mountain valley.[41]
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In 1944, theAmerican Enka Company, arayon fiber producer based out ofAsheville, North Carolina, began construction on a 230-acre plant in theLowland region of Morristown, beginning operations in 1947.[42][43]
In March 1950, workers at the facility walked out onstrike. 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, dispatchedNational 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 byDemocratic SenatorHubert Humphrey.[44][45]
In 1985, the American Enka facility was acquired byBASF and continued under their operations until 1992, when it was sold toLenzing AG.[42] The plant closed in 2005, after the company that operated the plant, Liberty Fibers, filed for bankruptcy.[46] The plant site and its adjacentwastewater treatment plant have since beenannexed into the Morristowncity limits.[46]
Beginning in 1959, following then presidential candidateJohn F. Kennedy's exposure to poverty inAppalachia, Morristown officials began a joint effort with Tennesseeeconomic 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 nearRussellville.[47] In 1962, the world's largest manufacturer of chains, theJeffrey Manufacturing Company opened a plant to manufacture its steel thimble roller chains.[48]
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.[47] After acquiring a 670 acres (2.7 km2) site in western Morristown nearMorristown Regional Airport in the same year, city officials developed the site into the Morristown Airport Industrial District (MAID) industrial park in 1981.[47] Five months after the park's completion, two companies opened facilities at the MAID.[47] 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 ofeconomic growth:[47]
In the 1990s, the City of Morristown acquired over 900 acres (3.6 km2) nearInterstate 81 exit 8 for its third industrial park, the East Tennessee Progress Center (ETPC).[49] Initial site development such as roadway and utility upgrades were completed in 2001.[49] 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.[49][50]
Following theGreat Recession, Morristown saw the loss of one of its largest employers, Berkline, which closed after filing forChapter 11 bankruptcy in 2011.[51] 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:[52]
"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 manufacturerVan Hool announced the construction of a 500,000 square feet (46,000 m2) facility at the ETPC (East Tennessee Progress Center),[49] one of the largest industrial development projects in the history of Morristown.[53][54] The project expects to create an estimated 650 jobs, over $47 million in private investment and an influx of interest of furtherindustrial development in the Morristown area.[49][55]
By 1833, Morristown had its first post office and store located along Main Street.[25] Fourteen years later,railroad lines were built, stimulating further commercial growth until the beginning of theAmerican Civil War.[25] 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.[25]
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 specialGrand Ole Opry performances. Following the opening of theaters in neighboring shopping complexes, the Princess Theater closed in 1982, and was demolished in 1995.[25]
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 forurban 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.[25] 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.[56] 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.[57][58]
Morristown is embarking on a resurrection of the Skymart, eyeing the structure as a keyredevelopment 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 andCherokee Lake.[59][60] 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.[61]
Morristown is situated in the upper region ofEast Tennessee in theTennessee Valley between theGreat Smoky Mountains to the south andClinch Mountain to the north.[23] It is considered part of a region known as the "Lakeway Area", consisting of a land area surroundingCherokee andDouglas lakes.[23] The city lies within theSouthern Limestone/Dolomite Valleys & Low Rolling Hills ecoregion (ecoregion 67f) within theRidge and Valley of the Appalachians.[62] Natural vegetation cover within this region is typically Appalachian oak forest, consisting of mixedoaks,hickory,pine,poplar,birch,maple; bottomland oak andmesophytic forests; andcedarbarrens.[63]
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 theTennessee Valley Authority in the 1940s, is north of the city.
Morristown falls in thehumid 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).[64] 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 monthlyrelative humidity is around 70 percent.
| Climate data for Morristown, Tennessee (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1936–1943, 1982–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 77 (25) | 80 (27) | 84 (29) | 90 (32) | 91 (33) | 103 (39) | 103 (39) | 100 (38) | 96 (36) | 95 (35) | 84 (29) | 78 (26) | 103 (39) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 67.7 (19.8) | 70.2 (21.2) | 77.6 (25.3) | 83.8 (28.8) | 87.2 (30.7) | 91.4 (33.0) | 93.5 (34.2) | 92.0 (33.3) | 89.6 (32.0) | 82.9 (28.3) | 75.0 (23.9) | 66.9 (19.4) | 94.3 (34.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 46.2 (7.9) | 50.8 (10.4) | 59.7 (15.4) | 69.2 (20.7) | 76.8 (24.9) | 83.3 (28.5) | 86.4 (30.2) | 85.6 (29.8) | 80.6 (27.0) | 70.3 (21.3) | 58.7 (14.8) | 49.0 (9.4) | 68.0 (20.0) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 36.6 (2.6) | 40.4 (4.7) | 48.0 (8.9) | 57.0 (13.9) | 65.7 (18.7) | 73.1 (22.8) | 76.6 (24.8) | 75.4 (24.1) | 69.6 (20.9) | 58.5 (14.7) | 47.1 (8.4) | 39.9 (4.4) | 57.3 (14.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 27.1 (−2.7) | 30.1 (−1.1) | 36.2 (2.3) | 44.7 (7.1) | 54.5 (12.5) | 63.0 (17.2) | 66.9 (19.4) | 65.2 (18.4) | 58.6 (14.8) | 46.6 (8.1) | 35.6 (2.0) | 30.9 (−0.6) | 46.6 (8.1) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 7.7 (−13.5) | 10.7 (−11.8) | 18.4 (−7.6) | 29.1 (−1.6) | 38.9 (3.8) | 52.2 (11.2) | 59.0 (15.0) | 57.3 (14.1) | 46.3 (7.9) | 31.6 (−0.2) | 20.8 (−6.2) | 16.1 (−8.8) | 3.4 (−15.9) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −19 (−28) | −13 (−25) | 0 (−18) | 21 (−6) | 31 (−1) | 41 (5) | 49 (9) | 46 (8) | 35 (2) | 24 (−4) | 14 (−10) | −4 (−20) | −19 (−28) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 4.05 (103) | 4.49 (114) | 4.88 (124) | 4.44 (113) | 3.75 (95) | 4.53 (115) | 4.73 (120) | 3.33 (85) | 3.24 (82) | 2.76 (70) | 3.37 (86) | 4.57 (116) | 48.14 (1,223) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 2.1 (5.3) | 2.9 (7.4) | 2.0 (5.1) | 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) | 0.2 (0.51) | 1.6 (4.1) | 8.8 (22) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 12.2 | 12.6 | 12.9 | 11.4 | 12.4 | 12.2 | 12.5 | 10.0 | 8.9 | 9.0 | 9.4 | 12.2 | 135.7 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 1.7 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 5.6 |
| Source:NOAA[65][66] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 500 | — | |
| 1870 | 950 | 90.0% | |
| 1880 | 1,350 | 42.1% | |
| 1890 | 1,999 | 48.1% | |
| 1900 | 2,973 | 48.7% | |
| 1910 | 4,007 | 34.8% | |
| 1920 | 5,875 | 46.6% | |
| 1930 | 7,305 | 24.3% | |
| 1940 | 8,050 | 10.2% | |
| 1950 | 13,019 | 61.7% | |
| 1960 | 21,267 | 63.4% | |
| 1970 | 20,318 | −4.5% | |
| 1980 | 19,570 | −3.7% | |
| 1990 | 21,385 | 9.3% | |
| 2000 | 24,965 | 16.7% | |
| 2010 | 29,137 | 16.7% | |
| 2020 | 30,431 | 4.4% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 32,994 | 8.4% | |
| Sources:[24][67][68][69][70][10] | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 19,067 | 62.66% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 1,605 | 5.27% |
| Native American | 65 | 0.21% |
| Asian | 453 | 1.49% |
| Pacific Islander | 254 | 0.83% |
| Other/Mixed | 1,206 | 3.96% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 7,781 | 25.57% |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 30,431 people, 11,639 households, and 6,985 families residing in the city.
As of thecensus 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% fromtwo or more races. Those ofHispanic 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% weremarried 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. Theper capita income for the city was $15,894. About 14.6% of families and 19.2% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 24.9% of those under age 18 and 17.3% of those age 65 or over.
Being centrally located in theEast Tennessee region, Morristown serves at the hub for alabor market area pulling most of its labor force from a surrounding seven-county area of 337,000 people.[72] Morristown and its metropolitan area in 2019 was reported to have agross metropolitan product ofUS$5.1 billion.[73]
The town is also home to aNational Weather Service forecast office serving much ofEast Tennessee as well as several southwesternmountain counties in the neighboring states ofVirginia andNorth Carolina.[74]
According to a March 2021 survey by the Morristown Area Chamber of Commerce,[75] the top 15 employers in the city are:
| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hamblen County Department of Education | 1,284 |
| 2 | Koch Foods | 1,100 |
| 3 | MAHLE Powertrain | 1,015 |
| 4 | Team Technologies | 853 |
| 5 | Arconic | 833 |
| 6 | Walmart | 749 |
| 7 | Walters State Community College | 743 |
| 8 | Morristown-Hamblen Healthcare System | 716 |
| 9 | JTEKT | 693 |
| 10 | Rich Products | 540 |
| 11 | Tuff Torq Corporation | 500 |
| 12 | Food City | 422 |
| 13 | Healthstar Physicians | 373 |
| 14 | Otics USA Inc. | 366 |
| 15 | City of Morristown | 338 |
As of August 2020, Morristown has seen a high demand for both single-family and multi-family residential developments.[76][77] Morristown reported a 110% increase in residential construction in the city's annual economic and community development report in 2020.[78]
A study byMiddle 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.[79]
As of 2010, the median price for a home in the Morristown-Hamblen area was $125,600, compared with $142,000 in theKnoxville metropolitan area, and $177,900 nationally.[17]
In 2010, the Morristown-Hamblen area was home to over 1,000 businesses, employing over 25,000 people.[17] 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%.[17]
Morristown is considered to be one of the largestmanufacturing and industrial hubs in the state of Tennessee.[80] There are several industrial parks located in the eastern, western and southern parts of the city,[50] and over 100 manufacturers have based their facilities in Morristown, ranging fromfood processing,aerospace technology,machine and parts production,plastics engineering, and many other industries.[81][82]
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.[77]
Morristown's manufacturing market employs nearly 10,000 or 24% of the workforce in Hamblen County, and an extra 11,000commuting from surrounding counties such as Jefferson, Grainger,Cocke, andHawkins for employment.[72]
Morristown is considered a hub for retail, with the indoor regionalCollege 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.[83][84] In 2016, the city saw nearly $1.4 billion in retail sales.[29]
There are several annual festivals and events held in Morristown,[85] some of the more notable events include:
Morristown hosted severalMinor League Baseball teams from 1910 to 1961 at Sherwood Park.[91] TheMorristown Jobbers became charter members of theSoutheastern League in 1910.[92] The Jobbers continued in theAppalachian League in 1911 and played each season through 1914.[93] From 1923 to 1925, the city's entry in the league was called theMorristown Roosters.[92] In 1948, theMorristown Red Sox became charter members of theMountain States League in which they played through 1954.[92] The team won the league championship in their first season.[94] The Red Sox folded early in the 1954 season and were replaced in the league by theMorristown Reds.[95][96] TheMorristown Cubs, the city's finalprofessional baseball team played in the Appalachian League from 1959 to 1961 and won the 1959 pennant.[92][97]
Little League softball and baseball in Morristown dates back to the late 20th century. In 1985 and 1987, Morristown had baseball teams qualify for theLittle League World Series; the1985 team finished in third place. The Morristown teams are two of eleven Tennessee teams that have advanced to the series inWilliamsport, Pennsylvania. Morristown would see podium placement by the 2000s, placing fourth in the 2006 Little League Softball World Series,[98] and winning it the following year.[99]
Municipal and county recreation areas include Cherokee Park, Frank Lorino, Fred Miller, and Fulton-Hill. Public access for boating and swimming toCherokee Reservoir is available in the northern area of the city and county. Morristown is also home to several golf and disc golf courses.[100]
Morristown uses themayor-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 fromsingle-member districts and two members are electedat-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]
Morristown is represented in theTennessee House of Representatives in the 10th district by RepresentativeRick Eldridge, aRepublican.[101]
In theTennessee State Senate, Morristown is represented by the 1st district by SenatorSteve Southerland, also a Republican.[102]
Morristown is represented in theUnited States House of Representatives by RepublicanDiana Harshbarger of the1st congressional district.[103]
Public schools in Morristown are operated by the Hamblen County Department of Education. There are four middle schools: East Ridge, Lincoln, Meadowview, and Westview. Morristown has two high schools:Morristown-Hamblen High School East andMorristown-Hamblen High School West.[104]
The main campus ofWalters State Community College is located in Morristown.[105]
The main campus and the aviation technology expansion campus of theTennessee College of Applied Technology - Morristown, are located in Morristown.
Satellite campuses ofKing University andTusculum University are located in Morristown.Carson-Newman University is located 7 miles from Morristown in Jefferson City, TN.
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 theMorristown metropolitan area.[107]
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.[108]
Appalachian Electric Cooperative (AEC), a utilities company based out ofNew Market in neighboringJefferson 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, andWhite Pine), and Grainger County (includingBean Station andRutledge).[109][110] AEC, as of June 2018, provides services to 46,000 customers.[110]
Morristown is anautomobile-dependent city, almost entirely reliant on roadway infrastructure to support its large commuting-base residing inside the city and from surrounding counties.[111]
All U.S. routes, state routes in Morristown, along with I-81,[112] are maintained by theTennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) in TDOT Region 1, which consists of 24 counties inEast Tennessee.[111][113] 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.[114][115][116][117]
In 2002, theUnited States Census Bureau declared the municipalities of Morristown, Jefferson City, White Pine, and portions of unincorporated Hamblen and Jefferson counties as a part of anurbanized area.[118] 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.[118] The LAMPTO plans and coordinates regionaltransportation projects in Morristown and its urbanized area.[118]
The sole interstate highway serving Morristown isInterstate 81, which connects the city toInterstate 40 in nearbyDandridge to the west, and theTri-Cities region in northeasternmost Tennessee to the east.[119]
U.S. Route 25E-Tennessee State Route 32 is the principal north–south route in Morristown, and connects the city from Interstate 81 at exit 8, toU.S. Route 11W inBean Station. US 25E also extends toInterstate 75 inCorbin, Kentucky, serving as a popularalternate route of I-75 regarding construction and congestion inKnoxville.[120] The route is given the designationAppalachian Development Highway System Corridor S from I-81 in Morristown to the Tennessee-Kentucky state line at theCumberland Gap, and as High-Priority Corridor 12 of theNational Highway System.[119]
U.S. Route 11E-Tennessee State Route 34 is the principal east–west route in Morristown, paralleling the I-40-I-81 corridor, and connecting the city toJefferson City to the west, andGreeneville to the east.[119]
Tennessee State Route 160 is abypass route of US 11E, and serves the city with access to I-81 at exit 12, US 25E, and US 11E.[119]
Tennessee State Route 66 is a connector route to serving Morristown, connecting the city to I-81 exit 4 inWhite Pine, and to SR 160 and US 11E in west Morristown.[119]
I-81
US 11E (Morris Boulevard, West Andrew Johnson Highway)
US 25E (Davy Crockett Parkway)
SR 32 (concurrent to US 25E)
SR 34 (concurrent to US 11E)
SR 66 (Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway, East Andrew Johnson Highway, First North Street)
SR 160 (Governor Dewitt Clinton Senter Parkway, Air Park Boulevard, Enka Highway)
SR 113
SR 341 (Alpha Valley Home Road)
SR 342 (Panther Creek Road)
SR 343 (Cumberland Street, Buffalo Trail)
SR 344 (Old Russellville Pike)
SR 474 (Merchants Greene Boulevard)Norfolk Southern Railway operatesfreight transport throughout Morristown along several lines, including theCrescent Corridor.[121][122] TheSouthern Railway used to serve Johnson City with several trains: theBirmingham Special (ended, 1970), thePelican (ended, 1970) and theTennessean (ended, 1968).[123]
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.[124]
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'scentral business district near the neighborhood ofAlpha, and is operated by the municipal government.[125]
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.
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.
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