Russellville, Tennessee Explained

Russellville
Settlement Type:CDP
Pushpin Map:USA Tennessee#USA
Pushpin Label:Russellville
Pushpin Label Position:left
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:Tennessee
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Hamblen
Established Title:Founded
Established Date:1784[1]
Unit Pref:Imperial
Area Footnotes:[2]
Area Total Km2:2.71
Area Land Km2:2.69
Area Water Km2:0.02
Population As Of:2020
Population Footnotes:[3]
Population Total:822
Population Density Km2:305.50
Timezone:Eastern (EST)
Utc Offset:-5
Timezone Dst:EDT
Utc Offset Dst:-4
Elevation Ft:1,247
Elevation M:380
Coordinates:36.2586°N -83.1953°W
Postal Code Type:ZIP codes
Postal Code:37860
Area Code:423
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank Info:47-47063
Blank1 Name:GNIS feature ID
Area Total Sq Mi:1.05
Area Land Sq Mi:1.04
Area Water Sq Mi:0.01
Population Density Sq Mi:791.15

Russellville is a census-designated place in Hamblen County, Tennessee.[4] Located along U.S. Route 11E-Tennessee State Route 34 (US 11E/SR 34), it is situated approximately at a midpoint between Whitesburg and Morristown.[5]

History

Russellville was founded by George Russell in 1784. He had been granted a large tract of land in Greene County, North Carolina.[1]

During the American Civil War, Confederate Lieutenant General James Longstreet established a headquarters in the Nenney House in Russellville just after the Battle of Bean's Station in December 1863. His Confederate army used Russellville for their winter camp of 1863-64. The house still stands and has been converted into The General Longstreet Museum.[6] Also during that winter, General Lafayette McLaws was in quarters at a house now called "Hayslope", a house that also still stands and was originally a tavern built by the early settlers. It was originally called the Tavern with the Red Door, while General Joseph B. Kershaw was at the nearby Taylor plantation. The nearby Bethesda Presbyterian Church was used as a hospital during the Civil War and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It has many wartime burials, 80 of which are unidentified.[7] [8]

In the mid and early twentieth century, Russellville was a hub for production and distribution of bootleg whiskey.

As of 2020, portions of the Russellville community, including an industrial park, have been annexed into the city limits of Morristown.[9]

Depending on the reference, Edward R. Talley was born on either September 6 or 8, 1890 in Russellville, Tennessee. He joined the United States Army from Russellville and after completing recruit training was sent to France where he distinguished himself in action near Ponchaux, France. He was a Sergeant, in Company L, 117th Infantry, 30th Division when he was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on October 7, 1918.

Talley died December 14, 1950, and is buried at Bent Creek Cemetery in Whitesburg, Tennessee.

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Swain . Craig . Russellville Area Historical Marker . Historical Marker Database . September 12, 2020 . December 13, 2009.
  2. Web site: ArcGIS REST Services Directory. United States Census Bureau. October 15, 2022.
  3. Web site: Census Population API. United States Census Bureau. October 15, 2022.
  4. Web site: [{{GNIS3|2804642}} Russellville Census Designated Place ]. . . September 12, 2020.
  5. Web site: Hamblen County . . Long Range Planning Division . September 12, 2020.
  6. Web site: General James Longstreet, CSA. LongstreetMuseum.com. June 11, 2020.
  7. Web site: Bethesda Presbyterian Church: A Church Divided . The Historical Marker Database . June 11, 2020.
  8. Web site: Bethesda Church was first a hospital, then a casualty . Amy . McRary . April 1, 2012 . Knoxville News Sentinel . June 11, 2020.
  9. Web site: Morristown Base Map (Zoning Map) . City of Morristown . Morristown-Hamblen GIS Department . September 12, 2020.