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From Old Kingsport to Dobyns-Bennett: An Intuitive Chronology for the D-B Band Centennial
The Dobyns-Bennett High School Band centennial is best understood as the story of how Kingsport’s school identity moved from scattered rural and county schools to a modern city school system. The band was formed in 1926, the same year Kingsport’s high school moved to Wateree Street, took the name Dobyns-Bennett High School, and began a…
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Maybe Others See Kingsport More Clearly Than We Do
I recently saw a Facebook post that said, “Kingsport gets the least credit of the three cities, and it’s not even close.” Then the commenters jumped in, comparing them. Here is a hot take: It is perfectly fine to be a citizen of the region. You can live in one community and enjoy everything the…
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The Surprising Tennessee Road to Texas Independence
Full disclosure: I’m down a rabbit hole researching a trip to the Tennessee at Texas A&M game this November. You know me, I can’t just enjoy a football weekend. I have to seize the opportunity to explore the surrounding area. That led me to a suggested side trip to Washington-on-the-Brazos, where delegates adopted the Texas…
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The Mixed Messages of Appalachia
We took the granddaughters to see Toy Story 5 at Hilton Head this week. As we were watching the opening ads, a Mountain Dew trailer depicting a fictitious scene from Tennessee in 1948 popped up on the big screen. A theatre full of people saw a ‘hoedown’ with stereotypical images of Appalachia–bibbed overalls, banjos, and…
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Son, Never Forget
Some of my fondest childhood memories revolve around Kingsport’s Independence Day parade. We lived one block from the parade route. I remember the rush of anticipation when the American flags started going up on the light poles. By dawn’s early light on the Fourth of July, I was as excited as a kid on Christmas…
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River Crossings and the Story of Pactolus
Recently, the Kingsport Times-News reported that the Sullivan County Commission deliberated acceptance of grant funding to upgrade the swinging bridge over the Holston River in Bluff City. The article reminded me that development in a county like Sullivan, which is divided by the Holston River, has always been shaped by river crossings. First came fords…
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Please join us for Kingsport’s Best!
Ticket link for Kingsport’s Best The Kingsport Community Foundation’s mission is simple but powerful: to honor the legacy and embrace the future. That mission is personal to me. After my brother Larry’s death — my only sibling — he was honored with The Knoxville Award, recognizing his life, service, and impact. He took the spirit…
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What IRS Migration Data Says About Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia
Every year, the Internal Revenue Service releases migration data based on address changes reported on individual income tax returns. It is not perfect. It does not count every person, and it should not be confused with Census population estimates. But it is one of the best tools available for understanding where tax-filing households are moving…
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What Do Charlotte & Kingsport Have In Common?
Recently, a friend who lives in Kingsport’s Fairacres visited Charlotte and sent me a photograph of a sign from a walkabout she took in Historic Independence Park. She knew right away, when she saw the name John Nolen, that I would be interested. Nolen was Kingsport’s designer, too. The sign noted that Independence Park was…
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Sullivan 250 | 1780: When the War Passed Through Sullivan County
Sixth in a 12-part monthly series to commemorate Sullivan County’s role in the 250th birthday of the United States of America June 2026 | 6 of 12 By 1780, the Revolutionary War had reached the frontier in force. For the Overmountain settlements, the struggle shifted from simply holding on to taking action. The implications went far…
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