Athens is the county seat of McMinn County, Tennessee, United States[8] and the principal city of the Athens Micropolitan Statistical Area has a population of 53,569. The city is located almost equidistantly between the major cities of Knoxville and Chattanooga.[9] The population was 14,084 at the 2020 census. The population of the zipcode area is at 23,726 [10]
History
Early history and Civil War
The Samuel Cleage House outside of Athens, set on the site of McElhaney and Sons Nursery, built in the 1820s
The Cherokee were living in McMinn County at the time of the arrival of the first Euro-American explorers. The Athens area was situated nearly halfway between the Overhill Cherokee villages of Great Tellico to the north in Monroe County and Great Hiwassee along the Hiwassee River to the south. In 1819, the Cherokee signed the Calhoun Treaty, selling the land north of the Hiwassee (including all of modern McMinn County) to the United States. McMinn County was organized on November 13, 1819, at the home of John Walker in what is now Calhoun. The Native American village, Pumpkintown (a corruption of Potemkin town), was located on a farm about two miles east of present-day Athens. It is sometimes incorrectly identified as a forerunner of Athens. Athens was laid out and chosen as the county seat in 1822.[11] The name "Athens" may have been chosen due to perceived topographical similarities to Athens, Greece.[12]
By 1834, the population of Athens had grown to over 500.[13] Prominent early settlers included William Henry Cooke, who operated an iron forge near modern Etowah, and Samuel Clegg (or Cleage), a construction entrepreneur. Jesse Mayfield, whose descendants founded Mayfield Dairy Farms, arrived in the early 1820s.[14] The Hiwassee Railroad received a charter in the mid-1830s to build a railroad connecting Knoxville, Tennessee, and Dalton, Georgia. The railroad began construction in 1837, although financial and legal problems delayed its completion until 1851.[12] In 1836, General John Wool arrived in Athens to help coordinate the Cherokee Removal. Although initially voluntary, the operation became a forced removal in 1838 when many Cherokee refused to leave. The removal culminated in the forced march west that became known as the Trail of Tears. Wool set up his headquarters at the Bridges Hotel, which was located across the street from the McMinn County Courthouse.[15]
McMinn County was divided during the American Civil War. The well-established railroad brought numerous pro-secessionist and anti-secessionist speakers to the county, including Andrew Johnson, Horace Maynard, John Bell, and William "Parson" Brownlow. In 1861, McMinn County voted against secession by a narrow 1,144-904 margin. The county sent 12 units to the Union army and 8 units to the Confederate army. General William Tecumseh Sherman was briefly headquartered at the Bridges Hotel in McMinn County while preparing his "March to the Sea."[16]
After the Civil War, the railroad lured business opportunists to McMinn County. In 1887, several investors established the Athens Mining and Manufacturing Company with plans to convert the town into a model industrial community and initiate large-scale mining operations in the area. Textile mills, flour mills, and timber mills dominated the county's industry by the late 19th century, complemented by furniture and appliance factories in the 1920s.[17]
In 1946, several McMinn County World War II veterans ran for local office in hopes of removing a county government deemed corrupt. On August 1, local authorities locked themselves in the county jail along with the ballot boxes. Suspecting foul play, the veterans armed themselves and assembled on a hill across the street from the jail. After an exchange of gunfire, the county authorities surrendered. The ballots were counted, and the veterans' ticket was elected, ending the Battle of Athens.[18]
Oostanaula Creek (sometimes spelled "Eastanalle" or a similar variation) rises in the hills north of Athens and traverses the city approximately 30 miles (48 km) upstream from its mouth along Hiwassee River. Other major streams in the area include Mouse Creek, which parallels Oostanaula to the west, and Chestuee Creek, which parallels Oostanaula to the east.
Out of all of the households, 61.33% were family households, 42.39% were married couples living together, 26.30% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 4.33% had a male householder with no wife present, and 14.60% had a female householder with no husband present. 34.52% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.39% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.91.
The population was spread out, with 22.69% under the age of 18, 59.97% ages 18 to 64, and 17.34% age 65 and over. The median age was 39.1 years. 53.52% of the population were females and 46.48% were males.
The median household income was $31,062 and the median family income was $44,419. Males had a median income of $37,120 versus $28,889 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,259. About 22.2% of families and 24.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.8% of those under the age of 18 and 17.2% of those age 65 and over
2000 census
As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 13,220 people, 5,550 households, and 3,590 families residing in the city. The population density was 976.3 inhabitants per square mile (377.0/km2). There were 6,086 housing units at an average density of 449.4 per square mile (173.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 86.33% White, 9.32% African American, 0.23% Native American, 1.38% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 1.34% from other races, and 1.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.01% of the population.
There were 5,550 households, out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.2% were married couples living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.3% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.89.
The population consisted of 23.9% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,277, and the median income for a family was $39,563. Males had a median income of $32,170 versus $20,917 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,877. About 14.6% of families and 18.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.6% of those under age 18 and 22.1% of those age 65 or over.
Government
The City of Athens employs a Council-Manager form of government. Citizens elect a five-member council. Councilmembers are elected to four year terms, which are staggered. The Council is responsible for approving budgets, passing local ordinances, and setting policy, but members are forbidden by the City Charter from giving direct orders to city staff. The Council hires a City Manager, who is responsible for hiring, firing, and managing city staff. A Council Study Session takes place once per month, and a City Council Meeting takes place once per month.
Law enforcement services in Athens are provided by the City of Athens Police Department. The Department's authorized strength is thirty-two sworn officers.
McMinn County is covered by both the Chattanooga and Knoxville[33] media markets. Athens is served by one daily newspaper publication, The Daily Post Athenian as well as seven radio stations, (four FM, and three AM), and one Comcast TV channel, 95.
^Information obtained from the McMinn County Heritage Book Committee marker at the Bridges Hotel site (c. 1997). Information accessed: November 26, 2007.
^"Station: Athens, TN". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
^"Home". E.K. Baker Elementary School. Retrieved January 28, 2022. E.K. Baker Elementary 1044 County Road 172 Athens, Tennessee 37303 - It is not in the Athens city limits, despite the "Athens, Tennessee" postal address.
^"Home". Rogers Creek Elementary School. Retrieved January 28, 2022. Rogers Creek Elementary 137 County Road 82 Athens, Tennessee 37303 - It is not in the city limits, despite the "Athens, Tennessee" postal address.
