People moving to Kingsport, Tennessee, may not be aware of the interesting history that makes this mid-sized community of around 44,000 pretty special. One of the most interesting facts about Kingsport is that it has not always been a part of Tennessee. In fact, over the years, it has been a part of four Virginia counties, and one North Carolina county. These days, however, this city in the ‘Mountain Empire' is best known as a great place to live and work, and as an all-American city.

Economy:
One of the biggest employers in Kingsport is Eastman Chemicals, a major chemical, plastic and fibers manufacturer. There is a significant healthcare industry in Kingsport, as well as retail and tourism based businesses. Kingsport does have something of a reputation as being a good place to retire to, but there are new business initiatives, that should see more people moving to Kingsport to open businesses, or to work for one of the many new companies springing up.

Tourism:
One of Kingsport's main attractions is the Netherland Inn – the only historic inn in the country that was both a stage inn and a boatyard. The area also has plenty of other historically significant attractions, such as the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site, which is the homestead where the 17th president of the United States spent the years between 1851 and his death in 1875. For outdoor enthusiasts, there is also the Bays Mountain Park, which features, among other attractions, a wolf sanctuary, and the Appalachian Trail, which winds through the area. Whether it is culture, history, art, or outdoor activities, if you are moving to Kingsport Tennessee, you will find it in or near the city.

History:
The city of Kingsport got its name from the dock that was used on the Holston River, by early travellers through the area. One of the most famous historical figures who are linked to Kingsport is Daniel Boone, who started his famous Wilderness Road from the Long Island in the middle of the Holston River in 1775. In 1882, the Holston River was charted, and in 1864, during the Battle of Kingsport, a small force of 300 Confederate soldiers held the town against a far superior force of Union Soldiers for two days. The city lost its charter for a while, and it was only reinstated in 1912. Kingsport was also known as a ‘model city' and was one of the first in the US to be planned before being laid out.

• Every year, the Holston Medical Center sponsors a hot air balloon show as a part of the Fun Fest celebration.
• In 1916, a circus elephant named Mary was sentenced to death by hanging in Kingsport, for killing her handler. Around two and a half thousand people turned up to watch the hanging, which took place from a crane.
• Kingsport has had several different names through the years. The original Native American people called it Crane Island or Big Island, in the 1700s, it became Fort Robinson and Fort Patrick Henry, and then it was Christiansville and Rossville, before it finally became Kingsport in the 1800s.
• The current name of the city, Kingsport, is derived from King's Port. The city was not named for a king, however, but for a miller named Col. James King, who originally used the Holston River to transport goods.
• Col. King also served in the civil war, and was responsible for bringing the first iron forge to Tennessee.

• Northeast State Technical Community College
• East Tennessee State University
• University of Tennessee