Maryville

History

The Great Indian Warpath (which was used to build the route US-411) was long used by the indigenous peoples of the area. A Cherokee village known as "Elajay" was situated at the confluence of Ellejoy Creek (named after the village) and the Little River. Its site was near the modern Heritage High School. Ensign Henry Timberlake passed through the village in 1762 while returning from his expedition to the Overhill villages to the west. He reported that it had been abandoned.

In 1785, Revolutionary War veteran John Craig built a wooden palisade enclosing cabins at what is known as Fort Craig (or Craig's Station) in present-day Maryville. Such stations were built throughout the frontier to defend settlers against attacks from the Cherokee. For example, "on April 11, 1793, when settlers believed Indian attacks were imminent, 280 men, women, and children gathered in small huts at John Craig's station on Nine Mile Creek."

Craig donated 50 acres (20 ha) next to his fort for the founding of a new town. Incorporated as a city on July 11, 1795, the settlement was named in honor of Mary Grainger Blount, wife of the territorial governor William Blount. Blount County was named after him.

The family of Sam Houston moved to Maryville from Virginia in 1808, when Houston was 15. His older brothers put him to work as a clerk in a store they established in town, but he ran away. Houston lived for a few years with the Cherokee at Hiwassee Island, on the Hiwassee River, where he became fluent in their language and appreciative of their culture. After his return to Maryville about 1811, Houston started a one-room schoolhouse. He signed up for the army during the War of 1812 and rose rapidly in rank, beginning his military and political career. The schoolhouse still stands just off US-411 near the community of Wildwood.

Maryville was a center of abolitionist activity throughout the early 19th-century; it was generated mostly by the Society of Friends, which had a relatively large presence in Blount County. They were supported by anti-slavery advocates such as Isaac L. Anderson, the founder of Maryville College. When Tennessee voted on the Ordinance of Secession in 1861, only 19 percent of Blount Countians voted in favor of seceding from the Union.

Geography

Maryville is located in north-central Blount County in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. Chilhowee Mountain, the outermost ridge of the Western Smokies, rises prominently to the south. Chilhowee's eastern flank— known locally as "The Three Sisters"— is visible from almost anywhere in the city, and dominates the southern horizon along US-321 between Maryville and Walland. Maryville is bordered on the north by Maryville's twin city, Alcoa. A number of small suburbs— including Wildwood, Ellejoy, and Clover Hill— surround Maryville to the east and west.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 16.8 square miles (43.5 km2), all land.

Major streets

Broadway, the main street of the downtown area, is partly an alignment of U.S. Route 411 and U.S. Route 129. It continues to Knoxville to the north and Monroe County to the southwest.

Lamar Alexander Parkway, an alignment of U.S. Route 321, continues to Lenoir City to the west and Townsend and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to the east.

Maryville-Alcoa Bypass, an alignment of U.S. Route 129 and part of the primary route between Maryville and Knoxville

Montvale Road (State Route 336)

Morganton Road, which runs parallel to US 411, connects Maryville to Greenback and the old Morganton area to west.

Cusick Street crosses Broadway at the center of the downtown area. It extends north through Alcoa toward Louisville.

Washington Street, an alignment of State Route 35, defines the eastern limit of the downtown area and extends through Alcoa as Hall Road.

Parks

Maryville Alcoa Greenway

Bicentennial Greenbelt Park

Amerine Park

Everett Park

John Sevier Park

Pearson Springs Park

Sandy Springs Park

Jarvis Park

Climate

Average temperatures in July range from 69 degrees low to 87 degrees high. Average temperatures in January range from 29 degrees low to 46 degrees high. Most of the year is very pleasant with mild temperatures.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Maryville had a population of 31,907, 12,212 households, and 7,132 families. The median age was 39.1 years, with 23.3% of residents under the age of 18 and 19.0% of residents 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 91.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 87.1 males age 18 and over.

As of the 2020 census, 100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.

Of the 12,212 households, 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 49.9% were married-couple households, 15.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 30.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 12,962 housing units, of which 5.8% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.4%.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 27,465 people, 10,712 households, and 7,028 families. The population density was 1,634.8 inhabitants per square mile (631.2/km2). There were 11,679 housing units at an average density of 637.6 per square mile (246.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 92.0% White, 3.2% Black, 0.3% Native American, 1.55% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.53% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.2% of the population.

There were 10,712 households, out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.4% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 29.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.2% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 20 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $46,394, and the median income for a family was $61,227. Males had a median income of $31,478 versus $20,418 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,579. About 9.0% of families and 10.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.3% of those under age 18 and 3.1% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Top employers

According to Maryville's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the area were:

Education

City

Maryville City Schools operates public schools.

Coulter Grove Intermediate School

Foothills Elementary School

John Sevier Elementary School

Maryville High School

Montgomery Ridge Intermediate School

Maryville Junior High School (formerly Maryville Middle School)

Sam Houston Elementary School

Private or parochial

Maryville Christian School

Apostolic Christian Academy

Clayton Bradley Academy

Maryville College

Maryville is home to Maryville College, a private four-year liberal arts college. It was founded in 1819 by Presbyterian minister Isaac L. Anderson for the purpose of furthering education and enlightenment and whose mission was to do good on the largest possible scale. The college is one of the fifty oldest colleges in the United States and the twelfth oldest institution in the South. It is associated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). It enrolls about 1,103 students. Maryville College's mascot is the Scots. The sports teams compete in NCAA Division III athletics in the USA South Athletic Conference and formerly the Great South Athletic Conference.

Other colleges

Satellite campus of Pellissippi State Community College

Weekend programs

The East Tennessee Japanese School (イーストテネシー補習授業校 Īsuto Teneshī Hoshū Jugyō Kō), a weekend Japanese education program, holds its classes at Maryville College.

Notable people

Charles McCallon Alexander, nineteenth century gospel singer

Lamar Alexander, former U.S. senator from Tennessee; former Governor of Tennessee, Secretary of Education and Republican presidential candidate

Isaac L. Anderson, founder of Maryville College

Candace Barley, youngest player to compete on the US national rugby team and play in international match, and holds the title of most-capped U20 player in the country.

Albert Brigance, author and special education resource specialist

Charles W. Cansler, educator and civil rights advocate

Shane Claiborne

Randall Cobb, NFL football player (born in Maryville, but played high school football at Alcoa)

Mike Cross, musician

Edwin Cunningham, US Consul General in Shanghai (1920-1935)

Mark Doty, poet and memoirist

David L. Eubanks, Christian preacher and president of Johnson Bible College

Phillip Fulmer, former Tennessee Volunteers football coach (1992–2008)

Guy Garman, scuba diver

Jack Greene, country music singer, famous for his #1 hit "There Goes My Everything".

George Washington Harris, humorist; lived near what is now Wildwood, c. 1839–1843