Blountville is a census-designated place (CDP) in and the county seat of Sullivan County, Tennessee. The population was 3,074 at the 2010 census and 3,120 at the 2020 census. It is the only Tennessee county seat not to be an incorporated city or town.
Blountville is part of the Kingsport–Bristol–Bristol metropolitan area, which is a component of the Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA Combined Statistical Area, commonly known as the "Tri-Cities" region.
History
The area that is now Blountville is thought to have been the location of a longhunter fort prior to its permanent settlement. The site of the town was part of a tract of about of land bought by James Brigham in 1782. In 1792 Brigham gave to Sullivan County for use as a county seat and established a hotel nearby. By 1830, the settlement had 209 residents, two churches, six stores, two taverns, ten mechanics, one doctor, and one lawyer.
On the afternoon of September 22, 1863, during the Civil War, the town was the scene of the four-hour-long Battle of Blountville. During a major expedition into East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, a Union Army unit attacked Confederate troops at Blountville. The town was shelled in the fighting and the courthouse was burned in the battle, which forced the Confederates to withdraw. The courthouse was rebuilt within the old walls in 1866. The current courthouse dates from a major construction that was done in 1920; it also includes additions made in 1958. The Deery Inn was built in the late 1700s and consists of three buildings: a two-story log home, a three-story stone house and a two-story frame building. All buildings are next to each other and attached. The home is a private residence.
Geography
Blountville is located at (36.533312, -82.326474).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , all land.
Demographics
right|250px|thumb|[[Old Deery Inn|The Deery Inn in Blountville, built circa 1785–1801]]
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Blountville had a population of 3,120. There were 683 families residing in the CDP. The median age was 42.0 years. 14.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 20.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 116.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 119.9 males age 18 and over.
71.7% of residents lived in urban areas, while 28.3% lived in rural areas.
There were 1,079 households in Blountville, of which 21.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 48.5% were married-couple households, 17.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 29.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
!scope="col"| Race
!scope="col"| Number
!scope="col"| Percentage
|-
!scope="row"| White (non-Hispanic)
| 2,921
| 93.62%
|-
!scope="row"| Black or African American (non-Hispanic)
| 66
| 2.12%
|-
!scope="row"| Native American
| 3
| 0.1%
|-
!scope="row"| Asian
| 12
| 0.38%
|-
!scope="row"| Other/Mixed
| 77
| 2.47%
|-
!scope="row"| Hispanic or Latino
| 41
| 1.31%
|}
2000 census
As of the census
Transportation
Blountville is the site of the Tri-Cities Regional Airport, located in Blountville primarily because of its central location between Johnson City, Kingsport, Bristol, TN/VA. NASCAR champion Alan Kulwicki died in an airplane crash near Blountville.
Recreation
Blountville's historic district includes two 18th-century buildings— the Old Deery Inn and the Anderson Townhouse— and several notable 19th-century structures. Appalachian Caverns and Boone Lake are located just south of Blountville.
Notable people
- Lannie Haynes Martin (1874–1938), poet and editor
- Ron Ramsey, 49th Lieutenant Governor of Tennessee.
- Samuel Audley Rhea, 19th century priest and writer