Kingsport Spirit

Have you ever thought about the difference between a city and a community?

A city is a legally defined, structured entity with the authority to enforce laws. It operates under a charter, with elected officials and public services focused on managing resources and the well-being of its residents.

A city has taxing authority. And if you don’t pay your taxes, the government can take away your property. Think about that. For anyone in government, that’s a sacred trust. That’s why our elected officials think long and hard before raising taxes because paying them is not optional.  

But a city is confined by the city limits.

A community, on the other hand, is more organic and heartfelt. It’s about people bound by shared values, interests, and mutual support. Communities often extend beyond city limits and are built on trust, cooperation, and a sense of belonging. You contribute to a community because you want to, not because you’re required to.

As a person of faith, I see taxes like tithes—contributions required by scripture, set at 10% of one’s income to support the church.

Offerings, on the other hand, are voluntary gifts given beyond the required tithe–from the heart. They are a personal, heartfelt expression of generosity and gratitude, without a fixed amount or obligation.

That’s how I see the difference between city government and the United Way.

Our early founders envisioned a well-managed city, but a charitable community. Influenced by the social issues of their time in New York—like overcrowding, poverty, labor exploitation, and corruption—they wanted Kingsport to be different.

They designed Kingsport with fair housing, decent working conditions, and clean water in mind. Before air conditioning, they built industrial buildings with natural light and air circulation, similar to today’s Farmers’ Market, unlike the sweatshops of the day. They created group health insurance for every industrial worker, and Kingsport’s industries paid well while offering recreational opportunities to employees.

Labor disputes were rare.

In New York, poor sanitation caused widespread health problems, but our founders ensured a steady supply of clean water and built a modern wastewater treatment facility instead of relying on septic tanks.

While political machines like Tammany Hall controlled New York politics with collusion, coercion, and corruption, our founders adopted the Rockefeller Foundation’s Model City Charter. This form of government emphasized professional city management over politics, ensuring that Kingsport’s elected officials were more like volunteers than career politicians. They believed in small government—just enough to meet essential needs, with the private sector stepping up to lead. Business leaders served on boards and commissions, helping to shape the city.

Kingsport was also designed to be affordable, so child labor wasn’t necessary. Our founders hired Columbia University to plan the public school system, giving Kingsport’s children a brighter future.

Unlike New York, where immigrants and African Americans faced discrimination, early Kingsport offered equal access to education and housing. Immigrant merchants like the Sobels, Mires, Shadeeds, and Assids played a crucial role in building our community.

Our founders wanted fair and decent housing for all, so they designed model housing and neighborhoods where workers, supervisors, and managers could co-exist.

As Kingsport grew, J. Fred Johnson coined the term “Kingsport Spirit,” describing it as mutual helpfulness and a willingness to put aside personal interests for the greater good. This spirit is about community, not government.

The common belief is that we are living in difficult times, but in reality, every generation has faced its own set of challenges.

It’s not what happens to you, it’s how you respond to it.

How do we, as a community, pivot?

The U.S. entered World War I in 1917—the same year Kingsport was founded.

Those were difficult times.

But early industries supported its growth, producing essential materials like bricks, mortar, and cement. Then paper, books, and bookbinding. Finally, glass, textiles, and chemicals.

Kingsport always found a way to make lemonade from lemons.

Until that time, Germany was the main source of global chemicals. It cut off the rest of the world to use those chemicals for warfare.

After World War I, Eastman Kodak wanted a domestic supply, so it would never be at the mercy of a foreign nation again.

Tennessee Eastman was born in the roaring 1920s.

The economy flourished, automobiles became commonplace, movie theatres abounded, liquor was illegal, and speakeasies flourished.

Kingsport was a boomtown. Housing was in short supply. Roads were inadequate.

While Kingsport proper was planned and orderly, the growth of areas just outside the city limits was unregulated. You can look at a map today and see where the planned city stopped, I call it “where the sidewalks end and the storm ditches begin.”

A 1934 Times-News article observed that “Greater” Kingsport is becoming a group of largely suburban towns and villages. For instance, there are Litz Manor, Highland Park, Hillcrest, Nelsontown, Lynn Garden, Long Island, West View Park, and Old Kingsport on the riverfront. Those suburbs had a population running into the thousands and all outside of the city government’s jurisdiction. They speculated that this equaled 1/3 of the Kingsport ‘community’ population.  The city was approaching 12,000, but an additional 6,000 lived just outside, but they were still part of the Kingsport community.

The business community wasn’t limited to governmental boundaries.

The Businessmen’s Club planted seeds for a Community Chest in 1922—just 5 years after our city’s founding–to budget for expenses of charity, hospital, Red Cross, and other worthy causes.

Two of those businessmen were 35-year-old B.M. Brown and 49-year-old Dr. E.W. Tipton—they’d both be eligible to be members of today’s PEAK Young Professionals.

B.M. Brown was affiliated with Eastman Kodak and relocated from Rochester, New York; Dr. E.W. Tipton was from Hawkins County–a great example of how Kingsport was a blended family of locals and newcomers.

B.M. Brown served as Alderman in 1926 at the age of 39. The only hospital of the day was Riverview Hospital on Netherland Inn Road. During 1926, the hospital had accrued a significant overage in charity patients and asked the city to make up the difference. Alderman Brown made the motion and it passed on a 3-2 vote, with the mayor casting the deciding vote.  

Dr. E.W. Tipton’s name is associated with almost every early endeavor of the Model City. He worked at Riverview Hospital. He even served as mayor during World War II. His early phone number was 72—not the ten digits we require today. He is descended from the same family as the Tipton-Haynes historic site, and whose namesake is Tipton County in West Tennessee.

He founded Kingsport Drug Store, corner of Main & Broad, the first pharmacy in Kingsport.

B.M. Brown became the founding chair of the officially incorporated Community Chest in 1934.

But wait, there’s more.

The Browns lived on Linville Street and the Tiptons lived on Watauga, literally just around the corner.

B.M. Brown’s son, Ben Jr., would later marry Dr. E.W. Tipton’s daughter, Katherine, and they moved to a house on Linville just a couple doors down from both sets of parents—a house that their daughter still lives in today.

Forgive me for the analogy, but it was a royal wedding on a local scale. The newspaper archives are full of announcements of teas and parties hosted in their honor.

Fast forward and descendants, Sarah Holt Good and Michael Holt, their great-grandchildren, are still giving back to our community as educators of students facing socioeconomic distress, special needs, learning English as a second language, or finding themselves in an alternative school.

Clearly the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. They embody the spirit of those who came before.

In 1922, the Times-News wrote, “Everyone who is able should contribute to (the Community Chest), and everyone should contribute as much as he is able. Kingsport has never fallen behind in contribution to a worthy cause, and no cause more worthy than this could be presented. Surely, a town that can raise $13,000 for baseball can raise $10,000 for the relief of those who may actually be suffering.” Kingsport was compassionate.

In 1923, the newspaper reported, and I quote, “the largest number of Negroes assembled in years gathered yesterday in the local baseball park” and “special mention was made of Mayor Dobyns, J. Fred Johnson, and the Community Chest.”  Our founders didn’t always get it right, but Kingsport was very progressive in race relations even during the Jim Crow era.  

A 1928 article said, “The relief to undernourished children at the schools is one of the most important works of the Community Chest” along with “the elimination of street begging and soliciting.” Kingsport cared.

On October 24, 1929, the Times-News reported that the Community Chest team captains were working desperately to reach their goal by Saturday.

But by Tuesday, October 29, 1929, known as Black Tuesday, the stock market crashed and the world changed.

The 1930s were ushered in with a Great Depression that would last a decade.

Those were difficult times.

In 1934, 90 years ago, the Kingsport Community Chest was officially incorporated, and what we now know as United Way was born.

As a side bar, I came across an article I’d never seen.

1934 was also an election year. To vote, voters had to pay a poll tax, which continued in Tennessee until 1953. The total number of registered voters in the three wards of Kingsport was 3,493–the largest registration list by far the city had ever had. But the city’s population was 11,914. The number of poll taxes paid by the deadline in Kingsport was about 1,250, greatly reducing the number of eligible voters. Think about that the next time you have an opportunity to freely cast your ballot. (Times-News, 7/23/1934).

The 1934 class of Dobyns-Bennett contained 58 students with Professor C.K. Koffman  at the helm. 

A 1934 newspaper article highlighted the plight of 25-30 squatters living in “huts made of old cardboard boxes and scraps of other material. Many are widows who have several children to support.”

That was the condition in 1934. 

Then Pearl Harbor and World War II.

Those were difficult times. 

Then the Korean War, Vietnam, social upheaval, and the Civil Rights movement.

Those were difficult times.

The oil & gas crisis of the late 1970s caused mortgage rates to peak at 18.4% in 1981. My mortgage rate in 1989 was 10.1% and I thought that was a bargain!

Those were difficult times.

In the 1990s, NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement) had a substantial impact on local industries as American jobs sought cheap labor overseas.

Those were difficult times.

In 1994, Kodak spun off Eastman Chemical Company, and many wondered how local management would fare without Rochester. Many of our friends and family lost their livelihood.

Those were difficult times.

You see, every generation could make an argument about why theirs is the most difficult.

But effective leadership during difficult times provides direction, inspires resilience, and fosters hope.

Leaders who navigate challenges with clarity and compassion can mobilize teams, drive progress, and instill confidence, ultimately guiding their communities or organizations through adversity and toward recovery.

Their vision and decisions not only address immediate issues but also lay the foundation for long-term stability and growth.

In 1999, Kingsport leaders held an Economic Summit on the city’s future.

It was time to remodel the Model City.

If workers were going to be laid off, they needed new skills to re-enter the workforce.

Thus, the Kingsport Academic Village was born and nearly 2,000 students flooded Downtown Kingsport, some multi-generational.

Our public housing was obsolete, so it was razed, rebuilt, or otherwise modernized.

Blighted places like Kingsport Press, Kingsport Mall, Crown Point, Mason-Dixon, and Stonegate were demolished and replaced with new stores, shops, restaurants, and affordable housing.  

In 2006, the Edinburgh community was announced as one of many new neighborhoods planned to stimulate the local housing market, and the new John Adams Elementary was announced.

But by 2008, the world changed again as the Great Recession began and homebuilding came to a grinding halt.

In 2009, John Adams opened at far less than capacity.

Mortgages were tough and single-family homes were few and far between, so Kingsport invested in multi-family housing, which hadn’t seen new construction since the early 1990s. More than 500 new units were built, causing many to wonder if the older apartment complexes would decline or even survive.

Those were difficult times.

Eastman announced Project Inspire in 2013, and Project Reinvest in 2017, investing billions of dollars into the local economy and establishing Kingsport as its longtime corporate headquarters.

Eastman innovated to become a global leader in specialty chemicals, advanced materials, and the circular economy.

Kodak took a very different direction, going bankrupt in 2012. Yes, we could survive—I would argue thrive—without Rochester.

Through difficult times, Kingsport was finding its way.

In 2020, the COVID pandemic was the latest threat.

But again, Kingsport successfully pivoted.

And September 27, 2024, as Hurricane Helene devestated our neighbors.

Those were difficult times.

Kingsport’s attributes, which I believe we underestimate as locals, were extremely desirable on a national scale.

In fact, just last month, U.S. News & World Report listed Kingsport as one of the top 250 cities to live in 2025-2026.

Low unemployment, low climate risk to properties, a high number of retail amenities per capita, low property taxes, and low cost of living compared to other regions of the country are often cited.

These types of accolades have attracted thousands of new residents from all 50 states during the last 5 years. The median age of out-of-state newcomers is 29.9. Almost 1 out of every 5 of our black or multi-racial citizens moved here in the past 5 years, and 37% of our Hispanic population. 

But our death rate still exceeds our birth rate. Out-of-state newcomers represent only 2% of our total population, but they offset our natural population losses. Without them, we would be in decline.

During the 1999 Economic Summit, we found inspiration in a quote by Oliver Wendall Holmes, who said:

“I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving—we must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it—but we must sail, and not drift, nor lie at anchor.”

Each generation faces tough times.

But we can’t use that as an excuse to shut down or step back.

My daughter hand-painted a quote on her dorm wall, “When times are hard, and you are doubtful, give more.”

For 90 years, our community has faced one challenge after another, and we will face challenges yet unknown…but United Way is always there to guide, organize, rally, and respond. It’s a hand-up, not a handout.

None of us got here alone.  

I believe that God entrusts each of us with unique gifts, resources, and talents, not merely for our own benefit but to serve others.

These blessings are both a privilege and a responsibility, calling us to be good stewards of what we have been given.

As we use our talents, manage our resources wisely, and share our gifts, we participate in God’s work in the world, reflecting His love, grace, and generosity.

By faithfully using what He has entrusted to us, we fulfill the purposes He has for our lives.

Sorry, I didn’t mean to preach.

As we reflect on the rich history of our community and the spirit that has carried us through difficult times, let us remember that each of us plays a vital role in shaping our future. Just as our founders envisioned a thriving, compassionate community, we too are called to contribute our unique gifts and resources. The legacy of Kingsport is built on a foundation of cooperation, generosity, and resilience. Let us honor that legacy by continuing to support one another and embracing the opportunity to lead with heart and purpose. Together, we can look back with pride and move forward with hope, ensuring that Kingsport remains a place where every individual can thrive.

I sincerely hope you will consider giving to United Way, whose vision is A BETTER LIFE FOR ALL, where everyone in our community has an opportunity for a quality education, financial stability, and good health.