About Tennessee's Second District
Overview
The Second Congressional District is situated in lower East Tennessee and consists of the following six counties: Knox, Blount, Loudon, Monroe, McMinn and a portion of Sevier. The District has an approximate population of 625,000, and most of its citizens reside in the Knoxville metropolitan area. Other cities in the District include Athens, Loudon, Madisonville, and Maryville, home of United States Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN).
Geography
The District follows the north-south axis of the Appalachian Mountains, with a majority of its land falling at the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. Additionally, a number of man-made lakes created and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) can be found in the District including Fort Loudon, Tellico, Cherokee, Norris, and Watts Bar. The Holston and French Broad Rivers join in the upper District to form the Tennessee River, which provides water transportation to much of the region.
Economics
The Second District maintains a diverse economy encompassing manufacturing, tourism, high-tech research, and agricultural production. District residents are truly engaged in nearly every field employment. TVA is headquartered in Knoxville, and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is located in nearby Oak Ridge. Both facilities employ a number of District residents and support the District's economy.
Blount County has long been the home of aluminum processing, and other manufacturers in the District produce a wide range of goods including boats, mobile homes, electronics, and apparel. Most of the agriculture in East Tennessee consists of small farmers; the average farm size is 107 acres. The area's largest cash crop is tobacco, but other cash crops include corn, wheat, and hay. Although most cattle raised in the area are sold to larger producers in the Western United States, local farmers also raise swine and poultry.
Tourism
The economy of the Second District benefits from travel and tourism as a result of Interstates 75 and 40 intersecting in Knoxville. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is also located in East Tennessee. Drawing over nine million visitors annually, it is the most visited National Park in the Country. The Cherokee National Forest can be found in the southern District as well.
The region also has a long tradition of strongly supporting the University of Tennessee athletic teams. Accommodating over 100,600 fans, Neyland Stadium becomes the fifth largest city in the entire State during home football games.
Counties/Cities
- Knox (www.knoxcounty.org)
- Knoxville (www.ci.knoxville.tn.us)
- Powell (www.powelltn.com)
- Blount (www.blounttn.org)
- Maryville (www.maryvillegov.com)
- Alcoa (www.cityofalcoa-tn.gov)
- McMinn (www.mcminncounty.org)
- Athens (www.cityofathenstn.com)
- Loudon (www.loudoncounty-tn.gov)
- Lenoir City (www.lenoircitygov.com)
- Monroe (www.monroegovernment.org)
- Madisonville (www.cityofmadisonville.org)
- Sweetwater (www.sweetwatertn.net)
- Sevier (www.seviercountytn.org)
Colleges & Universities
- University of Tennessee (www.utk.edu)
- Maryville College (www.maryvillecollege.edu)
- Tennessee Wesleyan College (www.twcnet.edu)
- Hiwassee College (www.hiwassee.edu)
- Knoxville College (www.knoxvillecollege.edu)
- Pellissippi State Technical Community College (www.pstcc.edu)
Major Attractions
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park (www.nps.gov/grsm)
- Cherokee National Forest (www.fs.fed.us/r8/cherokee)
- Mayfield Dairy Farms (www.mayfielddairy.com)
- Knoxville Zoo (www.knoxville-zoo.org)
- Lost Sea (www.thelostsea.com)
- Tuckaleechee Caverns (www.tuckaleecheecaverns.com)
Newspapers
- Daily Beacon (UT)
- Daily Post-Athenian
- Daily Times (Maryville)
- Farragut Press
- Halls Shopper
- Knoxville News-Sentinel
- Loudon County News Herald
- Metro Pulse (Knoxville)
- Monroe County Democrat