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→History: The name "Tanase" has nothing to do with the Long Island of the Holston, and was no more of an Indian meeting place than any other location.
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{{Infobox settlement
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name = Kingsport, Tennessee (King's Port)
|official_name = Kingsport, Tennessee (King's Port)
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==History==
==History==
{{unreferenced|section}}
{{unreferenced|section|date=November 2010}}
[[The Long Island of the Holston River]], today mostly within the corporate boundaries of Kingsport, was an important site for the [[Cherokee]], colonial pioneers and early settlers. Early settlements at the site were used as a staging ground for people taking the [[Wilderness Road]] leading to Kentucky through the Cumberland Gap. First chartered in 1822, Kingsport became an important shipping port on the Holston River. Goods originating for many miles from the surrounding countryside were loaded onto barges for the journey downriver to the Tennessee River at Knoxville. The young town lost its charter after a downturn in its fortunes precipitated by the Civil War.
[[The Long Island of the Holston River]], today mostly within the corporate boundaries of Kingsport, was an important site for the [[Cherokee]], colonial pioneers and early settlers. Early settlements at the site were used as a staging ground for people taking the [[Wilderness Road]] leading to Kentucky through the Cumberland Gap. First chartered in 1822, Kingsport became an important shipping port on the Holston River. Goods originating for many miles from the surrounding countryside were loaded onto barges for the journey downriver to the Tennessee River at Knoxville. The young town lost its charter after a downturn in its fortunes precipitated by the Civil War.


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==Education==
==Education==
{{unreferenced|section}}
{{unreferenced|section|date=November 2010}}
Residents of Kingsport are served by the [[Kingsport City Schools]] public school system, which operates seven elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school. In addition, Kingsport has eight private academies, most with religious affliation.
Residents of Kingsport are served by the [[Kingsport City Schools]] public school system, which operates seven elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school. In addition, Kingsport has eight private academies, most with religious affliation.


Revision as of 19:58, 16 November 2010

Kingsport, Tennessee (King's Port)
City
A Fun Fest balloon floats over Kingsport, Tennessee
A Fun Fest balloon floats over Kingsport, Tennessee
Nickname: 
The Model City
Location in the state of Tennessee
Location in the state of Tennessee
CountryUnited States
StateTennessee
CountiesSullivan, Hawkins
MayorDennis Phillips
Settled:1761
Chartered/Rechartered:1822, 1917
Government
 • TypeCity Manager / Board of Mayor and Aldermen (7 members, each elected at large. Term: Mayor (2 years), Alderman (4 years)
Area
 • City45.0 sq mi (116.6 km2)
 • Land44.1 sq mi (114.4 km2)
 • Water0.9 sq mi (2.4 km2)
Elevation
1,211 ft (369 m)
Population
 (2006-2008)[3]
 • City47,356
 • Density1,018.9/sq mi (393.4/km2)
 • Metro
302,997
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
Area code423
FIPS code47-39560Template:GR
GNIS feature ID1303478Template:GR
Websitehttp://www.KingsportTN.gov
Kingsport in 1937

Kingsport is a city in Sullivan and Hawkins counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The majority of the city lies in Sullivan County. The population was 47,356 according to the 2006-2008 American Community Survey.

The name is a simplification of "King's Port", originally referring to the area on the Holston River known as King's Boat Yard, the head of navigation for the Tennessee River valley. Kingsport is the largest city in the Kingsport–Bristol–Bristol, TN-VA Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which had a population of 302,997 as of 2006-2008.[1] The Metropolitan Statistical Area is a component of the Johnson City–Kingsport–Bristol, TN-VA Combined Statistical Area – commonly known as the "Tri-Cities" region. Census data from 2006-2008 for the Tri-Cities Combined Statistical Area estimates a population of 496,454.[2] Kingsport is commonly included in what is known as the "Mountain Empire", which spans a portion of southwest Virginia and the mountainous counties in Tennessee to the east.

History

The Long Island of the Holston River, today mostly within the corporate boundaries of Kingsport, was an important site for the Cherokee, colonial pioneers and early settlers. Early settlements at the site were used as a staging ground for people taking the Wilderness Road leading to Kentucky through the Cumberland Gap. First chartered in 1822, Kingsport became an important shipping port on the Holston River. Goods originating for many miles from the surrounding countryside were loaded onto barges for the journey downriver to the Tennessee River at Knoxville. The young town lost its charter after a downturn in its fortunes precipitated by the Civil War.

The name "Tennessee" originated from the old Yuchi Indian word, "Tana-see" (said in two syllables), meaning "the meeting place", which refers to a Cherokee Indian town along the banks of the Little Tennessee River in Monroe County.

Re-chartered in 1917, Kingsport was an early example of a "garden city", designed by city planner and landscape architect John Nolen of Cambridge, Massachusetts. It carries the nickname The Model City from this plan, which organized the town into areas for commerce, churches, housing and industry. The result included some of the earlier uses of traffic circles (roundabouts) in the U.S.. Kingsport was among the first municipalities with a city manager form of government and a school system built on a model developed at Columbia University. Most of the land on the river was devoted to industry. Indeed, most of The Long Island is now occupied by Eastman Chemical Company.

Geography

Kingsport is located at 36°32′13″N 82°32′32″W / 36.53694°N 82.54222°W / 36.53694; -82.54222Invalid arguments have been passed to the {{#coordinates:}} function (36.536851, -82.542123)Template:GR, at the intersection of U.S. highways 11 and 23. Kingsport is also the starting or ending point of Interstate 26.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 45.0 square miles (116.6 km²) of which 44.1 square miles (114.1 km²) is land and 0.9 square miles (2.4 km²) (2.07%) is water.

Demographics

At the 2000 censusTemplate:GR, there were 44,905 people, 19,662 households and 12,642 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,018.9 per square mile (393.4/km²). There were 21,796 housing units at an average density of 494.6/sq mi (191.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.32% White, 4.22% African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.79% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.34% from other races, and 1.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.05% of the population.

There were 19,662 households of which 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were married couples living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.7% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.80.

Age distribution was 21.7% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 20.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 84.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.4 males.

The median household income was $30,524, and the median family income was $40,183. Males had a median income of $33,075 versus $23,217 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,549. About 14.2% of families and 17.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.9% of those under age 18 and 13.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Residents of Kingsport are served by the Kingsport City Schools public school system, which operates seven elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school. In addition, Kingsport has eight private academies, most with religious affliation.

While no college or university houses its main campus within the city, Northeast State Technical Community College, East Tennessee State University and the University of Tennessee have branch campuses in Kingsport.

List of Kingsport City Schools:

  • Andrew Jackson Elementary School
  • Andrew Johnson Elementary School
  • Abraham Lincoln Elementary School
  • John F. Kennedy Elementary School
  • Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School
  • Thomas Jefferson Elementary School
  • George Washington Elementary School
  • John Adams Elementary School
  • John Sevier Junior High School
  • Ross N. Robinson Junior High School
  • Dobyns-Bennett High School

Former education

Kingsport was home to the Douglass High School, the largest African-American high school in the region, when it closed for desegregation in 1966. The school's former building on East Walnut Avenue (now East Sevier) was a historic Rosenwald School, built in 1929-1930 with combination funds from the city, private citizens and the Rosenwald Fund. The present building at 301 Louis Street in the Riverview neighborhood that housed the school, is now the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex, named for Douglass' former principal, and home to most of Kingsport's non-profit agencies, a Parks and Recreation extension, as well as home to the Sons and Daughters of Douglass, Inc, administrators of the Douglass Alumni Association - Kingsport.

Government

Board of Mayor and Alderman

Kingsport City uses the Council-Manager system which was established in 1917 when the city was re-chartered.

Kingsport is governed locally by a seven member Board of Mayor and Alderman (BMA). The citizens elect the mayor to a two year term and the six aldermen to four year terms. The elections take place in odd numbered years with the mayor and three aldermen elected every two years. New terms begin on the 1st of July. The Board then elects a Vice Mayor from the six aldermen. Currently[when?] the board is composed of Mayor Dennis Phillips, Vice Mayor Ben Mallicote, and Aldermen Ken Marsh, Larry Munsey, Tom Parham, Valerie Joh, and Jantry Shupe.[3]

State government

The Sullivan County portion of Kingsport is represented in the Tennessee House of Representatives by the 1st and 2nd State Representative Districts, and the Hawkins County portion by the 6th district. Currently serving in these positions are Reps. Jon Lundberg, Tony Shipley, and Dale Ford respectively.[4] In the Tennessee State Senate, the Sullivan County portion of Kingsport is represented by the 2nd Senatorial District and the Hawkins County portion by the 4th district. Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey and State Senator Mike Faulk. All of these elected officials are members of the Republican Party.[5]

National government

Kingsport as a whole is represented in the US House of Representatives by Republican Phil Roe of the 1st Congressional District.[6]

Civil War history

In the Battle of Kingsport (December 13, 1864) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), a force of 300 Confederates under Colonel Richard Morgan CSA (b.1836, d.1918) stopped a larger Union force for nearly two days. An army of over 5,500 troops under command of Major General George Stoneman USA (b.1822, d.1894) had left Knoxville, Tennessee, to raid Confederate targets in Virginia: the salt works at Saltville, the lead works at Wytheville and the iron works in Marion. While Col. Morgan's small band held off a main Union force under Major General Cullem Gillem USA on the opposite side the Holston River, Col. Samuel Patton USA took a force of cavalry to a ford in the river 2.5 miles (4.0 km) north and came down behind the Confederates. Out-numbered, out-flanked and demoralised by the bitter winter weather, Col. Morgan surrendered. The Confederates suffered 18 dead, and 84 prisoners of war were sent to Union prison in Knoxville. (Source: Thomas R. Ramsey, Jr., "The Raid," (Kingsport Press, 1973))

Odd history

Main article: Mary (elephant)

On September 12, 1916, Kingsport residents demanded the death of circus elephant Mary (a five ton Asian elephant who performed in the Sparks World Famous Shows Circus) for her killing of a city hotel worker named Walter "Red" Eldridge, who was hired the day before as an assistant elephant trainer by the circus. That evening, Eldridge was killed by Mary in Kingsport while he was taking her to a nearby pond. Mary was impounded by the local sheriff, and the leaders of several nearby towns threatened not to allow the circus to visit if Mary was included. The circus owner, Charlie Sparks, reluctantly decided that the only way to quickly resolve the situation was to hold a public execution. On the following day, she was transported by rail to Erwin, Tennessee, where a crowd of over 2,500 people assembled in the Clinchfield Railroad yard to watch her hanging from a railroad crane.

Business

Military

  • The vessel SS Kingsport Victory, which later became USNS Kingsport, was named in honor of the city.

Notable natives and residents

Local media

Newspapers:

Television:

Radio:

AM:

FM:

Kingsport Police Department

Kingsport Police Department
AbbreviationKPD
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionKingsport, Tennessee, United States
General nature
Operational structure
Sworn members99
Unsworn members57
Agency executive
  • Gail Osborne, Chief
Website
http://police.kingsporttn.gov

Kingsport Police Department is the municipal law enforcement agency for Kingsport, Tennessee.[7] The current chief is Gail Osborne.[8]

In 2006, the KPD consisted of 104 sworn officers, 44 full-time non-sworn officers, and 17 part-time non sworn officers.[9] The budget for 2005 was $8,602,800.[10] The KPD has twelve SWAT members that train regularly. KPD SWAT responded to thirteen emergency calls during 2005.[11]

Sports

The Kingsport Mets of the Appalachian League, a rookie-level baseball league, play in the city. An affiliate of the New York Mets, the team has competed in the city since 1969, with the exception of 1983. The Mets play in Hunter Wright Stadium named after Mayor Hunter Wright.

References

  1. ^ [1]
  2. ^ [2]
  3. ^ Kingsport Board of Mayor and Aldermen
  4. ^ Tennessee House of Representatives, Members
  5. ^ Tennessee State Senate, Members
  6. ^ Congressman Phil Roe Tennessee's 1st District - About the 1st District
  7. ^ Kingsport Police Department, Home Page
  8. ^ Kingsport Police Department, History
  9. ^ Kingsport Police Department, Annual Report
  10. ^ Kingsport Police Department, Budget
  11. ^ Kingsport Police Department, Swat Team

Further reading

  • Long, Howard. Kingsport: A Romance of Industry. Overmountain Press (October 1993) ISBN 0932807895
  • Spoden, Muriel Millar Clark. The Long Island of the Holston: Sacred Island of the Cherokee Nation. ASIN: B0006WOGAM
  • Wolfe, Margaret Ripley. Kingsport Tennessee: A Planned American City. University Press of Kentucky (November 1987) ISBN 0813116244


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