Johnson City is a city in Washington, Carter, and Sullivan counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, mostly in Washington County. Located in an Appalachian valley near the Boone Lake impoundment of the Watauga River, Johnson City is Tennessee's eighth-most populous city, with a population of 71,046 as of the 2020 Census. Johnson City is the largest city of the Johnson City Metropolitan Statistical Area, as well as the Tri-Cities (Tennessee-Virginia) region of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, which contains Kingsport, Tennessee and Bristol, Tennessee and had a population of 585,041 at the 2020 Census.

Johnson City is the nearest city to the first permanent European-American settlement in present-day Tennessee, which was built in 1768 by William Bean. Johnson City was founded as Johnson Depot in 1856, and incorporated as Johnson City in 1869. Once a railroad boomtown, Johnson City is today a hub for medicine and education, as the home to East Tennessee State University, the largest university in Northeast Tennessee, as well as the headquarters of Ballad Health, the region's largest health system.

History William Bean, traditionally recognized as Tennessee's first white settler, built his cabin along Boone's Creek near Johnson City in 1769.Paul Hellman, Historical Gazetteer of the United States (Taylor and Francis, 2005), p. 1016. In the 1780s, Colonel John Tipton established a farm (now the Tipton-Haynes State Historic Site) just outside what is now Johnson City. During the State of Franklin movement, Tipton was a leader of the loyalist faction, residents of the region who wanted to remain part of North Carolina rather than form a separate state. In February 1788, an armed engagement took place at Tipton's farm between Tipton and his men and the forces led by John Sevier, the leader of the Franklin faction.A civil and political history of the state of Tennessee"; by John Haywood

Founded in 1856 by Henry Johnson as a railroad station called "Johnson's Depot", Johnson City became a major rail hub for the Southeast, as three railway lines crossed in the downtown area.Graybeal, Johhny, "Riding the Rails: The Storied History of the ET&WNC Line" , Johnson City Press, April 18, 2005

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Johnson City served as headquarters for the narrow gauge East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad (the ET&WNC, nicknamed "Tweetsie") and the standard gauge Clinchfield Railroad. Both rail systems featured excursion trips through scenic portions of the Blue Ridge Mountains and were engineering marvels of railway construction. The Southern Railway (now Norfolk Southern) also passes through the city.

During the American Civil War, before it was formally incorporated in 1869, the town's name was briefly changed to "Haynesville" in honor of Confederate Senator Landon Carter Haynes.Haskell, Jean. "Johnson City". Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture. Retrieved December 25, 2009.

Henry Johnson's name was quickly restored following the war, with Johnson elected as the city's first mayor on January 3, 1870. The town grew rapidly from 1870 until 1890 as railroad and mining interests flourished. But the national depression of 1893, which caused many railway failures (including the Charleston, Cincinnati and Chicago Railroad or "3-Cs", a predecessor of the Clinchfield), and resulting financial panic halted Johnson City's boom town momentum."Johnson City is a Typical American City ", The Sunday Chronicle (Johnson City), 1922.

In 1901, the Mountain Branch of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers (now the U.S. Veterans Affairs Medical Center and National Cemetery), Mountain Home, Tennessee was created by an act of Congress introduced by Walter P. Brownlow. Johnson City began growing rapidly and became Tennessee's fifth-largest city by 1930.Fifteenth Census of the United States – 1930 – Population: Volume III, Part 2: Montana-Wyoming, p890

Together with neighboring Bristol, Johnson City was a hotbed for old-time music. It hosted Columbia Records recording sessions in 1928 known as the Johnson City Sessions. Native son "Fiddlin' Charlie" Bowman became a national recording star via these sessions."Old-Time Music Heritage", Johnson's Depot Website The Fountain Square area downtown featured a host of local and traveling street entertainers, including Blind Lemon Jefferson.

During the 1920s and the Prohibition era, Johnson City's ties to the bootlegging activity of the Appalachian Mountains earned the city the nickname of "Little Chicago"."Little Chicago", Johnson's Depot Website

For many years, the city had a municipal "privilege tax" on carnival shows, in an attempt to dissuade traveling circuses and other transient entertainment businesses from doing business in town."The Day They Hanged an Elephant in East Tennessee" , Blue Ridge Country, February 13, 2009 The use of drums by merchants to draw attention to their goods is prohibited. Title Six, Section 106 of the city's municipal code, the so-called "Barney Fife" ordinance, empowers the city's police force to draft into involuntary service as many of the town's citizens as necessary to aid police in making arrests and preventing or quelling riots, unlawful assemblies, or breaches of peace.

Geography

Johnson City is in northeastern Washington County,

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of , of which is land and , or 0.75 percent, is water.

Buffalo Mountain, a ridge over high, is a city park on the south side of town. The Watauga River arm of Boone Lake, a Tennessee Valley Authority reservoir, is partly within the city limits.

Climate Johnson City has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa), with warm summers and cool winters. Temperatures in Johnson City are moderated somewhat by its elevation and proximity to the Appalachian Mountains. Precipitation is abundant, with an average of . Summer is typically the wettest part of the year, while early autumn is considerably drier. Snowfall is moderate and sporadic, with an average of .

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 71,046 people and 15,904 families residing in the city. The median age was 36.0 years; 18.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 91.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 89.3 males age 18 and over.

99.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 1.0% lived in rural areas.

Of the 29,957 households, 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Married-couple households made up 36.7%, while households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present accounted for 22.8% and households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present accounted for 33.1%. Approximately 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. There were 32,801 housing units, of which 8.7% were vacant; the homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.7%.

+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census Race Number Percent White 56,911 80.1% Black or African American 4,909 6.9% American Indian and Alaska Native 287 0.4% Asian 1,727 2.4% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 45 0.1% Some other race 2,054 2.9% Two or more races 5,113 7.2% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 4,498 6.3%

2000 census As of the census of 2000, there was a population of 55,469, with 23,720 households and 14,018 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,412.4 per square mile. There were 25,730 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 90.09 percent white, 6.40 percent African American, 0.26% Native American, 1.22 percent Asian, 0.02 percent Pacific Islander, 0.69 percent from other races, and 1.32 percent from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.89 percent of the population.

There were 23,720 households, out of which 25.0 percent had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.1 percent were married couples living together, 11.6 percent had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.9 percent were non-families. 33.9 percent of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.5 percent had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20, and the average family size was 2.82.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 19.8 percent under the age of 18, 13.7 percent from 18 to 24, 28.1 percent from 25 to 44, 22.5 percent from 45 to 64, and 15.9 percent who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,835, and the median income for a family was $40,977. Males had a median income of $31,326 versus $22,150 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,364. About 11.4 percent of families and 15.9 percent of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.9 percent of those under age 18 and 12.7 percent of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Johnson City is an economic hub largely fueled by East Tennessee State University and the medical "Med-Tech" corridor, anchored by the Johnson City Medical Center and Niswonger Children's Hospital, Franklin Woods Community Hospital, ETSU's Gatton College of Pharmacy, and ETSU's Quillen College of Medicine.

The citrus soda Mountain Dew originated in Johnson City. In 2012, PepsiCo announced a new malt-flavored version of the drink named Mountain Dew Johnson City Gold.

Johnson City and its metropolitan area had a gross metropolitan product of in 2019.

+ Top employers in Johnson City (2008) Employer Number ofemployees Ballad Health 3541 East Tennessee State University 1990 Washington County School System 1275 James H. Quillen VA Medical Center 1259 American Water Heater Company 1194 AT&T Mobility 1000

Major companies headquartered in Johnson City American Water Heater Company (owned by A.O. Smith Corp.) Advanced Call Center Technologies Cantech Industries General Shale (owned by Wienerberger) LPI, Inc. Moody Dunbar, Inc. Mullican Flooring R.A. Colby, Inc. TPI Corporation VCV Rack

Other companies JD Squared, manufacturer of tube and pipe benders and other fabrication tools

Arts and culture

Public art

Public art includes 12 to 15 sculptures that change every two years. Also, 24 bronze statuettes of animals indigenous to the Appalachian Highlands, cast by faculty and students at ETSU, are installed in various downtown locations; staff at the Johnson City Public Library created a list of clues to aid in the search for all the animals. Other public art includes banners and art on light poles and traffic boxes, and quote stones along sidewalks and paths. Two annual art events take place in the city.

Shopping

As a regional hub for a four-state area, Johnson City is home to a large variety of retail businesses, from well-known national chains to local boutiques and galleries.

The Mall at Johnson City is the city's only enclosed shopping mall. Much of the new retail development is in North Johnson City, along State of Franklin Road. Johnson City Crossings is the largest of these developments.

Points of interest Buffalo Mountain Park East Tennessee State University Arboretum ETSU/Mountain States Health Alliance Athletic Center Founders Park Freedom Hall Civic Center Johnson City STOLport Thomas Stadium, baseball venue Tipton-Haynes State Historic Site Tweetsie Trail Watauga River William B. Greene Jr. Stadium

Sports