Sevier County, Tennessee facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sevier County
U.S. county
Sevier County Courthouse in Sevierville
Flag Seal Logo
Location within the U.S. state of Tennessee
Tennessee's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Tennessee
Founded	September 27, 1794
Named for	John Sevier
Seat	Sevierville
Largest city	Sevierville
Area
• Total	598 sq mi (1,550 km2)
• Land	593 sq mi (1,540 km2)
• Water	5.2 sq mi (13 km2)  0.9%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	98,380
• Estimate  (2024)	100,024
• Density	164.52/sq mi (63.52/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	1st

Sevier County (pronounced sə-VEER) is a county in the state of Tennessee, USA. In 2020, about 98,380 people lived here. The main city and county seat (where the government is) is Sevierville. Sevier County is part of a larger area that includes Knoxville and Morristown.

A Look Back in Time

Long ago, for about 20,000 years, different groups of Native Americans lived in the area that is now Sevier County. They moved around to hunt and gather food. In the 1500s, Spanish explorers like Hernando de Soto and Juan Pardo traveled through this region. They found that the area was part of a chiefdom called Chiaha.

Later, by the late 1600s, the Cherokee people became the main tribe here. They used the land for hunting. The Chickamauga Cherokee, a group within the Cherokee, strongly opposed white settlers moving into their lands. They often raided homes, even after peace agreements were signed. Eventually, the U.S. government forced them to leave their homes on the "Trail of Tears."

Sevier County was officially created on September 18, 1794. It was formed from a part of Jefferson County. The county is named after John Sevier, who was the first governor of Tennessee. The county seat, Sevierville, was set up in 1795 and is also named after John Sevier. It's the eighth-oldest city in Tennessee.

During the American Civil War, Sevier County strongly supported the Union (the northern states). In 1861, when Tennessee voted to leave the Union, most people in Sevier County voted to stay. Later that year, the sheriff of Sevier County, William C. Pickens, tried to destroy a railroad bridge to help the Union cause.

Before the 1930s, Sevier County was mostly a farming area. People grew food to feed themselves and their families. But everything changed with the creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the early 1930s. About 30% of the park is in Sevier County. Today, tourism is the main way people make a living here.

Where is Sevier County?

Sunset over Sevier County from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Sevier County covers about 598 square miles. Most of this is land (593 square miles), and a small part is water (5.2 square miles). The southern part of the county is inside the Great Smoky Mountains. This area is protected as part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The northern parts of the county are in the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians.

Sevier County is home to the highest point in Tennessee, Kuwohi. This mountain is 6,643 feet tall and sits on the border with North Carolina. Mount Guyot is the second-highest mountain in the state, at 6,621 feet. Mount Le Conte, which is 6,593 feet tall, is also very noticeable from many parts of the county.

The French Broad River flows through the northern part of Sevier County. Part of this river forms Douglas Lake, which is a lake created by Douglas Dam. The Little Pigeon River has three branches (East, Middle, and West) that flow from the Smokies. They meet near Sevierville and then flow into the French Broad River. The West Fork is famous because it runs through popular tourist towns like Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.

The difference between the highest and lowest points in Sevier County is the biggest in Tennessee. It goes from 6,643 feet at Kuwohi down to 850 feet at the French Broad River.

Sunset over Bluff Mountain

Snowy Ober Trails in Gatlinburg

Neighboring Counties

• Jefferson County, Tennessee - to the north
• Cocke County, Tennessee - to the east
• Haywood County, North Carolina - to the southeast
• Swain County, North Carolina - to the south
• Blount County, Tennessee - to the west
• Knox County, Tennessee - to the northwest

Protected Natural Areas

• Appalachian Trail (part of it)
• Foothills Parkway (part of it)
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park (part of it)
• Roundtop Mountain State Natural Area

People of Sevier County

Age pyramid Sevier County

Census Information

In 2020, there were 98,380 people living in Sevier County. There were 37,933 households and 26,538 families.

Here's a look at the different groups of people in Sevier County in 2020:

In 2010, there were 89,889 people living in the county. About 68.7% of homes were owned by the people living in them. The average number of people in a household was 2.48. The average family size was 2.88.

The population was spread out by age:

• 23.0% were under 18 years old.
• 8.3% were from 18 to 24 years old.
• 29.8% were from 25 to 44 years old.
• 26.3% were from 45 to 64 years old.
• 12.6% were 65 years or older.

The average age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were about 95.9 males.

The average income for a household in 2010 was $34,719. For a family, it was $40,474. About 10.7% of all people in the county lived below the poverty line. This included 13.1% of those under 18.

Between 1990 and 2000, Sevier County was the third fastest-growing county in Tennessee.

Economy and Tourism

Rental cabins in the Smokies

Overlooking Walden Creek Road in Sevier County, Tennessee

Sevier County used to be mainly a farming area. But it has become a huge tourist spot since the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was created. The park covers the southern part of the county. Before the park, the lumber industry was very important. Many trees were cut down in the early 1900s.

Even though the park stopped the logging industry, it led to a big tourism boom. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is now the most visited national park in the United States. Sevier County has the third largest tourism economy in Tennessee. Only Nashville and Memphis have bigger tourism economies.

Renting out vacation cabins has also become very popular in recent years.

Fun Places to Visit

Tourism is the main driver of the county's economy. Here are some of the most popular places to visit:

• Great Smoky Mountains National Park: This park is in southern Sevier County. It was created in 1936 and has been bringing tourists ever since. It's the most visited national park in the U.S., with over 10 million visitors each year. Most visitors come through Sevier County.
• Dollywood: This theme park is in Pigeon Forge. It's partly owned by famous singer Dolly Parton, who was born nearby. Nearly 3 million people visit Dollywood each year. It's the most popular theme park in Tennessee.
• Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies: Located in Gatlinburg, this aquarium opened in 2000. In 2001, it was named the most visited aquarium in the United States. Over 2 million tourists visited its exhibits that year.
• Ober Gatlinburg: This ski resort is above Gatlinburg. It offers unique attractions like winter ski slopes and an indoor ice skating rink. The tramway that takes visitors up to the resort is called "America's Largest Aerial Tramway."
• Smoky Mountain Opry: This is a musical stage show in Pigeon Forge that started in 2011. It has a regular show for most of the year and a "Christmas Spectacular" during the winter.
• Foxfire Mountain Themed Adventure Park: This 150-acre park in Sevierville is in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. It offers many outdoor adventures. These include zip lining, ATV tours, climbing walls, free-fall jumps, and hiking trails. It also has the longest swinging bridge in the U.S.

Education

Sevier County has a school system with 32 public and private schools. These range from early childhood programs to high schools. There are also two colleges with campuses in the county.

Colleges and Universities

Sevier County has two college campuses, both in Sevierville. One is a campus of Walters State Community College. The other is a campus of East Tennessee State University.

Parks

Besides the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Sevier County has many smaller community parks. Most of these are in the cities of Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg. Some of the main ones are:

• Holt Park (Gatlinburg)
• Mills Park (Gatlinburg)
• Mynatt Park (Gatlinburg)
• Northview Optimist Park (Kodak)
• Patriot Park (Pigeon Forge)
• Pigeon Forge City Park
• Sevierville City Park

Getting Around

The large number of tourists in Sevier County has made the roads very busy. To help with this, the county has worked on widening highways. The cities of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg also have a bus service for visitors. These buses, called "trolleys," take tourists to different popular places in town.

Main Roads

This Rock City Barn is located just off of U.S. 411, in northeast Sevier County

The Great Smoky Mountains Parkway connects Interstate 40 to the national park. It goes through Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg. Along this route, there are many tourist shops and attractions.

Airports

• Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Airport (KGKT)

Communities in Sevier County

Sevier County has a few official cities and towns, and many smaller, unofficial communities.

Cities

• Gatlinburg
• Pigeon Forge
• Sevierville (county seat)

Town

• Pittman Center

Census-designated places

• Fairgarden
• Seymour (partially)

Unofficial Communities

Famous People from Sevier County

• Irene Baker (1901–1994), a U.S. Congresswoman.
• David Baker, a lawyer who participated in the January 6 United States Capitol attack.
• Reese Bowen Brabson (1817–1863), a U.S. Congressman.
• Edwin Cunningham (1868–1953), a U.S. Consul General in Shanghai.
• Richard "Preacher Dick" Evans (1824–1901), a Baptist preacher.
• Robert H. Hodsden (1806–1864), a state lawmaker who supported the Union.
• Leonidas C. Houk (1836–1891), a U.S. Congressman.
• Charles Inman (1810–1899), a state lawmaker who supported the Union.
• John P. McCown (1815–1879), a Confederate general.
• Bashful Brother Oswald (1911–2002), a country musician.
• Dolly Parton (born 1946), a famous country music singer, actress, and businesswoman. She is also an Ambassador for the Great Smoky Mountains.
• Randy Parton (1953–2021), a country music singer and actor.
• Stella Parton (born 1949), a country music singer and businesswoman.
• John Henninger Reagan (1818–1905), a U.S. Senator and Confederate cabinet member.
• Benny Sims (1924–1994), a bluegrass musician.
• William Stone (1791–1853), a U.S. Congressman.
• John Tipton (1786–1839), a U.S. Senator.
• Cas Walker (1902–1998), a grocery store owner and politician.

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Sevier (Tennessee) para niños