Erwin, Tennessee
| Erwin, Tennessee | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
View along Main Street in Erwin
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| Nickname(s): The Valley Beautiful | |
 Location of Erwin, Tennessee |
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| Coordinates: 36°8′42″N 82°24′39″W / 36.14500°N 82.41083°WCoordinates: 36°8′42″N 82°24′39″W / 36.14500°N 82.41083°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Tennessee |
| County | Unicoi |
| Settled | 1780s |
| Founded | 1876 |
| Incorporated | 1903 |
| Named for | David J.N. Ervin, early resident |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipal Corporation |
| • Mayor | Doris Hensley |
| • Aldermen | Lester Bailey Jr., Gary Chandler, Gary Edwards, Robie Sullins Jr., Sue Jean Wilson |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.6 sq mi (9.2 km2) |
| • Land | 3.5 sq mi (9.2 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,673 ft (510 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 6,097 |
| • Density | 1,582.8/sq mi (611.1/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 37650 |
| Area code(s) | 423 |
| FIPS code | 47-24360 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1328148 |
| Website | erwintn.org |
Erwin is a town in and the county seat of Unicoi County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 6,097 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Johnson City Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a component of the Johnson City–Kingsport–Bristol, TN-VA Combined Statistical Area – commonly known as the "Tri-Cities" region.
The town of Erwin received its name by a mail mishap. On December 5, 1879, the name of the town was Ervin, in honor of D.J.N. Ervin, who had donated 15 acres (61,000 m2) of land for the county seat. A typo made by post office officials caused the name to be recorded as Erwin. The mistake was never corrected.
Erwin earned some notoriety in 1916 when the only known public execution of an elephant in Tennessee occurred in the community. Mary, the elephant, had killed her handler, Wallter Eldridge, in nearby Kingsport. As home to the region's largest railway yard, Erwin was the only community with the means to carry out the death sentence. Surrounding communities decided that Erwin was the best place to carry out the execution and Erwin obliged, even though the town itself was against it. An estimated 2,500 people turned out at the local railway yard to see Mary hoisted by a crane to meet her demise. The town has recently implemented a yearly festival to help raise funds that go exclusively to the Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, TN.
Between 1916 and 1957, the Southern Potteries plant operated in Erwin along Ohio Avenue. The plant produced a hand-painted dishware known as Blue Ridge that became popular nationwide in late 1930s and 1940s. Blue Ridge pieces are still popular items with collectors of antique dishware.
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