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Claiborne County, Tennessee facts for kids

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Claiborne County
U.S. county
Claiborne County Courthouse in Tazewell
Claiborne County Courthouse in Tazewell
Official seal of Claiborne County
Seal
Map of Tennessee highlighting Claiborne County
Location within the U.S. state of Tennessee
Map of the United States highlighting Tennessee
Tennessee's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Tennessee
Founded October 29, 1801
Named for William C. C. Claiborne
Seat Tazewell
Largest city Harrogate
Area
 • Total 442 sq mi (1,140 km2)
 • Land 435,043 sq mi (1,126,760 km2)
 • Water 7.0 sq mi (18 km2)  1.6%%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 32,043 Decrease
 • Density 74/sq mi (29/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 2nd

Claiborne County is a county located in the state of Tennessee in the United States. In 2020, about 32,043 people lived there. The main town where the county government is located is Tazewell. The biggest city in the county is Harrogate.

History of Claiborne County

Claiborne County was created on October 29, 1801. It was formed from parts of Grainger and Hawkins counties. The county was named after William C. C. Claiborne. He was an important person from Virginia who became one of the first judges in Tennessee. He also served as one of Tennessee's first representatives in the U.S. Congress.

Claiborne County During the Civil War

Like some other counties in East Tennessee, Claiborne County did not want to leave the United States during the Civil War. On June 8, 1861, people in the county voted on whether Tennessee should separate from the U.S. Most residents, 1,243 people, voted against leaving, while only 250 voted to leave.

The Four Seasons Hotel Story

In 1892, a very large hotel called the Four Seasons Hotel was built in Claiborne County. It was located where Lincoln Memorial University is today. An English company, led by a businessman named Alexander Arthur, built it. People at the time said it was the biggest hotel in the United States!

The main building was four stories tall. It had a huge lobby and a dining room that was 50 feet wide and 160 feet long. It was said to have 700 rooms. The hotel complex also included a hospital and other buildings. However, the hotel was not successful and was taken down in 1895. While it was open, the Four Seasons Hotel offered fun buggy rides to a nearby place called English Cave. This cave had wooden stairs and walkways for visitors to explore. You can still see parts of these old wooden structures inside the cave today.

Famous People from Claiborne County

Many interesting people have come from Claiborne County. These include:

  • Boyd C. Fugate (1884–1967), who was a State Representative.
  • Della Riley, who was Tennessee's first female sheriff.

Musicians from Claiborne County

Claiborne County has a rich musical history. Some well-known musicians include:

  • Rodney Atkins
  • Cindy Morgan
  • Michael McMeel (from the band Three Dog Night)

The county is also home to many talented bluegrass musicians like Steve Gulley and Milton Estes. Other local musicians include CF Bailey and Shadow Ridge, Vic Graves, Scott and Alan Powers, The Honeycutt Brothers, Buster Turner and the Turner Brothers, Bryan Turner, Patrick Beeler, Larry Carter, Randall Massengill, and Jerry Cole.

Old-Time musicians from the area include Fiddling Bob Rogers. There are also ballad singers like Mae Ray, Alice Parsons, Chester Lewis, and Kinley Brooks. Their songs are part of a famous collection called English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians by Cecil Sharp. Other people who collected ballads in Claiborne County were Artus Moser, C P Cambiaire, and Tillman Cadle. Local African American gospel singers include Ralph Ford and Rick Gregory.

Authors from Lincoln Memorial University

Lincoln Memorial University, which is in Claiborne County, has been home to several famous authors. These include Silas House, James Still, and Jesse Stuart.

Geography and Nature

Farm-near-Speedwell-tn1
Farmlands near Speedwell

Claiborne County covers a total area of about 442 square miles. Most of this is land (435 square miles), and about 7 square miles (1.6%) is water.

Waterways and Mountains

The main rivers in the county are the Powell River and the Clinch River. The Clinch River also forms part of Norris Lake. The county has several high points and mountains, such as Bryson Mountain, Powell Mountain, Lone Mountain, Raven Hill, and Wallen Ridge.

Neighboring Counties

Claiborne County shares borders with several other counties:

Protected Natural Areas

Part of the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park is located in Claiborne County. This park protects a famous mountain pass. The county also has parts of state protected areas like the Cumberland Trail and the Powell River Preserve State Natural Area.

Tourism and Awards

Claiborne County has received many awards for its efforts in tourism and community events:

  • In 2013, it won the Chuck Davis award for "Best Practices" in tourism.
  • The Claiborne County Fair was named the "Most Improved Fair in Tennessee" in 2014.
  • The Cumberland Gap Genealogy Jamboree and Pioneer Days was recognized as one of the top 20 events in the Southeast in 2015 and 2017.
  • The White Lightning Trail Festival was also named one of the top 20 events in the Southeast in 2013, 2014, and 2015.
  • The Claiborne County Fair received a "Merit Award" from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture in 2016.
  • Cumberland Gap National Historic Park received the "Keeper of the Light Award" in 2017.
  • The Powell River Blueway Trail received an "Excellence Award" in 2018 from the East Tennessee Development District.
  • The Powell River Blueway Trail also won an "Excellence in Communication and Outreach Award" in 2018.

Communities in Claiborne County

Claiborne County has several towns and cities, as well as smaller communities.

Cities

Towns

Unincorporated Communities

These are smaller communities that are not officially cities or towns:

Transportation in Claiborne County

2017-06-12 15 41 00 Panorama of Cumberland Gap on the border of Kentucky and Virginia from the junction of U.S. Route 25E and U.S. Route 58 in the town of Cumberland Gap, Claiborne County, Tennessee
U.S. Route 25E near the Cumberland Gap

The main roads in Claiborne County are U.S. Route 25E and State Route 63. U.S. Route 25E is a four-lane highway that helps people travel north and south. It connects to Grainger County and the border between Kentucky and Tennessee. State Route 63 is a two-lane road that connects the city of Harrogate to Campbell County.

Images for kids

  • USA Claiborne County, Tennessee.csv age pyramid

    Age pyramid for Claiborne County

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Claiborne (Tennessee) para niños

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