Eidson, Tennessee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eidson
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Eidson as seen from Clinch Mountain
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 Eidson, Tennessee
Location in Tennessee
Eidson, Tennessee
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Tennessee |
| County | Hawkins |
| Settled | 1790s |
| Named for | Samuel Eidson Sr. |
| Elevation | 1,523 ft (464 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Zip Code |
37731
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| Area code(s) | 423 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1315008 |
Eidson is a small, unincorporated community. This means it's a group of homes and businesses that don't have their own local government. Eidson is located in Hawkins County, Tennessee. You can find it on the north side of Clinch Mountain.
Eidson is part of a larger area called the Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA Metropolitan Statistical Area. This area is also part of the "Tri-Cities" region. The Tri-Cities area includes Johnson City, Kingsport, and Bristol in both Tennessee and Virginia.
Contents
History of Eidson
Early Settlers and Names
Before settlers arrived, Cherokee people hunted along Clinch Mountain. In the 1770s, explorers known as "longhunters" began exploring the area. They gave names to many places they found.
The first settlements in the Eidson area happened in the 1790s. Families came from the Carter Valley settlement, crossing Clinch Mountain. Other families came from Virginia, following a path called the Lonesome Pine trail. They crossed the Clinch River to reach this new land.
Naming the Area
During the mid-19th century, Eidson was known as Stringtown. It was later renamed after Samuel Eidson Sr., who was a local rancher. Another important person was Andrew Jackson Eidson, whose family branch is found throughout East Tennessee. Many people with the Eidson last name still live in upper Hawkins County today.
Education in Eidson
Clinch School: A Small but Mighty School
The community of Shiloh, which is close to Eidson, is home to Clinch School. This is a public school that teaches students from kindergarten all the way through 12th grade. It's run by Hawkins County.
Clinch School is actually the smallest K-12 school in Tennessee! In the 2019-2020 school year, it had only 136 students.
School Buildings and History
The main building at Clinch School was built in 1938. It was part of a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project. The WPA was a government program during the Great Depression that created jobs by building public works. This project helped provide a high school for the Eidson community.
Before the high school was built, Clinch School only went up to 10th grade. Students who wanted to finish high school had to go to schools in nearby towns. These included Rogersville High School, Grainger County High School, or Hancock County High School. A new Clinch School building was being built in 2009.
Other Local Schools
The community of Eidson once had its own school. However, students from Eidson were later sent to Clinch School. Another school, Lonesome Pine School, was located near a place called Frog Level. It opened in 1941 and closed in the 1960s. The building was later used by the Clinch Valley Fire Department.
Postal Service in Eidson
Eidson also has its own post office. The zip code for Eidson is 37731. In July 2011, the U.S. Postal Service considered closing the Eidson post office. It was one of many post offices across the U.S. that were proposed for closure at that time.
