Johnson City Tennessee
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- Related Websites: Appalachian-Railroads.org | Southern-Railroads.org
Johnson City Tennessee
Johnson City Tennessee owes its beginnings and its long term prosperity to railroads. Over various times in its history, railroads played a pivotal role in transforming the city from a small town to today’s largest city in the region.
Small Railroad Rest Stop – 1850s
First….it was a water tank and rest stop along the region’s first railroad, the East Tennessee & Virginia Railroad (Southern Railway/Norfolk Southern).
Photo courtesy of the Cy Crumley Collection and Johnson’s Depot.
Manufacturing Center and Railroad Boomtown – 1880s
Second….it was prime location for industry such as iron ore furnaces, lumber mills and lumber-related manufacturing which were tapping into the natural resources of the surrounding region. At one point it was said that Johnson City would become the next Birmingham, or the next Pittsburgh. A second railroad was created, with Johnson City as its headquarters, the East Tennessee & Western North Carolina Railroad.
Photos: Two of Johnson City’s early industries: The Cranberry Furnace and the Model Mill Company. Courtesy of the Cy Crumley Collection and Johnson’s Depot.
Regional Education and Medical Center – 1900s
Third…..With the building of the very successful Clinchfield Railroad through the city in the early 1900’s, Johnson City’s true destiny was just beginning. The Railroad’s founder, George L. Carter, donated land for a new state college, which eventually became East Tennessee State University and the James H. Quillen Medical School. About that same time a regional Veteran’s Hospital, Mountain Home, was built and opened. These two institutions were the beginning of what would become Johnson City’s hallmark and legacy as a regional education and medical center.
More Information on Johnson City
Click here for more information on Johnson City’s History.
Johnson City Stats
- Coordinates: 36°20′N 82°22′W
- Elevation: 1,634 feet above sea level
- Originally known as: Johnson’s Depot
- Founded: 1869
- Population: 71,046 (2020)
- County: Washington
Clinchfield.org Sources and Resources
The following are excellent resources for those of you wanting to explore and learn more about the Clinchfield Railroad. These sources of information also serve as reference and historical materials for Clinchfield.org. Much of the content on the website is verified across multiple sources.
- Association: Carolina Clinchfield Chapter National Railway Historical Society
- Association: Louisville & Nashville Railroad Historical Society
- Association: George L. Carter Railroad Historical Society
- Association: Watauga Valley Railroad Historical Society
- Personal maps, timetables, track charts, and memorabilia
- Archives of Appalachia – ETSU, Johnson City TN
- Book – Drury: ‘The Historical Guide to North American Railroads’
- Book – Goforth: ‘Building the Clinchfield’ and ‘When Steam Ran the Clinchfield’
- Book – Graybeal: ‘The Railroads of Johnson City’
- Book – Helm: ‘The Clinchfield Railroad in the Coal Fields’
- Book – Irwin & Stahl: ‘The Last Empire Builder: The Life of George L. Carter’
- Book – King: ‘Clinchfield Country’
- Book – Marsh: ‘Clinchfield in Color’
- Book – Poole: ‘A History of Railroading in Western North Carolina’
- Book – Poteat & Taylor: ‘The CSX Clinchfield Route in the 21st Century’
- Book – Stevens & Peoples: ‘The Clinchfield No. 1 – Tennessee’s Legendary Steam Engine’
- Book – Way: ‘The Clinchfield Railroad, the Story of a Trade Route Across the Blue Ridge Mountains’
- Magazines – ‘Trains‘ , ‘Classic Trains‘
- Newspaper Articles – Newspapers.com
- Online Article – Scientific American: ‘The Costliest Railroad in America‘
- Online Article – Classic Trains: ‘Remembering the Clinchfield Railroad‘
- Online Article – Railway Age: ‘This Coal Road Is Also A Speedy Bridge Line,’ Sept 1, 1952 edition
- Online Article – ‘Railway Signaling and Communications‘
- Online Article – Flanary: ‘The Quick Service Route, The Clinchfield Railroad‘
- Online Article – Flanary: ‘Men Against Mountains, Running Trains on the Clinchfield‘ October 2001
- Online Video – Ken Marsh on Kingsport area railroads and region’s history Video #1
- Online Video – Ken Marsh on railroads and region’s history Video #2:
- Website – Carolana.com – North Carolina Railroads, South Carolina Railroads
- Website – Johnson’s Depot hosted by StateOfFranklin.net
- Website – RailFanGuides.us for Johnson City and for Erwin
- Website – The Radio Reference Wiki
- Website – SteamLocomotive.com
- Website – VirginiaPlaces.org – Railroad History of Virginia
- Website – Multimodalways.org
Contact Us at Clinchfield.org
Would enjoy hearing from you if you have questions, suggestions, edits, or content that you are willing to share. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have similar interests in the Clinchfield or Model Railroads.
3Cs Websites
Appalachian-Railroads.org | Clinchfield.org | Southern-Railroads.org
