1700s |
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1700
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First roads in area were buffalo trails or Indian trails, widened with axes to permit wagons.
- 1777
- Johnson City area settled and founded in 1777 by North Carolina
grants, primarily to Young, Jones, Tipton, Jobe, Denton, and O'Neill
families. The community was first known as Blue Plum.
In response to Great Britain's attempts to arm Indian tribes against
the American Revolution, the North Carolina legislature passed an
Act encouraging settlement to the west by militia and volunteer
members.
- 1778
- Washington County created by North Carolina and it consisted of the entire territory of the present State of Tennessee. A land office was set up, with each family head receiving 640 acres + 100 for his wife + 100 acres for each child.
- 1779
- Cherokee Road was the first road in the county.
- 1784
- Jonesborough becomes the first capital of the State of Frankin, an effort to become the 14th state that narrowly missed approval by the Continental Congress. In 1788 an agreement was reached with North Carolina to remain under that jurisdiction following a "battle" between Franklin and North Carolina supporters.
- 1796
- State of Tennessee created. State law allowed overseers to appoint citizens to work on road projects, similar to today's jury duty.
1800s |
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- 1801
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Responding to Governor John Sevier, The General Assembly appointed commissioners for road building purposes.
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1807
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Overseers provided with road building materials.
- 1817
- Meeting held in Blountville to promote a navigation company to enhance transportation. East Tennessee almost entirely dependent upon overland trade from Richmond and beyond by 6-horse team wagons.
- 1821
- State of Tennessee created 3 classes of public roads: First
Class - 30 foot wide stage road, Second Class -
12 feet wide, and Third Class - wide enough for a horse and
rider. Roads were notched to indicate class (First class =
3 notches).
- 1825
- Great Stage Road from Nashville to Winston-Salem, North Carolina
opened through Johnson City as the City's first road, along present
day West Market Street.
- 1830
- State highways and financing turned over to local officials due to advent of rail traffic. Counties were authorized to charter private turnpike companies for toll roads.
- 1831-32
- Rogersville published the "Railroad Advocate" aimed
at luring the railroad. Farmers could transport their produce to
market in other sections at 1 to 5% of its value, but East Tennessee
had to pay 25 - 50% due to poor transport.
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- 1835
- Movement to connect Cincinnati and Carolinas by railroad, one
meeting held in Jonesborough.
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- 1847
- Interest in steamboat travel resulted in more far-reaching efforts by others to seize control of the East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad to determine its routing.
- 1857
- East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad built its first railway line
and water tank by Henry Johnson's store, and called it Johnson's
Tank. Route was from Bristol to Knoxville where it connected
to the East Tennessee and Georgia Railroad to the south. Tennessee
maps of the period referred to the small settlement as Johnson's
and also as Johnson's Depot.
- 1869
- Johnson City incorporated with Henry Johnson elected as first Mayor.
- 1882
- East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad connection between Johnson City and Cranberry Iron Works in North Carolina completed. Combination of railroads sparked intense growth of Johnson City until 1893 national depression.
- 1890
- Johnson City's population was approximately 4,000. Road between Johnson City and Jonesborough was mud and impassible at times. Trolley operations begin in portions of Johnson City.
1900-1950
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1903
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National Soldiers Home (present Veterans Administration Center) under construction through work of Congressman Walter Preston Brownlow. Grounds comprised 450 acres and buildings comprised the finest "soldiers home" and hospital complex in North America rivaling the finest in Europe. Soldiers Home (for disabled veterans of War of 1812, Civil War, and Spanish American War) cost $3 million to build at a time that the assessed value of the entire town of Johnson City was $750,000.
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1908
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Johnson City sells $49,000 of bonds to pave the downtown with block bricks. Kelly Brothers of Portsmouth, Ohio receives the contract.
- 1909
- Tennessee General Assembly passes bill authorizing the building of three "normal" colleges for the training of teachers for the public schools of the State, designating that they be so divided as to give one to each grand division - East, Middle, and West Tennessee - and appropriated $1 million to be divided equally among the three. Johnson City offered a bonus of $150,000, 42 acres of ground (donated by Industrialist George L. Carter), free water, roadway extensions with cement sidewalks as inducements. The Johnson City Traction Company agreed to extend its car line and service to the grounds, and the Watauga Electric Company agreed to give free lights.
- 1910
- Johnson City's population reaches 12,000 which had doubled in 6 years. A first-class street car line is operated by the Johnson City Traction Company, with lines from the Carnegie area to the Soldiers Home. The entire business section was paved in brick, and petitions were on file requesting the paving of the residential sections. Ten miles of paved sidewalks existed. Carolina, Clinchfield and Ohio Railroad began full operation. Johnson City had three railroad stations downtown: The Clinchfield - at Buffalo and Cherry Streets (presently operated as a lamp/lighting shop); The East Tennessee and Western North Carolina - presently the site of Free Service Tire Store; and The Southern - located near the Downtown Loop, Washington County Courthouse site and was demolished during the 1970s.
- 1911
- With the rise of the automobile, the State Good Roads Committee
chose Johnson City for its Bristol to Memphis route. By 1914,
a resident noted as many as 20 cars per day on the road.
- 1915
- State Highway Commission established.
- 1920 - 1930
- Roads to Erwin, Kingsport, and West Market Street surfaced with
concrete.
- 1928
- Old Elizabethton Highway (present State Route 91) constructed.
- 1930
- Johnson City Traction Company exchanges trolleys for buses.
- 1931
- Original US Highway 23 completed. Paved highway to Boone,
North Carolina completed.
- 1933
- First "piggyback" rail transportation of semi-trailers between Johnson City and Boone established due to poor road conditions.
- 1936
- First statewide road inventory for Tennessee completed showing 66,015 total miles of roads with 4,300 classified as city streets. By 1992, city street mileage had increased to over 16,000 miles statewide.
- 1940
- Last East Tennessee and Western North Carolina railway passenger service.
- 1949
- Rural Road Act passed by Tennessee General Assembly due to impassibility of rural roads in inclement weather.
1950-2000
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1954
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Clinchfield Railroad abandons passenger service.
- 1964
- John Exum Parkway completed.
- 1970
- Southern Railway's last passenger service. Clinchfield Railroad completes "high line" bypass behind East Tennessee State University.
- 1971
- Appalachian Highway (presently Interstate 181) completed from Kingsport to Boone's Creek Road. Extended to North Road Street by 1973, to Main and Market Streets by 1975, to South Roan Street at Plymouth Road by 1978, and to the Unicoi County Line by 1983.
- 1972 - 1973
- University Parkway opened. Southern Railway station demolished for construction of Downtown Loop.
- 1978
- Tennessee General Assembly designates new medical school (present Quillen College of Medicine) to be located at East Tennessee State University on the grounds of the National Soldiers Home. Congress approves reconstruction plans for Mountain Home Veterans Administration Center in tandem with College of Medicine projects. Planning begins for new roadway system to serve medical facilities.
- 1980
- Johnson City Medical Center Hospital completed adjacent to Veterans Administration complex and new College of Medicine forming third anchor of medical complex.
- 1979-1980
- First phases of State of Franklin Road open near ETSU's Minidome and new Johnson City Medical Center Hospital. Johnson City Transit System resumes service in October, 1979 with dedication ceremonies hosted by First Lady Rosalyn Carter.
- 1982
- Tennessee Department of Transportation assists local governments of Washington and Carter Counties to form Johnson City Metropolitan Transportation Organization to coordinate transportation planning and resource management of state and federal transportation programs. Region qualifies for wider range of federal and state gas tax assistance for transportation improvements.
- 1986
- US 23 officially redesignated as Interstate 181. Planning
begins to extend I-181 to North Carolina State Line to eventually
be incorporated in Interstate 26 system. Johnson City Transit
completes new downtown bus terminal combining services with Greyhound-Trailways.
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- 1987
- State of Franklin Road projects under construction with Downtown
to ETSU section (Buffalo Street to Tennessee Street) open in 1987;
ETSU to Medical Center Hospital section open in 1988; from West
Market Street to Sunset Drive in 1989.
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- 1988
- New freeway (State Route 67) completed between Johnson City and
Elizabethton as part of Quad-Cities Beltway projects. New
US 11E between Johnson City and Piney Flats under expansion from
two to four lanes. US 11E between Jonesborough and Limestone
also targeted for widening to four lanes completing four lane access
between US 11E and Interstate 81 in Greene County.
- 1995
- Final section of State of Franklin Road completed between Sunset
Drive and Interstate 181. Project was first roadway construction
project in Tennessee to include integration of bicycle facilities
as part of roadway design.
- 1995
- New US 23 (future I-26 freeway) completed to North Carolina State Line.
- 1996
- North Carolina Department of Transportation awards construction contracts for new Interstate 26 projects between Sams Gap at the Tennessee State Line and Mars Hill.
- 1998
- Work begins to upgrade Interstate 181 interchange with SR 381 (State of Franklin Road) to meet future needs of Interstate 26.
- 1998
- New State Route 75 (Bobby Hicks Highway) completed between Interstate 181 and State Route 36 (Kingsport Highway).
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2000
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Johnson City in partnership with Tennessee Department of Transportation undertakes major upgrading of traffic signal system to deal with Year 2000 compliance as well as to replace 50-year old signal system. Project included cameras for signal actuation at West Market Street/State of Franklin Road intersection and emergency management features and pedestrian signal facilities at major intersections.
- 2000
- Construction begins on SR 354 (Boones Creek Road) interstate connector project between I-181 and SR 36 (Kingsport Highway).
- 2003
- Formal opening of new Interstate 26 between I-81 and Asheville North Carolina after completion of North Carolina projects. Interstate 181 through Johnson City and Washington County becomes part of Interstate 26 system. Centennial Anniversary of founding of National Soldiers Home in Johnson City.
- 2004
- Official dedication of the International Storytelling Center in Jonesborough. Construction begins on SR 36 (Kingsport Highway) improvements from SR 381 to Boones Creek Road.
- 2005
- Renovation of Johnson's Depot Historic District begins.