Etowah is a city in McMinn County in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The population was 3,613 at the 2020 census.

History

Etowah was founded in 1906, primarily as a location for a depot on the Louisville & Nashville Railroad (L&N) line as part of a more direct route between Atlanta and Cincinnati. The etymology of the town name is unclear, but local folklore states that a train crew brought a sign reading "Etowah" from the Etowah River, and the name stuck. The word Etowah comes from the Muskogee/Creek word ' meaning "town."

In 1902, the Louisville and Nashville Railroad announced its plan to build a more direct line from Atlanta to Cincinnati in order to avoid the rugged mountains of North Georgia and East Tennessee bypassing the Great Hiwassee Loop. A point midway between these cities was needed to service cars and change crews, and at the end of 1904, land had been purchased in McMinn County to serve as this site and the city of Etowah was planned. The L & N purchased for the main terminus (depot), maintenance and repair facilities (shops), railroad yards and proposed township to support the railroad workforce. This land was purchased at $10 to $20 per acre and the L&N set about building a major rail center and the town of Etowah.

Out of what was referred to then as a wet swampland, a boomtown sprung up in 1906 with the L & N Depot serving as the hub of the new town's business and social activities. Since then, the City of Etowah has ridden the waves of economic downturns and successes, such as the closing of the L & N shops in the 1930s and the recruitment of new industries, to evolve into the city that it is today. Etowah has seen positive growth in industry and retail over the past decade.

In 1974, Etowah residents Doug, Carol and Michael Tullock started the Bargain Barn grocery store, which has since grown into a chain that includes 39 stores in 5 states.

On April 3, 1974, an F3 tornado struck southern Etowah, destroying 23 homes and killing 3 people. The tornado was one of many in the 1974 Super Outbreak.

Geography

Etowah is located at (35.329579, −84.528196).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.8&nbsp;square miles (7.2&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), all of it land.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Etowah had a population of 3,603 and 882 families residing in the city. The median age was 42.0 years, 23.5% of residents were under the age of 18, and 21.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 89.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 83.9 males age 18 and over.

One hundred percent of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 1,438 households in Etowah, of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 38.9% were married-couple households, 17.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 35.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

! Race !! Number !! Percent

|-

| White || 3,158 || 87.6%

|-

| Black or African American || 102 || 2.8%

|-

| American Indian and Alaska Native || 11 || 0.3%

|-

| Asian || 21 || 0.6%

|-

| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 0 || 0.0%

|-

| Some other race || 98 || 2.7%

|-

| Two or more races || 213 || 5.9%

|-

| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 183 || 5.1%

|}

2000 census

As of the census McMinn County Schools operates the K–8 Mountain View Elementary School, which has an Etowah postal address but is outside of the city limits, and does not serve the city limits.

Attractions

[[File:EtowahDepot.jpg|thumb|alt=[Etowah Depot]|L&N Depot museum in Etowah ]]

The Historic L&N Depot museum in Downtown Etowah is considered by many to be the main attraction in this small town. The historically African-American "Parkstown" neighborhood on the south side of Etowah has also seen renewed interest from tourists in recent years. An obvious presence in Etowah is the Gem Theater. Located in a building originally built in 1927 and purchased by the city of Etowah in 1993 and now is the location of local plays, concerts, movies and other events.

Industry

The newest plant (Plant number 6) of the Waupaca Foundry, Inc. is located in Etowah. The plant makes quality grey and ductile steel components that are used in the automotive and farming markets. The foundry makes parts (such as control arms, differential covers and cases, and brake calipers) for the new Ford F-series heavy duty trucks, Dodge Caravan, Hummer H2, GMC Envoy, Chrysler 300C/Dodge Charger, and the Toyota Camry. Etowah also claims two other plants, Johns Manville and Huber, even though neither are actually located in the city limits.

Notable people

  • Paul Cantrell, politician and state senator.
  • Al Clayton, photographer.
  • Leon Daniel, journalist.
  • Steel Arm Dickey, Negro leagues pitcher.
  • Tom Saffell, former major league outfielder.
  • Thomas W. Steed, United States military officer during World War II.
  • Chris Whittle, American media and education executive.

References

  • Official website
  • City charter