Fall Branch, Tennessee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fall Branch
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State Route 93 in the downtown district of Fall Branch
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Location of Fall Branch, Tennessee
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| Country | United States |
| State | Tennessee |
| Counties | Washington, Greene |
| Settled | 1780s |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.52 sq mi (11.70 km2) |
| • Land | 4.52 sq mi (11.70 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,545 ft (457 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,248 |
| • Density | 276.29/sq mi (106.67/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
37656
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| Area code(s) | 423 |
| FIPS code | 47-25540 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2402475 |
Fall Branch is a small community in Tennessee, USA. It is called a census-designated place (CDP). This means it's a special area the government uses for counting people. Fall Branch is located in two counties: Washington and Greene. In 2020, about 1,248 people lived there.
Fall Branch is part of a larger area called the Johnson City Metropolitan Statistical Area. This area is also part of the "Tri-Cities" region, which includes Johnson City, Kingsport, and Bristol.
Contents
History of Fall Branch
Early Settlers and Mills
One of the first people to settle in Fall Branch was Isaac White. He was a soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War and arrived in 1781. He started a farm where a big highway (Interstate 81) and State Highway 93 are today.
Another early settler, Gabriel Morgan, built a grist mill in the early 1800s. A grist mill is a building where grain is ground into flour. This mill was used until the 1930s.
How Fall Branch Got Its Name
In the early 1800s, Fall Branch was first known as "Crouch Town." This name came from a family who settled there. By 1830, the name changed to "James' Cross Roads" when a post office was opened.
The name "Falls Branch" was used by 1854. Later, in 1883, the "s" was dropped, and it became "Fall Branch." The community is named after a waterfall. The main creek, also called Fall Branch, flows over this waterfall before joining Horse Creek.
A New County Idea
In 1836, Fall Branch was chosen to be the main town for a new county. This proposed county was going to be called "Powell County." It would have included parts of Washington, Greene, Sullivan, and Hawkins counties.
Even though people voted for the new county, the Tennessee Supreme Court said no. They decided it was not big enough to become a new county according to the state's rules.
Schools in Fall Branch
Education has always been important in Fall Branch. A school called Fall Branch Seminary was started in 1842. Fall Branch High School opened before 1900, at first offering two years of study.
In 1971, Fall Branch High School joined with other smaller schools. They formed Daniel Boone High School in a nearby town called Gray.
Historic Buildings Still Standing
Many old buildings from the 1800s can still be seen in Fall Branch.
- The Masonic Lodge was finished in 1869. It is home to Johnson Lodge No. 274.
- The Joseph Sheppard House was built in the late 1850s. People believe it was used to hide soldiers during the American Civil War.
- The Bud White Home was built in 1869 by a local doctor, Jonathan Blair White.
- The Hopper House was built in the early 1800s. It was used as a place for students from Fall Branch Seminary to live.
Geography of Fall Branch
Fall Branch is located at 36°25′11″N 82°37′36″W / 36.419684°N 82.626760°W. The community is built along a creek that has the same name, Fall Branch. This creek flows north for several miles. It then empties into Horse Creek, which is a smaller stream that flows into the South Fork Holston River.
Right before it reaches Horse Creek, Fall Branch creek flows over a waterfall. This waterfall, called Fall Branch Falls, is about 40-foot (12 m) tall. Many of the homes and public buildings in Fall Branch are at the bottom of Fulwiler Hill, which is 1,962-foot (598 m) high. Chimneytop Mountain is a large mountain several miles to the west.
The entire area of Fall Branch is about 4.5 square miles (11.7 km2) of land. There is no water area within the CDP.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2020 | 1,248 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 1,313 people living in Fall Branch. There were 547 households, which are groups of people living together in one home. Most of the people living in Fall Branch were White.
About 27% of the households had children under 18 living with them. Most households (63%) were married couples. About 24% of households were made up of people living alone.
The average age of people in Fall Branch was 41 years old. About 21% of the population was under 18. About 16% of the people were 65 years old or older.
Postal Service
Fall Branch has its own post office. The ZIP code for Fall Branch is 37656. The post office is located at 134 Ruritan Road, Fall Branch, Tennessee 37656.
Education
Fall Branch has one school called Fall Branch School. This school teaches students from Pre-Kindergarten up to 8th grade. It serves the part of Fall Branch that is in Washington County.
Before 2019, West Pines Elementary School also served students in the Greene County part of Fall Branch. Now, younger students (PreK-5) from that area go to Baileyton Elementary in Baileyton. Older students (grades 6-8) go to North Greene Middle School in Ottway.
For high school, students from the Greene County part of Fall Branch attend North Greene High School. Students from the Washington County part attend Daniel Boone High School.
Transportation
Fall Branch is easy to reach by car. It is located near Exit 50 of Interstate 81. State Route 93 also runs through Fall Branch. These roads are important for connecting Fall Branch to other towns.
Fall Branch is south of Kingsport, north of Jonesborough, and northeast of Greeneville.
Notable People
- Trevor Lawrence, a famous football quarterback for the Clemson Tigers, lived in Fall Branch when he was a child.
See also
In Spanish: Fall Branch (Tennessee) para niños
