Discover Johnson County, Tennessee — a welcoming mountain community where heritage, natural beauty, and opportunity meet. Access county services, local government resources, and explore things to do in Mountain City, Shady Valley, and Butler. Stay informed, get involved, and experience the best of Northeast Tennessee. Johnson County Courthouse Photo credit: Dennis Shekinah Doe Mountain Recreation Area Beautiful Watauga Lake Photo credit: Sheila Stout Caldwell Johnson County Courthouse Photo credit: Dennis Shekinah 1/41 Subscribe for Updates Subscribe Now Thanks for submitting! STAY CONNECTED TODAY! BE IN THE KNOW Welcome to Johnson County TN, your destination for today, tomorrow, or a lifetime! COURTHOUSE HOURS OF OPERATION: Monday-Friday 8:30am-5:00pm County Clerks Office Only Saturdays 8:30am-11:45am NEW OFFICE HOURS FOR THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE BEGINNING APRIL 18, 2026 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday ... 8:30am-5:00pm Open Extended hours on Thursdays from 7:30am-5:30pm CLOSED ON SATURDAYS County Transfer Station Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:00pm Saturdays 8:00am-12:00pm County Phone Directory Johnson County TN Government Public Notices PUBLIC NOTICE OF MEETING The Johnson County Commission Budget Committee Meetings: Monday, May 11 & May 18 Tuesday, May 26, June 1, 8 & 15 5:15pm in the Board Room Johnson County Offices, 211 North Church Street, Mountain City, TN. PLANNING COMMISSION Monday, May 11 at 6:00pm Upper Courtroom - Courthouse PUBLIC NOTICE DOWNLOAD AGENDA PACKET BUDGET COMMITTEE Thursday, May 21 at 6:00pm Upper Courtroom - Courthouse COUNTY COMMISSION Thursday, May 21 at 7:00pm Upper Courtroom - Courthouse AGENDA PACKET PENDING download results LOCAL UPDATES For Hurricane Disaster Recovery Updates, please follow: Johnson County -TN Long Term Recovery Group Phone: 423-440-2883 Email: JCTNrecovery@gmail.com NOTICE FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION: You must apply for FEMA Flood Permits in the Property Assessors Office. Questions: 423-727-7692 PUBLIC NOTICE A public meeting is scheduled to discuss community needs and how Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding might address those needs. Johnson County is considering submitting a 2023-2024 CDBG-DR application to the State of Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. The meeting will be held at the Johnson County Courthouse, Upstairs Courtroom, 222 West Main Street, Mountain City, TN on Monday, May 11, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. Residents of Johnson County will be given the opportunity to comment on potential projects, and all people of any race, age, or gender are welcome to attend. Any person wishing to attend with special needs of accessibility should contact Amanda Hall at 423-727-9696. PUB1T: 4/23/26 Sounds of Simon & Garfunkel Saturday, May 23 at 7:00pm TICKET INFO HERE calendar of events Follow Johnson County Government Featured COMMUNITY POST

Find Johnson County TN events and programs on our Calendar of Events. click on image to enlarge view Square Dance Workshops America250-JohnsonCounty-Passport (1) Square Dance Workshops 1/27 Johnson County Calendar of Events event submission guidelines submit your event for free

The organization of Johnson County took place in 1836 and was named for Thomas Johnson, a leading citizen of Carter County and an early settler on the Doe River. History of Johnson County In 1761, Daniel Boone came through the area that is now Johnson County. There were two early settlements in the area in the late 1760’s and the 1770’s. One settlement was known as “The Trade Gap”, which was a trading post for Indians and traders, in the south east side of the county. This community is now known as Trade . The other early settlement was on Roane Creek, near the confluence with the Watauga River. Other settlements were made soon after further up Roane Creek and on Little Doe. The organization of Johnson County took place in 1836 and was named for Thomas Johnson, a leading citizen of Carter County and an early settler on the Doe River. Johnson County was created from parts of Carter County, because of the long distance to travel to the county seat in Elizabethton. The first session of the county court was begun and held at the Pleasant Grove School House on May 2, 1836. In October of 1836, the county commissioners were given authority to contract for the building of a court house. It took about a year to complete the structure. Two years later the jail was completed. In 1836, the county seat was originally named Taylorsville in honor of Colonel James Taylor. The name was changed to Mountain City in the 1885, to reflect it being in one of the highest valleys in Tennessee. Because the county was so remote, the railroads did not reach the area until the early 1900’s. The arrival of the railroads greatly influenced the development of the timber and manganese mining industries. Learn more about our rich heritage by visiting the Johnson County Museum in Mountain City and the Museum of Butler !

Pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. § 10-7-503(g), the following Public Records Policy for Johnson County, TN Government is hereby adopted by the Johnson County Commission to provide economical and efficient access to public records as provided under the Tennessee Public Records Act (“TPRA”) in Tenn. Code Ann. § 10-7-501, et seq. JOHNSON COUNTY ARCHIVED COMMISSION DOCUMENTS All documents are in PDF format and require a viewer to open the file. 2023 PUBLIC NOTICES & AGENDAS PUBLIC NOTICE: Planning Commission Meeting - Monday, January 9, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE: Quarterly Commission Meeting - Thursday, January 19, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE: Accounts & Budget Committee Meeting - Thursday, January 19, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE: Quarterly County Commission Meeting - Thursday, January 19, 2023 MEETING AGENDA: Commission Meeting Quarterly Agenda - January 19 , 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE: Accounts & Budget Committee Meeting - Thursday, February 16, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE: County Commission Meeting - Thursday, February 16, 2023 MEETING AGENDA: Commission Meeting Agenda - Thursday, February 16, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE/AGENDA: Special-Called Commission Meeting - Thursday, March 2, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE: Public Records Commission Meeting - Wednesday, March 15, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE: Budget Meeting - Thursday, March 16, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE: County Commission Meeting - Thursday, March 16, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE: Court Security Committee - Monday, March 27, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE: Planning Commission Meeting - Monday, April 17, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE: Budget Meeting - Thursday, April 20, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE: Quarterly County Commission Meeting - Thursday, April 20, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE: Joint ECD Committee Meeting - Wednesday, April 26, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE: Budget Committee Meetings : Mondays: May 8, 15 & 22, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE: Beer Commission Meetin g - Monday, May 8, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE: Planning Commission Meeting - Monday. May 8, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE: Solid Waste Committee Meeting - Thursday, May 11, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE/AGENDA: Special Called Meeting - Thursday, May 11, 2023 AGENDA PACKET: County Commission Meeting - Thursday, May 18. 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE: Beer Commission Meetin g - Tuesday, May 30, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE: Public Safety Committee Meeting - Tuesday, June 6, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE & AGENDA : Joint ECD Committee Meeting - Wednesday, June 7, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE & AGENDA : JC Planning Commission Meeting - Monday, June 12, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE & AGENDA : County Commission Meeting: Thursday, June 15, 2023 AMENDED AGENDA: County Commission Meeting: Thursday, June 15, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE : Beer Commission Meeting: Monday, July 3, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE & AGENDA: Budget Committee: Monday, July 10, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE & AGENDA: Special Called Meeting: Monday, July 10, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE & AGENDA : Planning Commission Meeting: Tuesday, July 11, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE & AGENDA : County Commission Meeting: Thursday, July 20, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE & AGENDA PACKET : County Commission Meeting Thursday, 8/17/23 PUBLIC NOTICE & AGENDA PACKET : Budget & Commission Meetings, Thursday, 9/21/23 PUBLIC NOTICE & AGENDA PACKET : Budget & Commission Meetings, Thursday, 10/19/23 SPECIAL CALLED MEETING : To appoint Interim Sheriff - Monday, October 23, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE & AGENDA PACKET : Commission Meetings, Thursday, 11/16/23 PUBLIC NOTICE & AGENDA: Planning Commission Meeting, Monday, 12/11/2023 PUBLIC NOTICE & AGENDA : Joint ECD Meeting, Wednesday, 12/20/2023 PUBLIC NOTICE & AGENDA: Budget & County Commission Meeting, Thursday, 12/21/2023 MONTHLY COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES July 2022 August 2022 September 2022 October 2022 November 2022 December 2022 January 2023 February 2023 March 2023 April 2023 May 2023 SPECIAL MEETING May 2023 June & July 2023 August 2023 September 2023 October 2023 November 2023 December 2023 Find 2024 records here. Please note that previous years predate the launch of the website and are not available electronically.

Johnson County is the northeastern most county in Tennessee, sharing borders with Virginia and North Carolina. Communities are Mountain City, Butler, Cold Springs, Doe Valley, Dry Run, Forge Creek, Shouns, Laurel Bloomery, Shady Valley and Trade. Johnson County Tennessee Communities Johnson County is the northeastern most county in Tennessee, sharing borders with Virginia and North Carolina. The county is situated entirely in the Blue Ridge Mountains and is made up of many small towns and communities situated over four mountains, three valleys and along one big lake. It is one of the highest counties in Tennessee, and it has a total area of 303 square miles, of which 298 square miles is land and 4.2 square miles is water. Mountain City is the largest town in the county and serves as the county seat. The county is governed by a Board of Commissioners and a county mayor. There are (8) voting districts in the county represented by 15 Commissioners. The county is located within Tennessee’s 1st congressional district. Johnson County was created in 1836 from parts of Carter County, where Elizabethton was the county seat. The residents of what is now Johnson County tried for years to get the county to move the seat to a more central location, because it was so difficult to travel to Elizabethton. Their formal petition was rejected by the county, so they petitioned the state legislature for the creation of a new county. The new county was named after Thomas Johnson, an early settler. Mainly due to the remoteness of the county, the railroads did not reach Johnson County until the early 1900’s. The arrival of the railroad greatly helped the development of the timber and manganese mining industries. Butler, TN Butler is an unincorporated community in Johnson County, Tennessee, and is located along the northern shore of Watauga Lake. Butler is served by a Post Office assigned zip code 37640. The community is part of the voting district # 4 area of the county. The settlement of what is now known as Butler began in 1768. The town was originally located on Roan Creek at its confluence with the Watauga River, and the community was originally called Smith’s Mill for the gristmill built on the bank of the Roan Creek in 1820. After the civil war, it was renamed in honor of Colonel Roderick R. Butler. Aenon Seminary, a secondary school, was established in Butler in 1871. It later became Holly Springs College. In the 1906, it was purchased by the Watauga Baptist Association and renamed Watauga Academy. It operated under that name until 1948, when the town was inundated by the formation of Watauga Lake, and the town was relocated to higher ground to make way for the lake. The original town is now known as “Old Butler” and is called “The Town That Wouldn’t Drown”. The history and relocation of Butler is documented at the Butler Museum, which has incredible exhibits and original pictures on display presenting the long history, the Appalachian culture and the relocation of the original town to its current location. Cold Springs, TN The Cold Springs community is located in Johnson County, Tennessee, and it is located right outside of Mountain City. The primary coordinates of the community place it within the 37683 zip code delivery area of Mountain City. The community is part of the voting district #1 area of the county. In or near the community are the Second District Volunteer Fire Department and several businesses. The history of the community was rooted in farming and today there are still many farms in the area. Doe Valley, TN Doe Valley is an unincorporated community in Johnson County, Tennessee, and it is situated in the upper Doe Creek Valley between Iron Mountains to the north and Doe Mountain to the south. The community is located along Hwy 67 between Mountain City and Butler. It is near the communities of Pandora to the southwest and Dewey to the northeast. The primary coordinates for Doe Valley places it within the 37683 zip code delivery area of Mountain City. The community is part of the voting district #5 area of the county. Doe Valley is the location of the Tennessee Department of Correction’s Northeast Correctional Complex and the Johnson County Chamber Park, which hosts an annual rodeo and other events. This community is home to the Doe Valley Elementary School and the Doe Valley Volunteer Fire Department. There are also a number of small businesses located inthe area. It is near Watauga Lake and the Cherokee National Forest. Dry Run, TN Dry Run is a small community in Johnson County, Tennessee and is located near Butler. The primary coordinates of the county place it within the 37640 zip code delivery area of Butler. The community is part of the voting district #4 area of the county. Located in the community are the Dry Run Volunteer Fire Department and the Dry Run Elementary School. There are also several businesses in this area including the Dry Hill General Store & Deli and the Watauga Lake Winery. Forge Creek / Shouns, TN The Forge Creek and Shouns community is located in Johnson County, and it is actually situated within the town of Mountain City. It has an elevation of 2303 feet with Forge Mountain rising to the east of the town. The primary coordinates of the community place it within the 37683 zip code delivery area of Mountain City. The community is part of the voting district #2 area of the county. In 1761 Daniel Boone came through the area that is now Johnson County. In the mid 1770’s, a settlement was established in the area called “The Trade Gap”, which was a trading post for Indians and traders. The area was renamed Trade, Tennessee and is the oldest community in the state. By the late 1770’s, Johnson County had a population of about 150 people, with a leading citizen being Leonard Shoun, who fathered 20 children, and for which Shoun’s Crossroads is named. Laurel Bloomery, TN Laurel Bloomery is an unincorporated community in Johnson County, Tennessee, and it is the northeastern most community in the state with an elevation of 2410 feet. It is located along Hwy 91 between Mountain City, Tennessee and Damascus, Virginia. Laurel Bloomery had a Post Office with an assigned zip code of 37680. It is now part of the Mountain City delivery area. The community is part of the voting district # 1 area of the county. The community was settled in the early 19th century. The community’s first bloomer forge mill was built and began operation in 1810. The mill was closed in 1870, but portions are still standing today. The community was named for the Laurel Creek between Damascus and Mountain City. The area is known for its’ beautiful mountains and secluded valleys. The area is home to some great hiking trails including the easier Laurel Creek Trail that meanders along the Laurel Creek and the more challenging Gentry Falls Trail leading to a double waterfall located in the back forest of the area. The Old Time Fiddlers Convention is held every year at the Old Mill Music Park. It marks the annual anniversary of the Mountain City Fiddlers Convention of 1925 that was held in nearby Mountain City. Musicians travel to this event to play and listen to old time folk and bluegrass music. Mountain City, TN Mountain City serves as the county seat of Johnson County, and it is the northeastern most county seat in Tennessee. It is the highest incorporated city in the state at an elevation of 2,418 feet. The town has a total area of 3.3 square miles, all being land. The town is situated in one of the highest valleys in the state. Forge Mountain rises to the east, Doe Mountain rises to the southwest and Iron Mountains rise to the north. Mountain City is just a few miles from both the Virginia and North Carolina state lines. US Hwy 421 connects Mountain City with Bristol, Tennessee, to the northwest and Boone, North Carolina, to the southeast. State route 67 winds along side Watauga Lake and connects the town to Elizabethton, Tennessee. Mountain City has a Post Office with an assigned zip code of 37683. The town is part of the voting district #7 area of the county. The first Euro-American explorers arrived in what is now the Mountain City area in the late 17th century using existing Native American trails. The first permanent Euro-American settlers arrived in the 18th century and among them were Leonard Shoun and Alexander Doran. The town was founded in 1836 and was originally called Taylorsville, in honor of Colonel James Taylor. The name was changed to Mountain City in 1885, to reflect it being in one of the highest valleys in Tennessee. Mountain City and Johnson County have a long musical heritage. In 1925, the town was the site of the first Mountain City Fiddlers Convention, which is considered a landmark event in the modern history of Appalachian traditional music. The musical gathering greatly contributed to the development of the genre of country music. Shady Valley, TN Shady Valley is an unincorporated community in Johnson County, Tennessee, and is located just outside of the Cherokee National Forest. Shady Valley is also the name of the valley in which the town is located. It is the second highest community in Tennessee at an elevation of 2785 feet, and it is situated between Holston Mountain to the northwest and Iron Mountain to the southeast. The town is located at the intersection of Hwy 421 and Hwy 91 in the middle of the valley. Shady Valley is served by a Post Office assigned zip code 37688. The community is part of the voting district #6 area of the county. Shady Valley is home to some historic cranberry bogs. These are cold adopted ecosystems, far south of their usual range. The valley once contained an estimated 10,000 acres of boreal cranberry bogs. The annual Cranberry Festival held the second weekend in October every year, celebrates the remaining cranberry bog. The annual festival includes food, music, a parade and auctions. Shady Valley is also known for the famous Snake Motorcycle Ride. The local general store serves as the home base for this motorcycle route, and here you can get Snake Motorcycle memorabilia, food, gas and information. The community has two other small businesses, a US Post Office and the Shady Valley Elementary School. Trade, TN Trade is an unincorporated community in Johnson County, Tennessee, and is the eastern most community in the state. Trade is also considered the oldest community in the state, and it is the highest community in the state at 3133 feet elevation. It is located along Hwy 421 between Mountain City, Tennessee and Boone, North Carolina. Trade is served by a Post Office assigned zip code 37691. The community is part of the voting district #3 area of the county. In the 18th century, Trade was established as a trading outpost known as “The Trade Gap”. It was a trading post for Native Americans, pioneers and fur traders. Tom Dula (made famous by the folk song “Tom Dooley”) hid out in Trade as he was on the run, suspected of murder in North Carolina. He was eventually arrested by a posse in Trade. In 2008, the Trade Gristmill celebrated its grand opening at the Trade Community Center grounds. Most of the parts comprising the newly constructed mill date back to pre-civil war. This is a good attraction to share with family and friends. The culture and history of Trade is celebrated at the Trade Days Festival, a long running celebration of Appalachian arts, crafts, culture and history. It includes Appalachian music, dance and a Native American Pow-Wow. It is held at the Trade Community Center.

Directory of volunteer fire departments serving Johnson County Tennessee. Volunteer Fire Departments Dial 911 for Emergencies Butler Volunteer Fire Department 291 Piercetown Road Butler, TN 37640 Doe Valley Volunteer Fire Department 283 Slabtown Road Mountain City, TN 37683 Dry Run Volunteer Fire Department 5646 Big Dry Run Road Butler, TN 37640 First District Volunteer Fire Department 7176 Highway 91 North Laurel Bloomery, TN 37683 Neva Volunteer Fire Department 4175 Roan Creek Road Mountain City, TN 37683 Second District Volunteer Fire Department 4243 Highway 421 South Mountain City, TN 37683 Shady Valley Volunteer Fire Department 10114 Highway 421 Shady Valley, 37688 Trade Volunteer Fire Department 125 Fire Department Lane Trade, TN 37691

Location and contact information for the Johnson County TN Library. Johnson County Library 219 N Church Street Mountain City, TN 37683 Phone: 423-727-6544 Visit Website

Johnson County Long Term Recovery information. HOW YOU CAN HELP JOHNSON COUNTY Johnson County Long-Term Recovery Group Your corporate or individual donations will be administered by the First Tennessee Development District Foundation. All donations will stay in Johnson County and be used specifically for materials and tools to support the rebuilding process. These funds will help bridge any gaps that are uncovered as people find items/issues that are not covered by other organizations. DONATE ONLINE HERE If you wish to donate by check, please include Johnson County LTRG on the subject line and make your check out to: FTDD Foundation 3211 N. Roan Street Johnson City, TN 37601 Restoring Hope and Stability After the Storm Over the past year, our community has come together—individuals, organizations, churches, and businesses—demonstrating incredible compassion and resilience. The Johnson County Long Term Recovery Group has been formed to foster collaboration and ensure that every neighbor has the support they need to rebuild their lives. Contact Information Director 2303 S. Shady Street Mountain City, TN 37683 Email: JCTNrecovery@gmail.com Phone: 423-440-2883 Website | Facebook | Instagram NOTICE FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION: You must apply for FEMA Flood Permits in the Property Assessors Office. Questions: 423-727-7692

Johnson County Tennessee Member Associations, Organizations & Awards Member Associations, Organizations & Awards Organizations Johnson County Tennessee Chamber of Commerce Tennessee Three-Star Community Main Street Tennessee The First Tennessee Development District Member Associations East Tennessee Purchasing Association (ETPA) Tennessee Association of Public Purchasing (TAPP) NIGP – The Institute for Public Procurement County Officials Association of TN (COAT) & Affiliate Associations TN County Highway Officials Association (TCHOA) Awards 2017 ETPA Innovation of the Year Award – Johnson County Purchasing 2021 TAPP Manager of the Year Award – Johnson County Purchasing Visit the Johnson County Courthouse to learn more.

Johnson County Airport is classified as a public use general aviation facility featuring an 4,498 foot x 75 foot paved runway. Fully furnished Fixed Base Operations office complete with rental and courtesy car, fuel, and pilot supplies. Johnson County Airport 611 Airport Rd. Mountain City, Tennessee 37683 Phone: (423)727-1223 Dave Garris, Manager Longstanding Member of EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) Member of AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association) Member of TAA (Tennessee Aviation Association) Johnson County Airport is classified as a public use general aviation facility featuring an 4,498 foot x 75 foot paved runway. Fully furnished Fixed Base Operations office complete with rental and courtesy car, fuel, and pilot supplies.

Contact information for Johnson County TN Mayor Larry Potter Johnson County Mayor Mr. Larry Potter Johnson County Courthouse 222 West Main Street | Mountain City, TN 37683 423-727-9696 County Mission Statement Our Mission is to set forth the means for a high quality of life, provide a safe environment for raising a family or a comfortable place for retirement. Message From the Mayor I will strive to provide an office of efficient fiscal responsibility while promoting meaningful opportunities for all stakeholders.