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Feature article
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Mount Carmel Hawkins County’s newest town
By J. Ann Tipton
Considered a bedroom community of nearby Kingsport, Mount Carmel is Hawkins County’s newest town, incorporated in 1961. The community’s been around since the 1700s but was organized by former alderman E.P. Elliot, Tom Dean and Bill Marshall, the town’s first mayor. Bordered by Church Hill and Kingsport, the town of 5,000 derives its name from the Mount Carmel Methodist Church.
Two Hawkins County elementary schools serve Church Hill families: Mount Carmel Elementary and Church Hill Elementary. Middle and high school students attend Church Hill Middle and then Volunteer High School, both in Church Hill.
The town boasts the award-winning Thomas Dean Park, complete with baseball fields, basketball goals, sand volleyball court, a picnic shelter and playground equipment. Future goals for the park are to have a walking trail and to renovate the tennis courts.
Each July the town shuts down Main Street for fun, food and entertainment to celebrate its popular block party as a kick-off event for Kingsport’s Fun Fest activities. In October, the town holds an annual fall festival which also takes place downtown.
The town also has seven restaurants, both fast food and sit-down eateries including Bassett’s, Dairy Cup, Hardee’s, Skipez, Skip’s Diner, Subway and Vittles.
Mount Carmel
2000 population -- 4,795
Total households -- 2,018
Own home -- 87%
Married couples with children -- 29%
Married couples with no children -- 41%
High school graduate or higher 78%
Bachelor’s degree or higher 12%
Per capita income $16,702
Note: Percentages have been rounded off.
Source: Census 2000
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