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.

View the most recent census and demographic data for Johnson County TN. Johnson County Census & Demographics Population estimates, July 1, 2021, (V2021) . . . . . . 18,170 PEOPLE Population Population estimates, July 1, 2021, (V2021) . . . . . 18,170 Population estimates base, April 1, 2020, (V2021) . . . . . 17,948 Population, percent change – April 1, 2020 (estimates base) to July 1, 2021, (V2021) . . . . . 1.2% Population, Census, April 1, 2010 . . . . . . 18,244 Age & Sex Persons under 5 years, percent . . . . . . . 4.3% Persons under 18 years, percent . . . . . . 16.9% Persons 65 years and over, percent . . . . . . 23.3% Female persons, percent . . . . . . 46.3% Race and Hispanic Origin White alone, percent . . . . . . 95.9% Black or African American alone, percent . . . . . . 2.2% American Indian and Alaska Native alone, percent . . . . . . 0.4% Asian alone, percent . . . . . . 0.3% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, percent . . . . . . Z Two or More Races, percent . . . . . . 1.2% Hispanic or Latino, percent . . . . . . 2.1% White alone, not Hispanic or Latino, percent . . . . . . 93.9% Population Characteristics Veterans, 2016-2020 . . . . . . 1,503 Foreign born persons, percent, 2016-2020 . . . . . 1.5% HOUSING Housing units, July 1, 2019, (V2019) . . . . . . 9,019 Owner-occupied housing unit rate, 2016-2020 . . . . . . 75.5% Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2016-2020 . . . . . . $133,700 Median selected monthly owner costs -with a mortgage, 2016-2020 . . . . . . $891 Median selected monthly owner costs -without a mortgage, 2016-2020 . . . . . . $294 Median gross rent, 2016-2020 . . . . . . $552 Building permits, 2020 . . . . . . 1 Families & Living Arrangements Households, 2016-2020 . . . . . . 6,979 Persons per household, 2016-2020 . . . . . . 2.26 Living in same house 1 year ago, percent of persons age 1 year+, 2016-2020 . . . . . . 89.8% Language other than English spoken at home, percent of persons age 5 years+,2016-2020 . . . . . . . 3.0% Education High school graduate or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2016-2020 . . . . . . 80.6% Bachelor’s degree or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2016-2020 . . . . . . 11.9% Health With a disability, under age 65 years, percent, 2016-2020 . . . . . . 16.0% Persons without health insurance, under age 65 years, percent . . . . . . 12.4% Economic In civilian labor force, total, percent of population age 16 years+, 2016-2020 . . . . . . 39.2% In civilian labor force, female, percent of population age 16 years+, 2016-2020 . . . . . . 39.1% Total accommodation and food services sales, 2012 ($1,000) . . . . . . 9,262 Total health care and social assistance receipts/revenue, 2012 ($1,000) . . . . . . 42,839 Total manufacturers shipments, 2012 ($1,000) . . . . . . 165,435 Total retail sales, 2012 ($1,000) . . . . . . 108,792 Total retail sales per capita, 2012 . . . . . . $6,012 Transportation With a disability, under age 65 years, percent, 2016-2020 . . . . . . 16.0% Persons without health insurance, under age 65 years, percent . . . . . . 12.4% Income & Poverty Median household income (in 2020 dollars), 2016-2020 . . . . . . . $38,090 Per capita income in past 12 months (in 2020 dollars), 2016-2020 . . . . . . $22,955 Persons in poverty, percent . . . . . . 18.6% Businesses Total employer establishments, 2020 . . . . . . 233 Total employment, 2020 . . . . . . 3,501 Total annual payroll, 2020 ($1,000) . . . . . . 143,571 Total employment, percent change, 2019-2020 . . . . . . 4.6% Total non-employer establishments, 2018 . . . . . . 1,050 All firms, 2012 . . . . . . 1,330 Men-owned firms, 2012 . . . . . . 796 Women-owned firms, 2012 . . . . . . 364 Minority-owned firms, 2012 . . . . . . F Nonminority-owned firms, 2012 . . . . . . 1,286 Veteran-owned firms, 2012 . . . . . . 114 Nonveteran-owned firms, 2012 . . . . . . 1,115 Geography Population per square mile, 2010 . . . . . . 61.1 Land area in square miles, 2010 . . . . . . . 298.48 FIPS Code . . . . . . 47091 Value Notes Estimates are not comparable to other geographic levels due to methodology differences that may exist between different data sources. Some estimates presented here come from sample data, and thus have sampling errors that may render some apparent differences between geographies statistically indistinguishable. Click the Quick Info  icon to the left of each row in TABLE view to learn about sampling error. The vintage year (e.g., V2021) refers to the final year of the series (2020 thru 2021). Different vintage years of estimates are not comparable. Users should exercise caution when comparing 2016-2020 ACS 5-year estimates to other ACS estimates. For more information, please visit the 2020 5-year ACS Comparison Guidance page. Fact Notes (a) Includes persons reporting only one race (c) Economic Census – Puerto Rico data are not comparable to U.S. Economic Census data (b) Hispanics may be of any race, so also are included in applicable race categories Value Flags -Either no or too few sample observations were available to compute an estimate, or a ratio of medians cannot be calculated because one or both of the median estimates falls in the lowest or upper interval of an open ended distribution. F – Fewer than 25 firms D – Suppressed to avoid disclosure of confidential information N – Data for this geographic area cannot be displayed because the number of sample cases is too small. FN – Footnote on this item in place of data X – Not applicable S – Suppressed; does not meet publication standards NA – Not available Z – Value greater than zero but less than half unit of measure shown QuickFacts data are derived from: Population Estimates, American Community Survey, Census of Population and Housing, Current Population Survey, Small Area Health Insurance Estimates, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, State and County Housing Unit Estimates, County Business Patterns, Non-employer Statistics, Economic Census, Survey of Business Owners, Building Permits.

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 !

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.

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 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. 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. The Mountain City Fiddlers' Convention returned to the historic Heritage Hall Theatre in 2023 and is now produced by the renowned Bluegrass band, The Kody Norris Show. 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. Sadly, due to the destruction from Hurricane Helene in 2024, the Trade Days and Native American Heritage Festival has been supended until further notice.

Information and documents for employees of Johnson County Tennessee. JOHNSON COUNTY EMPLOYEE LINKS County Employee Email Login Page Custodial & Maintenance Request Form County Employee Handbook County Ethics Policy County Fleet Safety Policy County Cellular Telephone Policies County Purchasing Manual Event Calendar Guidelines State of TN Government Sales & Use Tax Certificate of Exemption County Employee Reimbursement Request Form TCRS Self-Service Website State Benefits Administration Self-Service Website Open Records Request Information Form Updated Travel Regulations - 2023 Travel Expense Form - 2022 County Maintenance Work Order Form PUBLIC OPEN RECORDS POLICY FOR JOHNSON COUNTY, TN 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

Contact information for the Johnson County Tennessee Sheriff Johnson County Sheriff Shawn "Bit" Brown 216 Honeysuckle St. Mountain City, TN 37683 Phone: 423-727-7761 Fax: 423-727-5794 Email: sbrown@johnsonsotn.gov Visit Website

The Johnson County/Mountain City Community Center offers after school and summer programming to the students of Johnson County. These services are made possible through County/City funding, grants, and contributions. The center is also used by several local organizations as a meeting place. Hours: 10:00am - 6:00pm (Summer Hours: 9:00am - 5:00pm - According to school schedule) Johnson County/Mountain City Community Center Joey Beth Souder, Director 214 College St Mountain City, TN 37683 (423) 727-2942 Email: jsouder@mountaincitytn.org County/City Community Center The Johnson County/Mountain City Community Center offers weekly and monthly activities, including crafting, book club, health and wellness activities, and much more. For students, the Center offers after-school tutoring, activities, and an after-school meal/snack sponsored by local businesses and other generous donors. The Center also provides many local organizations with a monthly or weekly meeting place and is available to rent for special events. For more information about the Community Center and what the center has to offer, or to inquire about renting event space, please contact the Center at (423) 727-2942. Information regarding upcoming events, classes, closures or other schedule changes is also posted on our facebook page. Be sure to follow us to stay up-to-date on all of our activities! For more information about the center, please follow us on Facebook !

Contact information for Johnson County TN Emergency Management Services. County Emergency Management Jason Blevins, EMA Director 216 Honeysuckle Street Mountain City, TN 37683 Email: ema@johnsoncountytn.gov Phone: (423) 727-2507 Follow us on Facebook

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.

About Johnson County, Tennessee Welcome to Johnson County, Tennessee—a close-knit rural community located in the Appalachian Mountains of Northeast Tennessee. Surrounded by remarkable natural beauty and shaped by generations of hardworking people, Johnson County is a place where history, heritage and community remain important parts of everyday life. Our History Johnson County was officially organized in 1836 from a portion of Carter County and was named in honor of Thomas Johnson, an early settler and prominent citizen of the region. The first session of the County Court was held at Pleasant Grove School House on May 2, 1836. The county seat was originally named Taylorsville in honor of Colonel James P. Taylor. In 1885, the name was changed to Mountain City, reflecting its location within one of Tennessee’s highest mountain valleys. Johnson County’s history is deeply rooted in agriculture, traditional Appalachian culture, timber production and manganese mining. The arrival of the railroad during the early 1900s helped expand the county’s timber and mining industries and connected the area with growing regional markets. History of Johnson County Our Community Today, Johnson County includes Mountain City, Butler, Doe Valley, Laurel Bloomery, Shady Valley, Trade and several other rural communities—each contributing its own history and character to our county. Our residents enjoy an exceptional quality of life shaped by beautiful mountain scenery, outdoor recreation, traditional music, local craftsmanship and a strong sense of community. Johnson County also serves as a gateway to nearby destinations in Tennessee, North Carolina and Virginia. County Government Johnson County Government is committed to providing dependable public services, encouraging responsible growth and protecting the natural resources, culture and traditions that make our county unique. Through cooperation among elected officials, county employees, community organizations and residents, we continue working to strengthen Johnson County for current and future generations. Whether you are a lifelong resident, a newcomer, a visitor or considering Johnson County as a place to establish a home or business, we welcome you. Johnson County, Tennessee—your destination for today, tomorrow or a lifetime. Let’s Work Together Get in touch so we can start working together. First Name Last Name Email Message Send Thanks for submitting!

Johnson County is home to many great protected natural resources which have driven the growth in our Tourism sector. We are known as mountain and lake country, since our county consists of four mountains, three valleys and one big lake. Johnson County Tourism This is a great time to become part of the growing Tourism market in Johnson County. Please visit our new Tourism Website and follow us on our Facebook page ! Local and community events will continue to be promoted, for FREE, on this website. Have questions? Email us ! Thinking of establishing a campground or RV park in Johnson County? Find out what you need to do before you start! The Johnson County contact person for TN Campground Regulations and permits, including primitive campgrounds is: Grayson Krtausch Grayson.krtausch@tn.gov 423.279.1616 Johnson County is blessed with an abundance of protected natural resources that continue to fuel the growth of our tourism economy. Known as “mountain and lake country,” our landscape is defined by four mountains, three valleys, and one spectacular lake — creating a setting that is both scenic and adventure-ready. Visitors and residents alike enjoy a wide range of outdoor recreation, including hiking, biking, fishing, paddling, camping, ATV riding, and motorcycle touring. From the pristine waters of Watauga Lake to the expansive trails of Doe Mountain Recreation Area, our goal is to preserve, protect, and promote these natural treasures for generations to come. Johnson County is also proudly recognized as the birthplace of Bluegrass music — a heritage that continues to shape our cultural identity today. Take a stroll through beautiful downtown Mountain City, where a series of vibrant murals tell the story of our rich musical legacy. Pick up a walking tour map on the front porch of the Johnson County Center for the Arts, or download a printable PDF to begin exploring at your own pace. Our signature attractions include Watauga Lake, a pristine mountain lake known for boating, fishing, paddling, and a wide variety of water sports, and the Doe Mountain Recreation Area, offering 8,600 acres of scenic mountain terrain with multi-use adventure trails for off-road vehicles, hiking, and outdoor exploration. We are also home to The Snake 421, one of the region’s premier motorcycle and sports car touring routes, featuring thrilling curves and breathtaking Appalachian views. Johnson County is proudly designated as part of an American Viticultural Area (AVA), recognizing our region’s unique geographic and climate characteristics ideal for producing high-quality wine grapes. This designation supports continued growth of our local wine industry, highlighted by a beautiful vineyard that supplies exceptional grapes to two area wineries and strengthens our emerging agritourism economy.