Feature article
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Johnson City area’s largest city
By Jessica Fischer
Founded by Henry Johnson in 1856, Johnson City, originally known as Johnson’s Depot, was a major railway center for the southeastern states during the late 19th and early 20th centuries and was the headquarters for the Carolina, Clinchfield and Ohio (Clinchfield) and East Tennessee and Western North Carolina (Tweetsie) railroads.
A commercial and industrial pioneer, Johnson crossed the Allegheny Mountains into what’s now Tennessee following the same trail Daniel Boone had blazed nearly a century earlier.
Johnson’s last camping place was a little cleared spot in the woods by the newly built branch of railroad that stretched from Chattanooga to Bristol. It was around that camping place that Johnson City was built.
The city was officially chartered as Johnson City in 1869, and when the first city election was held on Jan. 3, 1870, citizens unanimously elected Johnson as their mayor.
Today, Johnson City is home to nearly 57,000 residents, making it the largest city in Washington County as well as Northeast Tennessee
Johnson City’s largest employers are health-care providers, educational institutions and public agencies.
Mountain States Health Alliance boasts 3,541 employees, followed by East Tennessee State University with 2,012 employees, Citi Commerce Solutions with 1,817, the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center with 1,259, American Water Heater Co. with 1,200, the Washington County School System with 1,150, the Johnson City School System with 920, the city of Johnson City with 824, Cingular with 805, and Siemens Energy and Automation Inc. with 730 employees.
Those 10 employers account for 81 percent of all jobs in Johnson City.
Manufacturing companies comprise the next largest group of employers, representing a diverse range of industries encompassing heaters, textiles, electronic components, automobile parts, metal products, glass products, and building and manufacturing supplies.
Telecommunications service centers or “call centers” comprise a third, emerging type of employment for the Johnson City area. Those facilities, which may represent companies in virtually any industry sector, provide services such as credit card order processing, reservations, shipping logistics, telemarketing and electronic sales.
New initiatives such as the Med Tech Regional Business Park are beginning to attract more technology-based and medical businesses to the area as well.
Residents of Johnson City are served by eight elementary schools, one middle school and one high school, Science Hill, which has an enrollment of nearly 2,500 students. Johnson City is also home to East Tennessee State University and the James H. Quillen College of Medicine.
The city is rich in cultural attractions as well.
Hands On! Regional Museum on East Main Street in downtown Johnson City features more than 22,000 square feet of interactive exhibits for kids, including the Katie Ellen Coal Mine, the TVA/Water Play Dam and WKID-TV, which allows children to look at the “behind the scenes” workings of a TV station. For more information, call 434-4263.
The 200-acre Winged Deer Park beside Boone Lake offers visitors a chance to fish, boat, play ball and pitch horseshoes. The park also has a nine-hole golf course, a half-mile fitness trail and a playground. Call 283-5815 for more information.
Tipton Haynes State Historic Site, the 18th-century home of Constitutional Convention member John Tipton, features a museum, gift shop, nature trails and an herb garden, along with special events and exhibits throughout the year.
Johnson City is also home to the Johnson City Community Theatre and the Johnson City Cardinals minor league baseball team.
One of the most frequented attractions in Johnson City is Freedom Hall Civic Center, a multi-purpose facility that plays host to concerts, family shows and sporting events, including the Johnson City Symphony’s Young People’s Christmas Concert, the International Championship Rodeo, the Annual Pepsi Independence Day Celebration and Fireworks, Sesame Street and the Harlem Globetrotters.
There also are plenty of places to eat and shop in Johnson City.
The city boasts more than 150 fast-food and full-service restaurants, including Applebee’s, Cafe One 11, Chili’s, Crazy Tomato, Dixie BBQ Co., Johnny Carino’s, Logan’s Roadhouse, Lone Star Steakhouse and Saloon, O’Charley’s, Outback Steakhouse, Peerless Steakhouse, Red Lobster, Stir Fry Café and Texas Roadhouse.
Downtown Johnson City offers an eclectic mix of fine clothing, import, jewelry, antique and new-age specialty shops in a 19th-century setting.
Other shopping destinations within the city include:- Johnson City Crossings, 3211 Peoples St., which features Home Depot, Stein Mart, Circuit City, Michaels, PetSmart and Old Navy.
- The Mall at Johnson City, 2011 N. Roan St., boasting more than 80 stores.
- Mountcastle Shopping Center, 412 E. Mountcastle Drive, with a mix of specialty shops and restaurants including Youngdale Antiques and Interiors, William King Clothiers, CK Rags and Co. and Gourmet and Co.
- Park Place, 600 N. State of Franklin Road, offering a mix of service and shopping venues including Perfect Party, GTE Wireless, Into the Fire and Royal Beauty.
- Peerless Shopping Center, 2531 N. Roan St., home to Talbots, Treasure House, Mahoney’s Outfitters, Men of Measure Clothing and Buster Brown Shoes.
- Roan Centre, 1805 N. Roan St., with a Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream, Play it Again Laser Storm, Shoe Warehouse, Lone Star Steakhouse and Saloon and Carmike Cinemas.
- Shops at Franklin, located at 3101 Browns Mill Road, with a mix of specialty shops and restaurants, including Outback Steakhouse, Bear and Friends and Serious Hobbies.
- Shops at Roan, 2111 N. Roan St., with an array of shops, including Bowman Jewelers, Blockbuster, Quizno’s and CVS Pharmacy.
- Target Center, 2116 N. Roan St., housing Target Stores, Pier 1 Imports, Books-a-Million, T.J. Maxx and other specialty shops.
Johnson City
2000 population -- 55,469
Total households -- 23,677
Own home -- 57%
Married couples with children -- 17%
Married couples with no children -- 27%
High school graduate or higher 79%
Bachelor’s degree or higher 29%
Per capita income $20,364
Note: Percentages have been rounded off.
Source: Census 2000
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