Embreeville, Tennessee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Embreeville
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 Embreeville, Tennessee
Location in Tennessee
Embreeville, Tennessee
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Tennessee |
| Counties | Washington |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.43 sq mi (3.70 km2) |
| • Land | 1.34 sq mi (3.48 km2) |
| • Water | 0.08 sq mi (0.22 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,598 ft (487 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 429 |
| • Density | 319.20/sq mi (123.27/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
37650
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| Area code(s) | 423 |
| GNIS feature ID | 47-23880 |
Embreeville is a small community in southern Washington County, Tennessee, in the United States. It is located along the Nolichucky River. In 2020, about 429 people lived here. Embreeville is known for its interesting past, especially its history with mining.
Contents
Embreeville's Mining History
Embreeville was once a busy mining town. People first mined lead here. It's said that this lead was used for bullets during the Battle of Kings Mountain in 1780. This battle was an important event in the American Revolutionary War.
Early Iron Production
In 1812, a man named William Chester bought land near Bumpus Cove. He built a simple iron forge. An iron forge is a place where iron is heated and shaped. In 1820, he sold his iron mine and works to brothers Elijah and Elihu Embree. Their family had a long history of working with iron. Elihu Embree is famous for starting two newsletters that spoke out against slavery.
After Elihu passed away in 1820, Elijah partnered with the Blair brothers. Together, they started the Washington Iron Manufacturing Company. This company later changed its name to the Embree Iron Company in 1831.
Growth and Challenges
After Elijah died in 1849, the Blair brothers took over the company. By the 1850s, their iron works was one of the biggest in East Tennessee. During the American Civil War, a businessman named Duff Green took control. But the Blairs got their company back when the war ended.
In 1889, some investors from England formed a new company. They wanted to develop Embreeville into a large industrial town. In 1891, a railroad was built from Johnson City to Embreeville. This made it easier to transport goods. A large smelter was completed in 1892. A smelter is a factory that melts metal from ore.
However, their plans faced problems because of the Panic of 1893. This was a serious economic downturn. All efforts to produce iron commercially failed.
New Discoveries and End of Mining
In 1900, American investors took over the British company. The Embree Iron Company bought the property in 1903. They also struggled to produce iron successfully.
But in 1913, something new was discovered: valuable zinc deposits! The company started mining zinc, and then lead. This helped them pay off their debts. After World War I, the amount of ore started to decrease. Still, the company kept operating even during the Great Depression.
In 1935, they began mining manganese. By 1939, the company was the biggest producer of manganese in the country. However, the manganese reserves were quickly used up. The company closed down in 1946. Since then, no mining has taken place in Embreeville.
Bumpass Cove Environmental Efforts
In the 1970s, a company got permission to operate a landfill in an old mining site near Bumpass Cove. A landfill is a place where trash is buried. They also planned to burn liquid waste that could cause problems. This burning facility was not operated correctly and was later closed.
Some local residents believed that waste that could cause problems was being dumped at the landfill. In 1979, citizens formed a group called the Bumpass Cove Citizens Group. They wanted to stop trucks from bringing waste to the landfill. Their goals included removing harmful waste from the old mine sites. They also wanted to teach people about community development. Because of the community's efforts, the landfill was closed in December 1979.
Embreeville Fire Department
The Embreeville Volunteer Fire Department helps keep people safe. It serves parts of southern Washington County and northwestern Unicoi County.
