Kingsport Spirit

Long before it had a name, geography made this place significant. Long Island of the Holston — four miles long and nearly half a mile wide — was a Cherokee sacred ground used for diplomacy. Situated where Reedy Creek meets the Holston River as it bends around Bays Mountain, it anchors a 6,000-acre basin known as Island Flats — a natural crossroads linking the Mid-Atlantic, the Mississippi Valley, the Great Lakes, and the Gulf.

In 1761, British Colonials built Fort Robinson as a defensive outpost. Though the King’s Proclamation of 1763 forbade settlement in the Overmountain areas west of the Blue Ridge, pioneers pressed forward. Following the Island Road — built along the Great Indian Warriors’ Path — they reached Long Island and established the “Boat Yard,” the head of navigation into the Tennessee Valley. During the American Revolution, the fort was repurposed as Fort Patrick Henry.

In 1776, Daniel Boone’s axmen mustered here before cutting the Wilderness Road through the Cumberland Gap into Kentucky. In 1779, the Robertson and Donelson parties began their journey from here to found Nashville, the same year nearby Jonesborough was incorporated as Tennessee’s oldest town, and one year before Chickamauga Station was built on the future site of Chattanooga. It would be six more years before James White’s Fort was built on the future site of Knoxville.

Because lands north of the Holston were presumed to be in Virginia, early land grants were issued by Virginia’s governor. In 1802, the state line was formally surveyed, placing Kingsport entirely in Tennessee while dividing Bristol between two states.

The riverport prospered until railroads redirected commerce 20 miles east and south to Bristol and Johnson’s Depot (now Johnson City). But the Clinchfield Railroad sparked a revival. A 1907 Johnson City newspaper announced that national investors planned to “boom a town,” reincorporating Kingsport in 1917 as a planned community — the “Model City.”

Renowned planner John Nolen designed the layout with Church Circle as its town square and residential streets radiating outward through neighborhoods lined with sidewalks, parks, and trees — hallmarks of the City Beautiful movement. The plan attracted scientists, engineers, educators, and entrepreneurs from across the nation and around the world. From that effort emerged the “Kingsport Spirit” — cooperation, high standards, and long-term vision.

The two cities finally became one in 1963 when the original townsite was annexed.

Today, Eastman, headquartered in Kingsport, is a global leader in advanced materials and molecular recycling technology. Domtar produces recycled containerboard used in everyday shipping boxes.

With a population approaching 60,000 in a metro area of 600,000, Kingsport and the Tri-Cities, TN/VA, strike a rare balance: large enough for essential amenities, while small enough to avoid big-city congestion. Growth remains steady and intentional.

Outdoor recreation is woven into daily life. Bays Mountain Park & Planetarium offers thousands of acres of trails and sweeping views. Warriors’ Path State Park provides golf, hiking, and lake access. The 10-mile Kingsport Greenbelt follows Reedy Creek and the Holston River with launch points for kayaking, boating, and fishing.

Downtown continues to thrive with locally owned shops, restaurants, gathering spaces, and year-round events. The Kingsport Carousel, built by volunteers, reflects civic pride and earned the city’s national recognition from Reader’s Digest as one of the “Nicest Places in America.”

Healthcare is both comprehensive and accessible; there is no need to wait months for an appointment. TRI Airport, just 20 minutes away, offers service to multiple major hubs with the ease of a regional airport.

Strong schools remain foundational. Kingsport City Schools regularly earn state and national accolades, and Dobyns-Bennett High School is widely respected for academic and extracurricular achievement.

Recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the Best Places in America, Kingsport offers an exceptional quality of life while remaining exceedingly affordable.

We invite you to visit, explore, and see for yourself why places like Kingsport are becoming rarer and more appealing to people from all walks of life.