Oliver Springs, Tennessee
| Oliver Springs, Tennessee | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
Oliver Springs Depot, now the Oliver Springs Library
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 Location in Anderson County and the state of Tennessee. |
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| Coordinates: 36°2′17″N 84°20′13″W / 36.03806°N 84.33694°WCoordinates: 36°2′17″N 84°20′13″W / 36.03806°N 84.33694°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Tennessee |
| Counties | Anderson, Roane, Morgan |
| Founded | 1821 |
| Incorporated | 1903 |
| Named for | Richard Oliver (early postmaster) |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Cecil Crowe |
| • Town Manager | Chris Mason |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5.6 sq mi (14.4 km2) |
| • Land | 5.6 sq mi (14.4 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 797 ft (243 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 3,231 |
| • Density | 580/sq mi (220/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 37840 |
| Area code(s) | 865 |
| FIPS code | 47-55800 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1296424 |
| Website | oliverspringscity |
Oliver Springs is a town in Anderson, Morgan, and Roane counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee. Its population was 3,231 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Harriman, Tennessee Micropolitan Statistical Area, which consists of Roane County. Oliver Springs is also the hometown of American Idol contestant Janelle Arthur and 2010 Tony Award winner Levi Kreis.
Oliver Springs was founded in 1821 as Winter's Gap. It was named for its first permanent settler of European descent, Major Moses Winters, who had settled in the area before 1799.
Before that time, the area around Oliver Springs had been used by Native Americans as a hunting ground and campsite. Natural mineral springs and abundant wildlife on Windrock Mountain encouraged Native Americans to stay. The springs, whose reputation for miraculous medicinal properties lasted until the 20th century, were called Tah-hah-lehaha, which meant "healing waters" in the Cherokee language.
The land remained unexplored by European settlers until 1761. At this time, a long hunting expedition led by Elisha Walden explored much of the Clinch and Powell River valleys. However, settlement in the area did not begin in earnest until the 1790s, and growth remained slow.
In 1826, Richard Oliver became the town's first postmaster. The town was renamed Oliver's Springs in his honor. The town's name was briefly changed to Poplar Springs, and then to Oliver Springs. Oliver provided mail service from his 35-room mansion, which also served as an inn. He was the first to develop the commercial potential of the mineral springs. He would transport his guests between the springs and the inn. During the Civil War, the inn was used as a hospital by both sides.
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