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.

Get official Johnson County, TN election information for the May 5, 2026 primary, including early voting dates, absentee ballot details, voter ID requirements, and sample ballots. QUICK OVERVIEW State and County Primary Election: Tuesday, May 5, 2026 Early Voting: April 15 – April 30, 2026 Voter Registration Deadline: April 6, 2026 Absentee Ballot Request Deadline: April 25, 2026 DOWNLOAD MAY 5, 2026 SAMPLE BALLOT HERE DOWNLOAD KEY DATES FOR THE 2026 ELECTION CYCLE Note: PDF documents require a PDF reader such as Adobe Acrobat Reader to open. Download Adobe Acrobat Reader for free. EARLY VOTING INFORMATION Early voting will be held at the Johnson County Election Commission Office from: April 15 through April 30, 2026 Hours: Monday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM Tuesday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Saturday (April 18 & April 25): 8:00 AM – 12:00 Noon Early voting allows registered voters to cast their ballot in person before Election Day in a convenient and flexible timeframe. PHOTO ID REQUIREMENT Tennessee law requires voters to present a valid photo ID when voting in person. Accepted forms of ID include: Tennessee driver’s license U.S. passport Tennessee photo ID issued by the Department of Safety Federal or military photo ID (including Veteran ID) Tennessee handgun carry permit Note: College IDs and out-of-state IDs are not accepted. For additional information and exceptions, visit GoVoteTN.com or contact the Election Commission. VOTING BY MAIL (ABSENTEE) Any registered voter of Johnson County may vote in person during a period beginning twenty (20) days prior to the election five (5) days before the election (TCA 2-6-102 (a) (1)). This period would run from: April 15, 2026, through April 30, 2026. Early Voting will be held at The Election Commission Office. DOWNLOAD EARLY VOTING & ABSENTEE NOTICE HERE Johnson County TN Election Commission The Johnson County Election Commission is committed to providing clear, accurate, and accessible information to all voters. This page includes important details for the May 5, 2026 State and County Primary Election, including early voting dates, absentee voting procedures, voter requirements, and key deadlines. Whether you plan to vote early, on Election Day, or by mail, we encourage all registered voters to review this information and make a plan to vote. Cheri Lipford, Administrator of Elections Email: johnson.commission@tn.gov 158 Election Ave, P. O. Box 106, Mountain City, TN 37683 Phone: 423-727-8592 Fax: 423-727-9168 Office Hours: Monday-Friday | 8:00am-4:00pm Our office is directly behind Johnson County Rescue Squad. IMPORTANT LINKS Johnson County Election Commission Website Current Johnson County Elected Officials Candidate Information Voter Information Election Results About the Johnson County Election Commission This page is best viewed on a desktop or tablet.

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. Public Open Records Policy Updated 02/18/2021 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. download policy & request form here The Public Records Request Coordinator for Johnson County is Sheila Caldwell. Requests to inspect public records may be submitted orally or in writing. Requests for copies of public records must be submitted in writing using the Public Records Request Form. Download a copy of the Public Records Policy and Request Form. Johnson County Mayor c/o Amanda Hall – email Public Records Request Coordinator 222 W. Main Street Mountain City, TN 37683 423-727-9696 Under state law, the County Clerk serves as the clerk of the county’s legislative body (County Commission). As such, they are tasked with all of the administrative duties related to the Commission, such as the recording of minutes, publishing of agendas, and providing adequate public notice of meetings. If you have questions regarding when and where meeting notices and agendas are posted, you need to contact the office of County Clerk Tammie Fenner. You can reach her office by email or by calling 423-727-9633. All documents are in PDF format and require a viewer to open the file. 2026 PUBLIC NOTICES & AGENDAS AGENDA PACKET: Planning Commission Meeting - January 12, 2026 AGENDA PACKET: Budget Committee & County Commission Meeting - January 15, 2026 AMENDED AGENDA : Budget Committee & County Commission Meeting - January 15, 2026 AGENDA PACKET: Joint ECD Meeting - January 26, 2026 AGENDA PACKET : County Commission Workshop - January 26, 2026 AGENDA PACKET : Joint ECD Meeting - February 9, 2026 PUBLIC NOTICE: Johnson County Commission Workshop - February 9, 2026 PUBLIC NOTICE : Beer Commission - February 17, 2026 AGENDA PACKET : Budget Committee & County Commission Meeting - February 19, 2026 AGENDA PACKET: Planning Commission Meeting - March 2, 2026 AGENDA PACKET: Parks & Recreation Committee Meeting - March 18, 2026 AGENDA PACKET : Budget Committee & County Commission Meeting - March 19, 2026 AMENDED PACKET : Budget Committee & County Commission Meeting - March 19, 2026 AGENDA PACKET : Parks & Recreation Committee Meeting - March 24, 2026 AGENDA PACKET : Planning Commission Meeting - April 13, 2026 AGENDA PACKET : Budget Committee & County Commission Meeting - April 16, 2026 AGENDA PACKET : Budget Committee & County Commission Meeting - May 21, 2026 AGENDA PACKET : Budget Committee & County Commission Meeting - June 18, 2026 AGENDA PACKET : County Commission Meeting - July 16, 2026 AGENDA PACKET : County Commission Meeting - August 20, 2026 AGENDA PACKET : Budget Committee & County Commission Meeting - September 17, 2026 AGENDA PACKET : Budget Committee & County Commission Meeting - October 15, 2026 AGENDA PACKET : Budget Committee & County Commission Meeting - November 19, 2026 AGENDA PACKET : Budget Committee & County Commission Meeting - December 17 2026 2026 COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES January 2026 February 2026 March 2026 April 2026 May 2026 June 2026 July 2026 August 2026 September 2026 October 2026 November 2026 December 2026 Find 2022 & 2023 archived records here . Find 2024 archived records here. Find 2025 archived records here. Please note that previous years predate the launch of the website and are not available electronically.

Contact information for the Johnson County Tennessee Sheriff Johnson County Sheriff Clifton Worley, Jr. 216 Honeysuckle St. Mountain City, TN 37683 Phone: 423-727-7761 Fax: 423-727-5794 Email: sheriffcw@johnsoncountysd.org Visit Website

The Johnson County Purchasing Department is maintaining a registry of vendors who have expressed an interest in doing business with the Johnson County Government. SURPLUS PROPERTY FOR SALE ON GOVDEALS.COM County Government Surplus Items Highway Department Surplus Items Sheriff’s Department Surplus Items Open RFQ A&E Services County Purchasing Manual Click Here to View Open Solicitations Listing on Vendor Registry INVITATION TO BID - download Qualified state-licensed general contractors are invited to participate in the bidding phase for the following Nine (9) residential projects through the First Tennessee Development District: • Demolition and Reconstruction of Three (3) Homes under the Carter County, Tennessee THDA HOME Disaster Recovery Grant Housing program. • Demolition and Reconstruction of Two (2) Homes under the Johnson County, Tennessee THDA HOME Disaster Recovery Grant Housing Program. • Manufactured HOME Replacement of One (1) Home under the Johnson County, Tennessee THDA HOME Disaster Recovery Grant Housing Program. • Emergency Repairs of Three (3) Homes under First Tennessee Development Districts – THDA ERP Grant program. A pre-bid conference is scheduled for Tuesday, September 9th, 2025, at 9:00 am. The conference will be held at the First Tennessee Development District, 3211 N Roan St, Johnson City, Tennessee. For initial instructions, bid documents and questions please contact Rene’ Mann at 423-268-2677. All state-licensed general contractors wishing to participate in bidding on the projects under the Carter County and Johnson County, Tennessee THDA HOME Disaster Recovery programs are strongly encouraged to attend this pre-bid conference. The contractor shall follow Federal requirements as set forth in 24 CFR 5.105(a) Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity, including: Section 3 of the Housing & Urban Development Act of 1968 24 CFR 135 (12 U.S.C. 1701u) and implementing regulations at 24 CFR part 135, as amended. Carter County, Tennessee, Johnson County, Tennessee, and the First Tennessee Development District are Equal Opportunity Employers and urge the participation of minority and female contractors. Johnson County Purchasing Department Troy Arnold, Purchasing Agent 211 North Church Street | Mountain City, TN 37683 Phone: 423-727-7861 | Fax: 423-727-7418 Email: purchasing@johnsoncountytn.gov Vendor Registration – Click Here The Johnson County Purchasing Department is maintaining a registry of vendors who have expressed an interest in doing business with the Johnson County Government. If you would like to add your business to this registry, please complete registration by clicking on the link above and follow the instructions. As needs arise for a particular product or service, the purchasing department uses this registry as one of several sources to find potential suppliers. Please note that the Johnson County Purchasing Department cannot guarantee that this registry will be utilized or that any vendor will be notified of every solicitation for quotes, bids, or proposals for which it wishes to compete. Public Notice advertisements for formal bids and proposals are placed within The Tomahawk newspaper of Mountain City, TN at minimum 2-weeks prior to the scheduled response deadline. PROTEST PROCEDURE Any protest concerning the award of any bid or proposal shall be addressed to the Johnson County, TN Purchasing Agent. Protest shall be made in writing to the Purchasing Agent and shall be filed within five (5) business days after the intended award is announced. A protest is considered filed when received by the Purchasing Agent and written confirmation is given back to the protester. The written protest shall include the name and address of the protester, identification of the procurement, a statement of the specific reasons for the protest and supporting exhibits. The submitted information will be reviewed with the appropriate Department Head and County Attorney to render a final decision and a formal response provided within five days. This decision relative to the protest shall be considered final.

A directory of the Johnson County TN Board of Education members and schools. At a Glance School Directory Johnson County High School 290 Fairground Hill Mountain City, TN 37683 (423) 727-2620 website Johnson County Middle School 278 Fairground Hill Mountain City, TN 37683 Phone: (423)727-2600 website Doe Elementary School 7164 Highway 67 Mountain City, TN 37683 Phone: 423-727-2682 website Laurel Elementary School 300 Gentry Creek Road Laurel Bloomery, TN 37680 Phone: 423-727-2685 website Mountain City Elementary School 301 Donnelly Street Mountain City, TN 37683 Phone: (423) 727-2621 website Roan Creek Elementary School 2410 Roan Creek Road Mountain City, TN 37683 Phone: (423) 727-4964 website Johnson County Board of Education Director of Schools Dr. Mischelle Simcox 211 North Church St. Mountain City, TN 37683 (423) 727-2640 School Board 1st District Mr. Russell G. Robinson rrobinson@jocoed.net School Board 2nd District Chair Mr. Chad Greever chadgreever@protonmail.com School Board 2nd District Vice Chair OPEN SEAT School Board 3rd District Mr. Gary Matheson glmatheson51@gmail.com School Board 3rd District Mr. Kevin Long kevin_kim83@yahoo.com Contact Information Johnson County Board of Education 211 North Church Street Mountain City, TN 37683 Phone: 423-727-2640 Fax: 423-727-2663 website | facebook