Bristol, Tennessee

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Bristol, Tennessee,
City
City of Bristol
State Street in downtown Bristol, Tennessee (left) and Bristol, Virginia (right)
State Street in downtown Bristol, Tennessee (left) and Bristol, Virginia (right)
Flag of Bristol, Tennessee,
Flag
Nickname(s): 
The Birthplace of Country Music
Motto(s): 
A Good Place To Live
Location of Bristol in Sullivan County, Tennessee.
Location of Bristol in Sullivan County, Tennessee.
Coordinates: 36°35′N 82°11′W / 36.583°N 82.183°W / 36.583; -82.183Coordinates: 36°35′N 82°11′W / 36.583°N 82.183°W / 36.583; -82.183
CountryUnited States
StateTennessee
CountySullivan
Incorporated1856[1]
Named forBristol, England[2]
Government
 • MayorMahlon Luttrell
 • Vice MayorVince Turner
 • City ManagerBill Sorah
Area
[6]
 • Total32.82 sq mi (85.00 km2)
 • Land32.66 sq mi (84.60 km2)
 • Water0.15 sq mi (0.40 km2)
Elevation
1,676 ft (511 m)
Population
 (2010)[3]
 • Total26,702
 • Estimate 
(2019)[5]
26,987
 • RankUS: ?
 • Density826.20/sq mi (318.99/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes
37617, 37620, 37621 & 37625
Area code(s)423
FIPS code47-08540
GNIS feature ID1327702[4]
Websitewww.bristoltn.org
State Street separates Virginia (left) and Tennessee (right).
Double yellow line on State Street, separating Virginia from Tennessee with a bronze marker embedded in pavement.

Bristol is a city in Sullivan County, Tennessee, United States. Its population was 26,702 at the 2010 census. It is the twin city of Bristol, Virginia, which lies directly across the state line between Tennessee and Virginia. The boundary between the two cities is also the state line, which runs along State Street in their common downtown district. Bristol is a principal city of the Kingsport−Bristol−Bristol, TN-VA metropolitan statistical area, which is a component of the Johnson City−Kingsport−Bristol, TN-VA combined statistical area − commonly known as the "Tri-Cities" region.

Bristol is probably best known for being the site of some of the first commercial recordings of country music, showcasing Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family, and later a favorite venue of mountain musician Uncle Charlie Osborne. The U.S. Congress recognized Bristol as the "Birthplace of Country Music" in 1998, and the Birthplace of Country Music Museum is located in Bristol.[7] It also is the birthplace of Tennessee Ernie Ford.

Bristol is also the site of Bristol Motor Speedway, a NASCAR short track that is one of the best-known motorsports facilities in the country.

The world's fifth-largest coal producer,[8] Contura Energy, is based in Bristol.

History[]

Before 1852, Bristol was owned by . His son-in-law, Mr. Joseph R. Anderson, bought 100 acres of the plantation, and named it Bristol[9] after Bristol, Connecticut.

"Birthplace of Country Music"[]

Further information: Bristol sessions and Music of East Tennessee
The Bristol Guitar at the corner of State Street and Volunteer Parkway

The U.S. Congress declared Bristol to be the "Birthplace of Country Music", according to a resolution passed in 1998, recognizing its contributions to early country music recordings and influence, and the Birthplace of Country Music Museum is located in Bristol.[7]

In 1927, record producer Ralph Peer of Victor Records began recording local musicians in Bristol, to attempt to capture the local sound of traditional "folk" music of the region. One of these local sounds was created by the Carter Family, who got their start on July 31, 1927, when A.P. Carter and his family journeyed from Maces Spring, Virginia, to Bristol to audition for Ralph Peer, who was seeking new talent for the relatively embryonic recording industry. They received $50 for each song they recorded. That same visit by Peer to Bristol also resulted in the first recordings by Jimmie Rodgers.[10]

Since 1994, the Birthplace of Country Music Alliance has promoted the city as a destination to learn about country music and the city's role in the creation of an entire music genre. The alliance is organizing the building of a new Cultural Heritage Center to help educate the public about the history of country music in the region.[11] On August 1, 2014, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum opened in Bristol, Virginia to commemorate the historical significance of the Bristol sessions. The museum features a 24,000-ft building that houses core exhibits, space for special exhibits, a performance theater, and a radio station.

Every year, during the third weekend in September, a music festival called the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion takes place. The festival is held downtown, where Tennessee and Virginia meet, and it celebrates Bristol's heritage as the birthplace of country music.[12]

Geography[]

Bristol is located in the northeast corner of Tennessee, at

 WikiMiniAtlas
36°34′9″N 82°11′51″W / 36.56917°N 82.19750°W / 36.56917; -82.19750 (36.569135, −82.197489).[13]

Bristol is located 20.95 miles east of Kingsport, Tennessee, 21.51 miles northeast of Johnson City, Tennessee, 38.74 miles northwest of Boone, North Carolina, 105.96 miles northeast of Knoxville, Tennessee, and 132.61 miles southwest of Roanoke, Virginia.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 29.5 square miles (76.4 km2), of which 29.4 square miles (76.1 km2) are land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km2) (0.44%) is covered by water.

Climate[]

Like much of the rest of the state, Bristol has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification: Cfa), although with significantly cooler temperatures, especially in the summer, due to elevation; it is part of USDA hardiness zone 6b, with areas to the southwest falling in zone 7a.[14] The normal monthly mean temperature ranges from 35.2 °F (1.8 °C) in January to 74.6 °F (23.7 °C) in July, while, on average, 8.8 days have temperatures at or below freezing and 17 days with highs at or above 90 °F (32 °C) per year.[15] The all-time record low is −21 °F (−29 °C), set on January 21, 1985, while the all-time record high is 103 °F (39 °C), set on June 30, 2012.[15]

Precipitation is low compared to much of East Tennessee, averaging 41.0 inches (1,040 mm) annually, and reaches a low during autumn. The rainiest calendar day on record is October 16, 1964, when 3.65 inches (93 mm) of rain fell; monthly precipitation has ranged from 0.02 inches (0.51 mm) in October 2002 to 12.70 inches (323 mm) in July 2012.[15] Bristol's normal (1981–2010) winter snowfall stands at 13.3 inches (34 cm), significantly more than what most of Tennessee receives. The most snow in one calendar day was 16.2 inches (41 cm) on November 21, 1952, while the most in one month is 27.9 inches (71 cm) during March 1960, which contributed to the winter of 1959–60, with a total of 51.0 inches (130 cm), finishing as the snowiest on record.[15]

hideClimate data for Bristol, Tennessee (Tri-Cities Regional Airport), 1991–2020 normals,[a] extremes 1937–present
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 79
(26) 		82
(28) 		85
(29) 		90
(32) 		94
(34) 		103
(39) 		102
(39) 		101
(38) 		100
(38) 		94
(34) 		82
(28) 		78
(26) 		103
(39)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 67
(19) 		70
(21) 		77
(25) 		84
(29) 		87
(31) 		92
(33) 		93
(34) 		92
(33) 		90
(32) 		83
(28) 		75
(24) 		68
(20) 		94
(34)
Average high °F (°C) 46.5
(8.1) 		50.9
(10.5) 		59.4
(15.2) 		69.4
(20.8) 		77.1
(25.1) 		83.8
(28.8) 		86.4
(30.2) 		85.8
(29.9) 		80.7
(27.1) 		70.2
(21.2) 		58.7
(14.8) 		49.5
(9.7) 		68.2
(20.1)
Daily mean °F (°C) 36.4
(2.4) 		40.0
(4.4) 		47.4
(8.6) 		56.4
(13.6) 		64.7
(18.2) 		72.3
(22.4) 		75.6
(24.2) 		74.5
(23.6) 		68.6
(20.3) 		57.3
(14.1) 		46.4
(8.0) 		39.3
(4.1) 		56.6
(13.7)
Average low °F (°C) 26.3
(−3.2) 		29.2
(−1.6) 		35.4
(1.9) 		43.3
(6.3) 		52.3
(11.3) 		60.7
(15.9) 		64.7
(18.2) 		63.2
(17.3) 		56.4
(13.6) 		44.3
(6.8) 		34.2
(1.2) 		29.2
(−1.6) 		44.9
(7.2)
Mean minimum °F (°C) 8
(−13) 		11
(−12) 		18
(−8) 		28
(−2) 		37
(3) 		49
(9) 		56
(13) 		54
(12) 		43
(6) 		29
(−2) 		19
(−7) 		13
(−11) 		4
(−16)
Record low °F (°C) −21
(−29) 		−15
(−26) 		−2
(−19) 		21
(−6) 		30
(−1) 		38
(3) 		45
(7) 		43
(6) 		33
(1) 		20
(−7) 		5
(−15) 		−9
(−23) 		−21
(−29)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.65
(93) 		3.81
(97) 		3.96
(101) 		3.79
(96) 		3.82
(97) 		3.92
(100) 		5.00
(127) 		3.76
(96) 		2.84
(72) 		2.52
(64) 		3.14
(80) 		3.76
(96) 		43.97
(1,117)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 3.0
(7.6) 		3.0
(7.6) 		1.1
(2.8) 		0.1
(0.25) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.3
(0.76) 		1.7
(4.3) 		9.2
(23)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 12.7 12.7 13.6 11.7 12.6 12.4 12.8 10.8 8.4 8.5 9.8 12.2 138.2
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 2.8 2.7 1.1 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.4 1.6 8.8
Source: NOAA[15][16]
Notes
  1. ^ Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the highest and lowest temperature readings during an entire month or year) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.

Demographics[]

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18801,647—
18903,324101.8%
19005,27158.6%
19107,14835.6%
19208,04712.6%
193012,00549.2%
194014,00416.7%
195016,77119.8%
196017,5824.8%
197020,06414.1%
198023,98619.5%
199023,421−2.4%
200024,8216.0%
201026,7027.6%
2019 (est.)26,987[5]1.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[17]
2018 Estimate[18]

As of the census[19] of 2000, 24,821 people, 10,648 households, and 6,825 families were residing in the city. The population density in 2000 was 846 people per square mile (326.5/km2). The 11,511 housing units averaged 392.2 per square mile (151.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 95.15% White, 2.97% African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.64% Asian, 0.24% from other races, and 0.70% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 0.68% of the population.

Of the 10,648 households, 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.0% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were not families. Nearly 32% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26, and the average family size was 2.84.

In the city, the age distribution was 21.1% under 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,039, and for a family was $37,341. Males had a median income of $28,210 versus $21,173 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,535. About 11.5% of families and 15.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.4% of those under age 18 and 12.0% of those age 65 or over.

Professional sports[]

Bristol Motor Speedway

Bristol is the location of Bristol Motor Speedway, a motorsports venue that hosts several NASCAR events. It is also home to Bristol Dragway, which hosts the Ford Thunder Valley Nationals, an NHRA national event.

A Pittsburgh Pirates rookie Minor League Baseball affiliate, the Bristol Pirates, played its home games at DeVault Memorial Stadium in Bristol, Virginia, from 1969 to 2020. In conjunction with a contraction of Minor League Baseball beginning with the 2021 season, the Appalachian League, in which the Pirates played, was reorganized as a collegiate summer baseball league, and the Pirates were replaced by a new franchise in the revamped league designed for rising college freshman and sophomores.[20]

Media[]

Television:

  • WCYB-TV (NBC Channel 5.1)
  • WCYB-DT2 (CW Channel 5.2)
  • WEMT-TV (FOX Channel 39.1)

Note-WEMT is licensed to Greeneville, Tennessee, but co-located with sister station WCYB-TV.

Radio:

  • WZAP (AM 690 kHz) Christian
  • WFHG (FM 92.9 MHz) SuperTalk WFHG
  • WWTB (AM 980 kHz) The Sports Fox
  • WXBQ (FM 96.9 MHz) Twenty-four Carrot Country
  • WAEZ (FM 94.9 MHz) Electric 94.9
  • WEXX (FM 99.3 MHz) The X 99.3
  • WTFM (FM 98.5 MHz) WTFM 98.5
  • WBCM-LP (FM 100.1 MHz) WBCM Radio Bristol

Newspaper:

  • Bristol Herald Courier[21]

Education[]

University[]

  • King University

College[]

  • Graham Bible College

High school[]

Middle school[]

  • Vance Middle School

Elementary schools[]

  • Anderson Elementary School
  • Avoca Elementary School
  • Fairmount Elementary School
  • Haynesfield Elementary School
  • Holston View Elementary School

Police department[]

The Bristol Police Department is the municipal law enforcement agency for the city. The BPD has 69 sworn officers and 25 civilian supportive staff. It also makes use of citizen volunteers as an auxiliary staff that saves the department over $100,000 annually.[22]

Notable people[]

References[]

  1. ^ Tennessee Blue Book (PDF). 2005–2006. pp. 618–625. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 2, 2006.
  2. ^ Bristol Chamber of Commerce, "About Bristol Archived December 21, 2012, at the Wayback Machine". Retrieved: 17 January 2013.
  3. ^ U.S. Census Quickfacts. Retrieved: 2 July 2016.
  4. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  6. ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b "Birthplace of Country Music", AmericasLibrary.gov, 2011, web: AL.
  8. ^ "Alpha, Contura sounding an optimistic note".
  9. ^ "History of Bristol | Bristol, TN - Official Website". www.bristoltn.org. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  10. ^ David Sanjek, "All the Memories Money Can Buy: Marketing Authenticity and Manufacturing Authorship", p. 155–172 in Eric Weisbard, ed., This is Pop, Harvard University Press, 2004. ISBN 0-674-01321-2 (cloth), ISBN 0-674-01344-1 (paper). p. 158.
  11. ^ "BCMA - Birthplace of Country Music Alliance", BCMA, 2012, webpage: BCMA.
  12. ^ "Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion", BristolRhythm.com, 2011, webpage: BR
  13. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  14. ^ United States Department of Agriculture. "USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map". United States National Arboretum. Archived from the original on March 3, 2015. Retrieved March 2, 2015.
  15. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e "NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
  16. ^ "Station: Bristol Tri City AP, TN". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
  17. ^ United States Census Bureau. "Census of Population and Housing". Retrieved August 30, 2013.
  18. ^ "Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  19. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  20. ^ "MLB, USA Baseball Announce New Format for Appalachian League". Major League Baseball. September 29, 2020. Retrieved September 29, 2020.
  21. ^ https://www.heraldcourier.com/
  22. ^ "Bristol Police Department website". Archived from the original on April 17, 2008.

Further reading[]

  • Phillips, V.N. Bud. (1992) Bristol Tennessee/Virginia: A History-1852-1900. Johnson City: Overmountain Press. ISBN 0-932807-63-1

External links[]

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