Blaine, formerly known as Blaine's Crossroads, It is part of both the Knoxville Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Morristown Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,084 at the 2020 census.

History

Blaine was originally known as Blaine's Crossroads (sometimes spelled "Blain"). During the early 19th century, it was located at the intersection of several important roads, including the eastern terminus of the Emory Road (present day SR 61), which traversed northern Knox County, the northern terminus of Indian Ridge Road, and the Great Indian Warpath, present-day U.S. Route 11W.

During the American Civil War, Blaine's Crossroads served as the site of retreat of Confederate forces following General James Longstreet's victory in the Battle of Bean's Station. Longstreet and his forces attempted to siege westward into Blaine's Crossroads, as part of the Knoxville campaign to capture the city of Knoxville. The line ran from the City of Morristown in Hamblen County, through the Richland Valley to the bedroom community of Corryton, north of Blaine in unincorporated Knox County.

In 1978, waste management company Browning-Ferris Industries announced plans for a large sanitary landfill to service the needs of Knoxville in Blaine. The proposal would prompt community members to petition and vote to incorporate Blaine into a city in the same year. Blaine residents would also use acts of vandalism (notably arson) and violence against Browning-Ferris and construction companies contracted to build the landfill to oppose the project. The largest of these acts resulted in the destruction of the Knoxville office of Browning-Ferris via bomb, costing the company $50,000.

In 2007, the city received $520,560 in funding from the Economic Development Administration, and $867,600 towards developing the city's sewage treatment system for proposed commercial and industrial sites. The project created nearly 175 jobs in the city and the potential of $12.525 million in private investment.

Geography

Blaine is located in the southwest corner of Grainger County at (36.150854, -83.700443). It is situated around the intersection of U.S. Route 11W (Rutledge Pike), Tennessee State Route 61, and Indian Ridge Road. The city is southeast of the point where Grainger, Knox, and Union counties meet. Clinch Mountain and adjacent ridges rise prominently to the north and northeast, and House Mountain is visible to the southwest.

It is southwest of Rutledge, the county seat, southeast of Maynardville, and northeast of Knoxville. Blaine is connected to Knoxville and Rutledge via U.S. Route 11W and Maynardville via TN-61.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.

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2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there was a population of 2,084, with 825 households and 613 families residing in the city, and the median age was 41.8 years.

21.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 15.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 103.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 100.9 males age 18 and over.

{| class="wikitable"

|+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census

! Race !! Number !! Percent

|-

| White || 1,964 || 94.2%

|-

| Black or African American || 20 || 1.0%

|-

| American Indian and Alaska Native || 2 || 0.1%

|-

| Asian || 7 || 0.3%

|-

| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 1 || 0.0%

|-

| Some other race || 18 || 0.9%

|-

| Two or more races || 72 || 3.5%

|-

| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 43 || 2.1%

|}

2000 census

As of the census is the only grocery store in Blaine.

Economic growth and development has appeared to make significant gains in the city after the construction of sewage treatment plant on the easternmost part of the city near the unincorporated community of Lea Springs. Since the wastewater system project's completion in the early 2010s, Blaine has seen a massive boost in commercial development and population growth, both of which were contributed to the project, the planning of a business park site, and the city's proximity to Knoxville appealing to commuters.

Arts and culture

Historic sites

  • Lea Springs (located east of town in ZIP code)
  • Richland
  • Shields' Station
  • Janeway Cabin
  • Emory Road

Government

Blaine uses the mayor-council system, which was established in 1978 when the city was incorporated. It is governed locally by a nine-member city council.

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  • J.W. Speegle, 1978-1980
  • Eddie Earl, 1980-1982
  • William Newman, 1982-1984
  • Billy Freeman, 1984-1987
  • W. Adrian Cameron, 1987-1989
  • Eddie Hamilton, 1989-1993
  • Vickie Vineyard, 1993-2005
  • Patsy McElhaney, 2005–2018
  • Marvin Braden, 2018–present

Blaine is represented in the 35th District of the Tennessee House of Representatives by Jerry Sexton, a Republican.

It is represented in the 8th District of the Tennessee Senate by Frank Niceley, also a Republican.

Blaine is represented in the United States House of Representatives by Republican Tim Burchett of the 2nd congressional district.

Infrastructure

Utilities

Knoxville Utilities Board provides electricity to Blaine and parts of its outskirts inside the Blaine zip code, 37709.

Luttrell-Blaine-Corryton Utility District (LBCUD) provides municipal water services to Blaine.

The City of Blaine operates and owns its wastewater treatment system and plant, with the LBCUD contracted to perform the billing and collection for sewer services and its fees.

Transportation

All U.S. routes and state routes in Blaine are maintained by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) in TDOT Region 1, which consists of 24 counties in East Tennessee. Streets, sidewalks, and greenways in the Blaine city limits are the City of Blaine Public Works Department.

Principal highways

  • (Rutledge Pike)
  • (concurrent to US 11W)

Major surface routes

  • Emory Road (Old SR 61)
  • Indian Ridge Road
  • Little Valley Road
  • Old Rutledge Pike
  • Richland Road
  • Stoutown Road

Notable people

  • Gertrude Janeway (1909–2003), American Civil War widow

References

  • Municipal Technical Advisory Service entry for Blaine — information on local government, elections, and link to charter