Maryville, Tennessee

Maryville, Tennessee
City

Skyline with Greenbelt Park below
Motto: "People are the Key"

Location of Maryville, Tennessee

U.S. Census map
Coordinates: 35°44′59″N 83°58′33″W / 35.74972°N 83.97583°W / 35.74972; -83.97583Coordinates: 35°44′59″N 83°58′33″W / 35.74972°N 83.97583°W / 35.74972; -83.97583
Country United States
State Tennessee
County Blount
Settled 1785
Incorporated 1795[1]
Named for Mary Grainger Blount
Government
 • Type Council-manager
 • City manager Greg McClain
 • Mayor Tom Taylor
Area
 • Total 16.8 sq mi (43.5 km2)
 • Land 16.8 sq mi (43.5 km2)
 • Water 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation 940 ft (290 m)
Population (2014 est.)[2]
 • Total 28,329
 • Density 1,661/sq mi (641.5/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP codes 37801-37804
Area code(s) 865
FIPS code 47-46380[3]
GNIS feature ID 1292868[4]
Website www.maryvillegov.com

Maryville is a city and the county seat of Blount County, Tennessee,[5] in the southeastern United States. Maryville's population was 27,465 at the 2010 census.[6] It is included in the Knoxville Metropolitan Area.

Maryville has received a number of accolades for its quality of life. Maryville is a short distance from popular tourist destinations such as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Dollywood, Gatlinburg, and Pigeon Forge.

History

When the first Euro-American explorers arrived in the area, they found the Great Indian Warpath, which ran along the route where the modern US-411 has been built. It was long used by the indigenous peoples of the area. A historic Cherokee village known as "Elajay" was situated at the confluence of Ellejoy Creek (named after the village) and the Little River. Its site was near the modern Heritage High School. Ensign Henry Timberlake passed through the village in 1762 while returning from his expedition to the Overhill villages to the west. He reported that it had been abandoned.[7]

Monument marking the spring that once supplied water to Fort Craig

In 1785, Revolutionary War veteran John Craig built a wooden palisade enclosing cabins at what is known as Fort Craig (or Craig's Station) at present-day Maryville. Such stations were built throughout the frontier to defend settlers against attacks from the Cherokee. "On April 11, 1793, when settlers believed Indian attacks were imminent, 280 men, women, and children gathered in small huts at John Craig's station on Nine Mile Creek."[8]

Craig donated 50 acres (20 ha) next to his fort for the founding of a new town. Incorporated as a city on July 11, 1795, the settlement was named in honor of Mary Grainger Blount, wife of the territorial governor William Blount. Blount County was named after him.[9]

The family of Sam Houston moved to Maryville from Virginia in 1808, when Houston was 15. His older brothers put him to work as a clerk in a store they established in town, but he ran away. Houston lived for a few years with the Cherokee at Hiwassee Island, on the Hiwassee River, where he became fluent in their language and appreciative of their culture. After his return to Maryville about 1811, Houston started a one-room schoolhouse. He signed up for the army during the War of 1812 and rose rapidly in rank, beginning his military and political career. The schoolhouse still stands just off US-411 near the community of Wildwood.

Sam Houston Schoolhouse in Maryville

Maryville was a center of abolitionist activity throughout the early 19th-century; it was generated mostly by the Society of Friends, which had a relatively large presence in Blount County. They were supported by anti-slavery advocates such as Isaac L. Anderson, the founder of Maryville College.[10] When Tennessee voted on the Ordinance of Secession in 1861, only 24% of Blount Countians voted in favor of seceding from the Union.[11]

Although staunchly pro-Union throughout the Civil War, Maryville was not liberated by federal troops until May 1864. In August of that year, a Confederate cavalry raid, under the command of General Joseph Wheeler, attacked the courthouse where the Union troops had taken shelter. To try to dislodge the federal soldiers, Confederates set fire to several buildings, including a store where the city's records were being kept. Polly Tool, an African-American slave, rescued most of the records. She was honored by a statue in the Blount County courthouse. In the Reconstruction Era Maryville became a hub of Radical Republican activity for East Tennessee. Its local Union League provided a lively forum for political discussion,[12] and the Freedmen's Normal Institute was established on the present-day site of Maryville High School. The city elected W. B. Scott, the country's second African-American mayor, in 1869.[13]

In the 1970s, after several department stores and other retailers moved from the downtown area to Alcoa's Midland shopping center, the city spent $10 million on a renewal project called "Now Town". Traffic was re-routed, facades were placed on old buildings, slums were cleared, and the Bicentennial Greenbelt Park was created. The project failed to attract business back to the downtown locations; instead retailers moved to the new Foothills Mall a few years later. The downtown area remained in decline until the 2000s (decade), when the city agreed to reverse many of the "Now Town" changes.

U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander was born in Maryville in 1940. Alexander served as Governor of Tennessee from 1979–1987 and Secretary of Education (1991–1993) under President George H. W. Bush. He ran unsuccessful campaigns for president in 1996 and 2000, both times announcing his candidacy for the Republican Party from his hometown of Maryville. In 2002, he was elected to the U.S. Senate, succeeding Fred Thompson.

On July 2, 2015,[14] a freight train carrying hazardous materials[15] went off of its tracks[16][17] Over 5000 citizens[18] were displaced from their homes[16] within a two-mile (three kilometer) radius.[19][20]

In December 2015, the Tennessee Equality Project is opening an LGBT center in Maryville.[21]

Geography

Greenbelt Park

Maryville is located in north-central Blount County at 35°44′59″N 83°58′33″W / 35.74972°N 83.97583°W / 35.74972; -83.97583 (35.749857, -83.975805),[22] in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. Chilhowee Mountain, the outermost ridge of the Western Smokies, rises prominently to the south. Chilhowee's eastern flank— known locally as "The Three Sisters"— is visible from almost anywhere in the city, and dominates the southern horizon along US-321 between Maryville and Walland. Maryville is bordered on the north by Maryville's twin city, Alcoa. A number of small suburbs— including Wildwood, Ellejoy, and Clover Hill— surround Maryville to the east and west.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 16.8 square miles (43.5 km2), all land.[6]

Major streets

Parks

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1850513—
1860493−3.9%
187081164.5%
18801,09835.4%
18901,68653.6%
19102,381—
19203,73957.0%
19304,95832.6%
19405,60913.1%
19507,74238.0%
196010,34833.7%
197013,80833.4%
198017,48026.6%
199019,2089.9%
200023,12020.4%
201027,46518.8%
Est. 201428,329[23]3.1%
Sources:[24][25]

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 27,465 people, 10,712 households, and 7,028 families. The population density was 1,634.8 people per square mile (631.2/km²). There were 11,679 housing units at an average density of 637.6 per square mile (246.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.0% White, 3.2% African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.55% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.53% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.2% of the population.

There were 10,712 households out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.4% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 29.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.2% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 20 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.1 years. For every 100 females there were 88.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $46,394, and the median income for a family was $61,227. Males had a median income of $31,478 versus $20,418 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,579. About 9.0% of families and 10.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.3% of those under age 18 and 3.1% of those age 65 or over.

Climate

Average temperatures in July range from 69 degrees low to 87 degrees high. Average temperatures in January range from 29 degrees low to 46 degrees high.[26] Most of the year is very pleasant with mild temperatures.

Economy

Top employers

According to Maryville's 2011 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[27] the top employers in the area were:

# Employer # of Employees
1 Denso 3,000
2 Clayton Homes 2,829
3 Blount Memorial Hospital 2,130
4 Blount County Schools 1,600
5 Alcoa, Inc. 1,207
6 Ruby Tuesday 1,207
7 Blount County 669
8 Maryville City Schools 630
9 Marriott Business Services 561
10 Walmart 559
11 IJ Company 483
12 Newell Rubbermaid 375
13 City of Maryville 308
14 Rockford Manufacturing 300
15 Standard Aero, Inc. 270
16 City of Alcoa 257
17 Maryville College 254
18 U.S. Food Service 253
19 Alcoa City Schools 208

Education

City

Maryville City Schools operates public schools.

Private/parochial

Maryville College

Maryville is home to Maryville College, a private four-year liberal arts college. It was founded in 1819 by Presbyterian minister Isaac L. Anderson for the purpose of furthering education and enlightenment. The college is one of the fifty oldest colleges in the United States and the twelfth oldest institution in the South.[28] It is associated with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). It enrolls about 1,103 students. Maryville College's mascot is the Scots. The sports teams compete in NCAA Division III athletics in the Great South Athletic Conference and the USA South Athletic Conference.

Other colleges

Weekend programs

The East Tennessee Japanese School (イーストテネシー補習授業校 Īsuto Teneshī Hoshū Jugyō Kō), a weekend Japanese education program, holds its classes at Maryville College.[29]

Notable people

See also

References

Bicentennial Greenbelt Park sign
  1. ↑ Tennessee Blue Book, 2005-2006, pp. 618-625.
  2. ↑ State and County QuickFacts, U.S. Census website. Accessed: 10 September 2015.
  3. 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  4. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  5. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  6. 1 2 "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Maryville city, Tennessee". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  7. ↑ Henry Timberlake, Samuel Williams (ed.), Memoirs, 1756-1765 (Marietta, Georgia: Continental Book Co., 1948), pp. 118-119.
  8. ↑ Walter Durham, "Frontier Stations", Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture, accessed 27 August 2010
  9. ↑ Inez Burns, History of Blount County, Tennessee: From War Trail to Landing Strip, 1795-1955 (Nashville: Benson Print Co., 1957), 2-30.
  10. ↑ Durwood Dunn, Cades Cove: The Life and Death of an Appalachian Community, Knoxville, TN: University of Tennessee Press, 1988, 125.
  11. ↑ Robbie Jones, The Historic Architecture of Sevier County, Tennessee, Sevierville, TN: Smoky Mountain Historical Society, 1997, p. 33
  12. ↑ Snay, Mitchell (2010) Fenians, Freedmen, and Southern Whites: Race and Nationality in the Era of Reconstruction
  13. ↑ "Maryville Historic Timeline", City of Maryville
  14. ↑ http://news.yahoo.com/latest-train-derailment-prompts-evacuation-tennessee-102720254.html#
  15. ↑ http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/tennessee-train-derailment-5-000-residents-evacuated-maryville-n385576
  16. 1 2 http://www.newsweek.com/5000-evacuated-tennessee-after-train-derailment-releases-toxic-fumes-349375
  17. ↑ "Quick Links". CNN.
  18. ↑ "5,000 Evacuated After Train Carrying Toxic Substance Derails In Tennessee". Huffington Post. 2 July 2015.
  19. ↑ http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/train-derailment-fire-prompts-evacuation-tennessee-32175717
  20. ↑ https://gma.yahoo.com/train-hauling-chemicals-catches-fire-tennessee-residents-evacuated-082819002--abc-news-topstories.html#
  21. ↑ Bales-Sherrod, Lesli (November 28, 2015). "LGBT community center on its way". The Daily Times (Maryville, Tennessee). Retrieved November 30, 2015.
  22. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  23. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  24. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing: Decennial Censuses". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-03-04.
  25. ↑ "Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions Datasets: Subcounty Resident Population Estimates: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012". Population Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  26. ↑ Weather.com. Retrieved: 4 September 2011.
  27. ↑ City of Maryville CAFR, p. 159.
  28. ↑ Maryville College website. Retrieved: 4 September 2011.
  29. ↑ "補習授業校リスト" (Archive). Consulate General of Japan in Nashville. Retrieved on February 15, 2015. "（２）イーストテネシー補習授業校 ( East Tennessee Japanese School ) 学校所在地　 c/o Maryville College 502 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway , Maryville , TN 37804"
  30. ↑ "Meet Lamar". Alexander for Senate. Retrieved 2010-09-09.
  31. ↑ Robert Booker, Charles Warner Cansler, Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture, 2009. Retrieved: 6 April 2011.
  32. ↑ Mike Cross biography from official website. Retrieved: 14 February 2011.
  33. ↑ Johnson Bible College - Our History. Retrieved: 14 February 2011.
  34. ↑ Jack Greene - Official site. Retrieved: 14 February 2011.
  35. ↑ M. Thomas Inge, High Times and Hard Times (Nashville: Vanderbilt University Press, 1967), p. 18n.
  36. ↑ Sam Houston - Chronology. Retrieved: 14 February 2011.
  37. ↑ Lee Humphrey - ESPN player profile. Retrieved: 14 February 2011.
  38. ↑ IMDb - Melanie Hutsell. Retrieved: 14 February 2011.
  39. ↑ Kevin Cowan, "Attorney's New Home Christened in Festive Fashion," Knoxville News Sentinel, 13 January 2008. Retrieved: 24 August 2012.
  40. ↑ "Annie E. Law". The Nautilus: 132–133.
  41. ↑ Disciple official website. Accessed 18 August 2014.

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