Kingsport

Kingsport is a city in Sullivan and Hawkins counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, its population was 55,442. It is the largest city in the KingsportBristol metropolitan area, which had a population of 307,614 in 2020. The name "Kingsport" is a simplification of "King's Port", originally referring to the area on the Holston River known as King's Boat Yard, the head of navigation for the Tennessee Valley. In 1787 it was known as "Salt Lick" for an ancient mineral lick. Early settlements at the site were used as a staging ground for other pioneers who were traveling overland on the Wilderness Road leading to Kentucky through the Cumberland Gap. In the Battle of Kingsport (December 13, 1864) during the Civil War, a force of 300 Confederates under Colonel Richard Morgan stopped a larger Union force for nearly two days. On September 12, 1916, Kingsport residents demanded the death of circus elephant Mary (an Asian elephant that performed in the Sparks World-famous Shows Circus). She had killed city hotel worker Walter Eldridge, who was hired by the circus the day before as an assistant elephant trainer. Eldridge was attacked and killed by the elephant while he was leading her to a pond. The circus owner, Charlie Sparks, reluctantly decided that the only way to quickly resolve the situation was to hold a public execution. On the following day, she was transported by rail to Erwin, Tennessee, where a crowd of over 2,500 people assembled in the Clinchfield Railroad yard to watch her hang from a railroad crane.

History

Kingsport is the primary city name, but also Colonial Heights, Colonial Hgts are acceptable city names or spellings. The official name is City of Kingsport. In 1787 it was known as "Salt Lick" for an ancient mineral lick. It was first settled along the banks of the South Fork, about a mile from the confluence. It became an important shipping port on the Holston River. In the Battle of Kingsport (December 13, 1864) during the Civil War, a force of 300 Confederates under Colonel Richard Morgan stopped a larger Union force for nearly two days. The Confederates suffered 18 dead, and 84 prisoners of war were sent to a Union prison in Knoxville. In 1916, Kingsport residents demanded the death of circus elephant Mary (an Asian elephant that performed in the Sparks World-famous Shows Circus) She had killed city hotel worker Walter Eldridge, who was hired by the circus the day before as an assistant elephant trainer. Eldridge was attacked and killed by the elephant while he was leading her to a pond. The circus owner, Charlie Sparks, reluctantly decided that the only way to quickly resolve the situation was to hold a public execution. On September 12, 1916, she was transported by rail to Erwin, Tennessee, where a crowd of over 2,500 people assembled in the Clinchfield Railroad yard to watch her hang from a railroad crane. In 2001, Pal's Sudden Service, won the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, becoming the first restaurant company to receive the award. It is headquartered in Kingsport. The city lost its charter after a downturn in its fortunes precipitated by the Civil war.

Geography

Kingsport is located in western Sullivan County at 36°32N 82°33W (36.5369, 82.5421), at the intersection of U.S. Routes 11W and 23. The city is bordered to the west by the town of Mount Carmel, to the southeast by unincorporated Colonial Heights, and to the northeast by Bloomingdale. The Kingsport city limits extend west into Hawkins County and north to the Virginia border. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 50.8 square miles (131.5 km²), of which 49.8square miles (129.0 km²) are land and 0.93square miles(2.4km²) is water. Most of the water area is in the South Fork Holston River. Kingsport is the northwest terminus of Interstate 26. I-26 and US 23 lead south 8 miles (13 km) to Interstate 81 and 83 miles (134km) to Asheville, North Carolina. The town of Kingsport has a population of 2,816. It is located on the Tennessee-Kentucky border and is home to the Kingsport International Airport. The airport is one of the busiest airports in the Southeast, with a capacity of more than 1.2 million passengers a day. It also has the second-largest airport in the state, with capacity for more than 500,000 passengers per day. There are several neighborhoods located within or just outside the city, offering different lifestyles.

Demographics

As of the 2020 U.S. census, there were 55,442 people, 23,640 households, and 14,273 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 93.32% White, 4.07% African American, 0.79% Asian,0.24% American Indian/Alaska Native, 0.02% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and 1.06% two or more races. There were 21,796 housing units at an average density of 494.6 per square mile (191.0/km²) The city's median income was $30,524, and the median income for a family was $40,183. About 14.2% of families and 17.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.9% of those under age 18 and 13.0% ofThose age 65 or over. The city has a population of 44,905 people, with 19,662 households and 12,642 families. The population density was 1,018.9 per squaremile (393.4/km 2) The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there are 84.1 males. The per capita income for the city is $20,549. The average household size was 2.22, with 14.7% of people living alone who was 65 years of age or older. It is the only city in the state with more than one city manager.

Economy

In 2019, Kingsport's gross metropolitan product was reported to be US$14.1 billion. Eastman Chemical Company has its world headquarters in Kingsport. Holston Army Ammunition Plant operated by BAE Systems' Ordnance Systems, Inc. manufactures a wide range of secondary detonating explosives for the Department of Defense. Domtar operates a paper mill inKingsport. Dom tar has temporarily shut this plant down from uncoated freesheet paper manufacturing and plans to convert the plant by 2023 to be able to create containerboard. Kingsport is home to the U.S. Air Force Academy and the University of Tennessee at Kingsport, which was founded in 1875. The city's population is estimated to be more than 100,000, with the majority of residents living in or near the city's downtown area. It has a population of more than 2.5 million, with most of its residents working in or around the city of Kingsport and its surrounding areas. It is also home to a number of non-profit organizations, including the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce and Kingsport Rotary Club, which has its headquarters in the city. The town has a history of being involved in the Civil War and World War II. It also has a long history of involvement with the Civilian Defense Agency (CDDA) and the National Guard. It was the site of the Battle of the Bulge, a major battle in World War I, which ended in 1864. The Kingsport area has been home to several military installations, including Kingsport Air Force Base, which is located in the town.

Education

Residents of Kingsport are served by the Kingsport City Schools public school system. It operates eight elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school. In addition, Kingsport has eight private academies, most with religious affiliation. East Tennessee State offers general education courses in the Hawkins County (westernmost) portion of the city, with more advanced courses at the Academic Village. Douglass High School in Kingsport was one of the largest African American high schools in the region when it closed for desegregation in 1966. The school's former building on East Walnut Avenue (now East Sevier Avenue) was a historic Rosenwald School, built in 192930 with a combination of funds from the city, private citizens and the Rosenwald Fund. Although during the years of segregation the Douglass Tigers football team was not allowed to play white teams, the Tigers won a Tennessee state football championship in 1946, and a state basketball championship in 1948. The present building, built in 1951 at 301 Louis Street, is now the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex, named for Douglass' former principal. The city is home to the University of Tennessee at Kingsport, which has a campus in downtown Kingsport. It is also home to Lincoln Memorial University, Milligan University, and Northeast State Community College, which all have branch campuses in the city. Kingsport is also the home of the Tennessee Institute of Technology, which is located in the nearby town of Knoxville, Tennessee.

Human resources

Kingsport is the location of two hospitals, both operated by Ballad Health. The vessel SS Kingsport Victory, which later became USNS Kingsport, was named in honor of the city. The Kingsport Police Department is the municipal law enforcement agency for the City of Kingsport. As of 2021, the KPD consisted of 120 sworn officer positions, plus about 40 full-time support staff, including records, jail, maintenance and dispatch. The KPD has numerous specialized divisions, including Criminal Investigations, VICE and Narcotics, Traffic, Search and Rescue, Bomb Squad, and SWAT. The city is home to the U.S. Army's Kingsport Army Airfield and Kingsport Air Force Base, which is located in the eastern part of the town. It is also the home of the Kingsport Airport, which was built in the early 20th century. The airport is located on the banks of the Tennessee River, which runs through the city's downtown area. Kingsport is also home to two community hospitals, Holston Valley Medical Center and Indian Path Community Hospital, which are operated by Ballad Health. The town has a population of about 3,000. It was the site of the World War II Battle of the Bulge, which took place in World War I and is now known as the "Bloodiest Battle in the History of the United States" The city has a history of being involved in the Civil War, which began in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It also played a role in the Second World War.

Culture

The city is home to the Kingsport Axmen, a collegiate summer baseball team of the Appalachian League. The Axmen play their home games at Hunter Wright Stadium, which is named after former mayor Hunter Wright. The nickname is in reference to frontiersman Daniel Boone, who began the Wilderness Road in Kingsport. Professional baseball was first played in the city in 1921. The Kingsport Mets were members of the Appy League from 1980 to 2020, except for the 1983 season when the New York Mets temporarily relocated the team to Sarasota, Florida, as the Gulf Coast League Mets. In conjunction with a contraction of Minor League Baseball beginning with the 2021 season, the Mets were replaced by the Axmen. Kingsport Parks and Recreation manages several parks within the city. The city also has a number of state parks, including the Warrior's Path State Park and the Greenbelt Walking/Cycling Trail, which runs through the center of the city, and the Edinburgh Park Golf and Country Club, which was established in the early 1900s. The City of Kingsport is the home of the New England Patriots baseball team, who play in the East Coast Conference. The team was also known as the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and New York Red Sox affiliate, the Staten Island Yankees, among other teams. It is the birthplace of former Mayor Hunter Wright, who served as mayor from 1961 to 1973. The town is also home to several minor league baseball teams, such as the Kingsports, Kingsport Pirates, and Kingsport Braves.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Kingsport, Sullivan County, Tennessee = 46.3. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 94. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 97. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Kingsport = 4.4 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 2,831 individuals with a median age of 44.2 age the population dropped by -1.30% in Kingsport, Sullivan County, Tennessee population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 1,053.95 residents per square mile of area (406.93/km²). There are average 2.15 people per household in the 20,035 households with an average household income of $34,500 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 9.70% of the available work force and has dropped -5.54% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 19.22%. The number of physicians in Kingsport per 100,000 population = 353.3.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Kingsport = 43.3 inches and the annual snowfall = 12.3 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 136. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 203. 88 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 28.1 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 40, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Kingsport, Sullivan County, Tennessee which are owned by the occupant = 57.43%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 41 years with median home cost = $109,400 and home appreciation of 5.06%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $7.16 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $5,179 per student. There are 15.8 students for each teacher in the school, 610 students for each Librarian and 369 students for each Counselor. 5.26% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 15.36% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 8.98% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).