Bristol, Tennessee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bristol
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State Street in downtown Bristol, Tennessee (left) and Bristol, Virginia (right)
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| Nickname(s):
The Birthplace of Country Music
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| Motto(s):
A Good Place To Live
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Location of Bristol in Sullivan County, Tennessee.
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| Country | United States | ||||
| State | Tennessee | ||||
| County | Sullivan | ||||
| Incorporated | 1856 | ||||
| Named for | Bristol, England | ||||
| Area | |||||
| • Total | 32.83 sq mi (85.03 km2) | ||||
| • Land | 32.68 sq mi (84.63 km2) | ||||
| • Water | 0.15 sq mi (0.40 km2) | ||||
| Elevation | 1,676 ft (511 m) | ||||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 27,147 | ||||
| • Density | 830.79/sq mi (320.77/km2) | ||||
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | ||||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | ||||
| ZIP Codes |
37617, 37620, 37621 & 37625
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| Area code(s) | 423 | ||||
| FIPS code | 47-08540 | ||||
| GNIS feature ID | 1327702 | ||||
Bristol is a city in Sullivan County, Tennessee, United States. It's a special place because it's a "twin city" with Bristol, Virginia. This means the two cities are right next to each other, and the border between them is a street called State Street!
In 2020, about 27,147 people lived in Bristol, Tennessee. It's part of a bigger area called the Kingsport–Bristol metropolitan area. This whole region is sometimes called the Tri-Cities.
Bristol is famous for being the "Birthplace of Country Music." Many early country music songs were recorded here. Famous musicians like Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family got their start in Bristol. You can learn all about this at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. Bristol is also where the famous singer Tennessee Ernie Ford was born.
Another exciting thing about Bristol is the Bristol Motor Speedway. This is a huge track where NASCAR races happen!
Contents
History of Bristol
Before 1852, the land where Bristol now stands belonged to a person named Reverend James King. His son-in-law, Joseph R. Anderson, bought about 100 acres of this land. He decided to name the new settlement Bristol. This name came from the city of Bristol, England. One of the oldest houses in Bristol, the G.W. Blackley House, was built in 1869.
Bristol and Country Music
The U.S. Congress officially called Bristol the "Birthplace of Country Music" in 1998. This was to honor its important role in early country music recordings. The Birthplace of Country Music Museum is located in Bristol, Virginia, right across the state line.
In 1927, a record producer named Ralph Peer came to Bristol. He worked for Victor Records and wanted to record local musicians. He was looking for the unique sounds of traditional "folk" music from the area. These recordings are now known as the Bristol sessions.
One of the most famous groups to record during these sessions was the Carter Family. They traveled from Virginia to Bristol on July 31, 1927, to try out for Ralph Peer. They were paid $50 for each song they recorded! Jimmie Rodgers also made his first recordings during Peer's visit to Bristol.
Since 1994, a group called the Birthplace of Country Music Alliance has worked to promote Bristol. They want people to visit and learn about the city's role in creating country music. They even helped build the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, which opened in 2014. The museum is a large building with exhibits, a theater, and even a radio station.
Every year in September, Bristol hosts a music festival called the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion. This festival takes place downtown, right where Tennessee and Virginia meet. It celebrates Bristol's amazing history as the birthplace of country music.
Geography and Climate
Bristol is located in the northeast part of Tennessee. It's about 20 miles east of Kingsport and 21 miles northeast of Johnson City. The city covers an area of about 29.5 square miles. Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water.
Weather in Bristol
Bristol has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has warm, humid summers and mild winters. Because of its elevation, the temperatures are often cooler than in other parts of Tennessee.
- In January, the average temperature is around 36.4°F (2.4°C).
- In July, the average temperature is about 75.6°F (24.2°C).
- Bristol usually gets about 41 inches of rain each year.
- It also gets more snow than most of Tennessee, with about 13.3 inches per winter.
The coldest temperature ever recorded in Bristol was -21°F (-29°C) in 1985. The hottest was 103°F (39°C) in 2012.
| Climate data for Bristol, Tennessee (Tri-Cities Regional Airport), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1937–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 79 (26) |
82 (28) |
85 (29) |
90 (32) |
94 (34) |
103 (39) |
102 (39) |
101 (38) |
100 (38) |
94 (34) |
84 (29) |
78 (26) |
103 (39) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 67.4 (19.7) |
69.8 (21.0) |
76.6 (24.8) |
83.8 (28.8) |
87.4 (30.8) |
91.6 (33.1) |
93.0 (33.9) |
92.2 (33.4) |
90.1 (32.3) |
83.3 (28.5) |
74.9 (23.8) |
67.9 (19.9) |
94.3 (34.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 46.5 (8.1) |
50.9 (10.5) |
59.4 (15.2) |
69.4 (20.8) |
77.1 (25.1) |
83.8 (28.8) |
86.4 (30.2) |
85.8 (29.9) |
80.7 (27.1) |
70.2 (21.2) |
58.7 (14.8) |
49.5 (9.7) |
68.2 (20.1) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 36.4 (2.4) |
40.0 (4.4) |
47.4 (8.6) |
56.4 (13.6) |
64.7 (18.2) |
72.3 (22.4) |
75.6 (24.2) |
74.5 (23.6) |
68.6 (20.3) |
57.3 (14.1) |
46.4 (8.0) |
39.3 (4.1) |
56.6 (13.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 26.3 (−3.2) |
29.2 (−1.6) |
35.4 (1.9) |
43.3 (6.3) |
52.3 (11.3) |
60.7 (15.9) |
64.7 (18.2) |
63.2 (17.3) |
56.4 (13.6) |
44.3 (6.8) |
34.2 (1.2) |
29.2 (−1.6) |
44.9 (7.2) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 7.6 (−13.6) |
11.9 (−11.2) |
18.4 (−7.6) |
27.7 (−2.4) |
36.9 (2.7) |
49.0 (9.4) |
56.2 (13.4) |
54.5 (12.5) |
43.3 (6.3) |
28.8 (−1.8) |
19.4 (−7.0) |
13.2 (−10.4) |
4.5 (−15.3) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −21 (−29) |
−15 (−26) |
−2 (−19) |
21 (−6) |
30 (−1) |
38 (3) |
45 (7) |
43 (6) |
33 (1) |
20 (−7) |
5 (−15) |
−9 (−23) |
−21 (−29) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.65 (93) |
3.81 (97) |
3.96 (101) |
3.79 (96) |
3.82 (97) |
3.92 (100) |
5.00 (127) |
3.76 (96) |
2.84 (72) |
2.52 (64) |
3.14 (80) |
3.76 (96) |
43.97 (1,117) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 3.0 (7.6) |
3.0 (7.6) |
1.1 (2.8) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.3 (0.76) |
1.7 (4.3) |
9.2 (23) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 12.7 | 12.7 | 13.6 | 11.7 | 12.6 | 12.4 | 12.8 | 10.8 | 8.4 | 8.5 | 9.8 | 12.2 | 138.2 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 2.8 | 2.7 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 8.8 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Population of Bristol
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 1,647 | — | |
| 1890 | 3,324 | 101.8% | |
| 1900 | 5,271 | 58.6% | |
| 1910 | 7,148 | 35.6% | |
| 1920 | 8,047 | 12.6% | |
| 1930 | 12,005 | 49.2% | |
| 1940 | 14,004 | 16.7% | |
| 1950 | 16,771 | 19.8% | |
| 1960 | 17,582 | 4.8% | |
| 1970 | 20,064 | 14.1% | |
| 1980 | 23,986 | 19.5% | |
| 1990 | 23,421 | −2.4% | |
| 2000 | 24,821 | 6.0% | |
| 2010 | 26,702 | 7.6% | |
| 2020 | 27,147 | 1.7% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 27,854 | 4.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2018 Estimate |
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In 2020, the city of Bristol had 27,147 people living there. There were 11,450 households and 6,808 families.
Most people in Bristol are White (about 89%). There are also smaller groups of African American, Asian, Native American, and Pacific Islander people. About 2.5% of the population is Hispanic or Latino.
Sports in Bristol
Bristol is a big deal for motorsports fans! It's home to the Bristol Motor Speedway. This track hosts exciting NASCAR races. It's known for being a "short track," which means the cars race very close together.
Bristol also has the Bristol Dragway. Here, you can watch powerful drag racing events like the Ford Thunder Valley Nationals.
From 1969 to 2020, a minor league baseball team called the Bristol Pirates played here. They were a rookie team for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Now, the Appalachian League, where they played, is a summer league for college baseball players.
Education in Bristol
Bristol has several options for learning.
Colleges and Universities
- King University
- Graham Bible College
Schools for Kids
The Bristol Tennessee City Schools district runs most of the public schools in the city. Tennessee High School is the main public high school. Some smaller parts of the city are served by the Sullivan County School District.
Media in Bristol
Bristol has its own TV channels, radio stations, and a newspaper.
Television
- WCYB-TV (NBC Channel 5.1)
- WCYB-DT2 (CW Channel 5.2)
- WEMT-TV (FOX Channel 39.1)
Radio
- WZAP (AM 690 kHz) Christian music
- WFHG (FM 92.9 MHz) SuperTalk WFHG
- WWTB (AM 980 kHz) The Sports Fox
- WXBQ (FM 96.9 MHz) Twenty-four Carrot Country
- WAEZ (FM 94.9 MHz) Electric 94.9
- WEXX (FM 99.3 MHz) The X 99.3
- WTFM (FM 98.5 MHz) WTFM 98.5
- WBCM-LP (FM 100.1 MHz) WBCM Radio Bristol
Newspapers
- Bristol Herald Courier
City Services
Bristol has important services to keep its citizens safe and healthy.
Fire Department
The Bristol Fire Department has 82 full-time firefighters and six part-time staff. They respond to over 5,000 calls each year. The department has five fire stations around the city.
Police Department
The Bristol Police Department is in charge of law enforcement in the city. They have 73 police officers and 27 support staff. The department also has citizen volunteers who help out, which saves the city money.
Famous People from Bristol
Many interesting people have come from Bristol, including:
- Clarence Ashley, an old-time musician
- George Lafayette Carter, an entrepreneur
- John I. Cox, who was the Governor of Tennessee
- Tennessee Ernie Ford, a famous singer, actor, and entertainer
- Justin Grimm, a professional baseball player
- Doyle Lawson, a Grammy-nominated bluegrass musician
- Dave Loggins, a songwriter and recording artist
- David Massengill, a folk singer and songwriter
- Jayma Mays, an actress
- Ricky Morton, a professional wrestler
- Eureka O'Hara, a famous drag queen
- Chase Owens, a professional wrestler
- Davyd Whaley, an American painter
See also
In Spanish: Bristol (Tennessee) para niños
