Sweetwater, Tennessee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sweetwater, Tennessee
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Downtown area, September 2016
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Location of Sweetwater in Monroe and McMinn Counties, Tennessee.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Tennessee |
| Counties | Monroe and McMinn |
| Established | 1850s |
| Incorporated | 1875 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 8.85 sq mi (22.92 km2) |
| • Land | 8.84 sq mi (22.89 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,011 ft (308 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 6,312 |
| • Density | 714.27/sq mi (275.79/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
37874
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| Area code(s) | 423 |
| FIPS code | 47-72540 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2405553 |
Sweetwater is a city located in Monroe and McMinn counties in the state of Tennessee, USA. It is the biggest city in Monroe County. In 2020, about 6,312 people lived there.
Sweetwater is famous for the Craighead Caverns, which holds the Lost Sea. This is the largest underground lake in the United States! In 2022, a travel magazine called Sweetwater one of Tennessee's "Ten Most Charming Cities."
Contents
Sweetwater's History
People say that Sweetwater got its name because early settlers found many fresh, sweet-tasting springs in the area.
The city of Sweetwater started in the 1850s. A local politician named Isaac Lenoir (whose father founded Lenoir City nearby) sold pieces of land to create the town. Sweetwater officially became a city in 1875.
Geography and Location
Sweetwater is located along Sweetwater Creek. This creek flows northeast and eventually joins Watts Bar Lake, which is part of the Tennessee River. The creek has created a flat area called Sweetwater Valley, surrounded by small hills.
The city is centered around U.S. Route 11. Interstate 75 also runs along the western edge of Sweetwater, making it easy to travel to and from the city.
Sweetwater covers about 8.85 square miles (22.92 square kilometers) of land. It sits in a valley among the foothills of the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains and is surrounded by lots of farmland.
Population Changes Over Time
The number of people living in Sweetwater has grown steadily over the years. Here's how the population has changed:
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 677 | — | |
| 1890 | 879 | 29.8% | |
| 1900 | 1,716 | 95.2% | |
| 1910 | 1,850 | 7.8% | |
| 1920 | 1,972 | 6.6% | |
| 1930 | 2,271 | 15.2% | |
| 1940 | 2,593 | 14.2% | |
| 1950 | 4,199 | 61.9% | |
| 1960 | 4,145 | −1.3% | |
| 1970 | 4,340 | 4.7% | |
| 1980 | 4,725 | 8.9% | |
| 1990 | 5,066 | 7.2% | |
| 2000 | 5,586 | 10.3% | |
| 2010 | 5,764 | 3.2% | |
| 2020 | 6,312 | 9.5% | |
| Sources: | |||
In 2020, the city had 6,312 people living in 2,175 households. Most residents were White (83.35%), with smaller populations of Black or African American (5.2%), Asian (0.74%), Native American (0.17%), and people of mixed races (5.59%). About 4.94% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
Sweetwater's Economy
For a long time, Sweetwater's economy was mostly based on farming and businesses related to agriculture.
Today, Sweetwater also has some light industries. These include factories that make chemicals, hosiery (like socks), and stoves.
New businesses have also opened, bringing more jobs. A large Walmart Supercenter opened in 2013, creating 200 new jobs. In 2018, a Rural King store opened.
In 2022, a big company called Red Stag Fulfillment announced plans to build a large distribution center. This center is expected to create 3,500 jobs and bring a lot of tax money to Sweetwater.
Education in Sweetwater
Sweetwater has its own school system, Sweetwater City Schools, for elementary and middle school students in Monroe County. For high school, students attend Sweetwater High School, which is part of the Monroe County Schools system.
If a small part of the city is in McMinn County, students there attend McMinn County Schools.
From 1989 to 2007, a special school called Tennessee Meiji Gakuin High School was located in Sweetwater. It was for Japanese students and was built on the site of the former Tennessee Military Institute.
There is also a private Christian school called Cross Creek K-12 in Sweetwater.
Notable People from Sweetwater
Many interesting people have come from Sweetwater, Tennessee, including:
- Butch Baker – a country music singer.
- Gerald Brown – a coach for both professional and college football teams.
- Kippy Brown – another coach for professional and college football teams.
- Harry T. Burn (1895–1977) – a Tennessee politician who played a very important role in giving women the right to vote in the United States. He cast the deciding vote for the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.
- North Callahan – a historian and journalist.
- Dwight Henry – a politician.
- Paul Dean Holt – a former NASCAR race car driver.
- Frank North – a college football coach.
- Gerald North – a scientist who studies climate.
See also
In Spanish: Sweetwater (Tennessee) para niños
