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Welcome
Welcome to Greene County, Tennessee, a progressive, diversified community nestled in the Appalachian foothills of East Tennessee that abounds with natural scenic beauty, warm friendly people, fascinating history, and an unlimited variety of outdoor activities.
Greene County is a community that takes great pride in our natural beauty, resiliency, and heritage. Greene County’s long-standing value of being respectful of the past with a vision for the future has allowed us to retain historic charm, while providing a great educational system and desired living destination.
This fact has been recognized in several publications, including: • Hotels.com featured Greeneville as 7th on their list of “11 Most Picturesque Towns in Tennessee” • The Crazy Tourist ranked Greeneville 8th on their list of “15 Best Small Towns to Visit in Tennessee” • Attractions of America listed Greeneville as 10th on their list of “10 Most Beautiful Small Towns in Tennessee” • In 2021, Greeneville made Southern Tripper’s list of “15 Cutest Towns in Tennessee” • In 2021, Virginia Travel Tips listed Greeneville on their list of “20 Charming Small Cities and Towns in Tennessee” • Greeneville was ranked one of the best commuting cities in the state in Obrella’s “15 Best Commuter Cities in Tennessee,” 2016 • Convention South magazine named Greeneville one of the “Cool Spots for Summer Meetings,” 2015 • NerdWallet, a financial products company, placed Greeneville sixth in the “Top 10 Places in Tennessee to Start a Business“ in 2015 • “In Search of Eden: America’s Best Small Cities” list, in which Greeneville was ranked 19th, the highest rating of any Tennessee town, 2013 • In 2012 Greeneville was listed among the 213 “Playful City USA” communities by non-profit organization KaBOOM! for their efforts to increase play opportunities for children
Established in 1783, Greeneville is the second oldest town in the state and has a rich history that draws thousands of tourists each year. Visitors may revel in viewing the actual homes and personal items of Andrew Johnson, a Greeneville tailor who rose up through the political ranks to become the 17th President of the United States, or tour David Crockett Birthplace State Park for insight into the wilderness trailblazer who later served as a congressman for the state of Tennessee.
The county is populated by 70,152 residents, 15,479 of those residing within the city limits of Greeneville.
With four distinct seasons, the average high temperature is 69 degrees Fahrenheit and the average low temperature is 44 degrees Fahrenheit. The county’s main industries are manufacturing, healthcare and social assistance, and retail trade.
Annual events in the community include the Antique Appraisal Fair & Show, the Tiny Day/Red Edmonds Memorial Softball Tournament for high school girls and Hoppin’ Around Town shopping event in April, the Iris Festival in May, the Greene County Fair in July, the GCP Golf Shoot-Out in September, Halloween Happenings in
A Tudor-style house from the 1920s creates a beautiful reflection in The Big Spring. The Big Spring has long been a stopping place for weary travelers. It was so important that the Scotch-Irish pioneers of this area made it the reason for the founding of Greeneville in 1783.
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October, the Greeneville Woman’s Club Holiday Bazaar and Shop Small Greene in November, the Greeneville Christmas Parade and the Andrew Johnson Bank Ladies’ Classic Basketball Tournament in December.
The 2021 National Junior College Athletic Association’s Division III World Series was held at Pioneer Park at Tusculum University in May and June. Eight teams from across the nation participated bringing players, coaching staff, their families, fans, and scouts for five days, resulting in a multi-million-dollar economic impact.
Tourism, in cooperation with eight downtown historical churches, has created a Faith-Based Tourism promotion called “Southern Sanctuaries.” With the travel industry becoming more specialized, Tourism implemented this project to advertise to the more than 330 million tourists worldwide that seek a faith-based tourism destination. The Tourism Advisory Task Force offers a hospitality training program for local restaurants and hotels equipping those partners with valuable information for transfer to patrons visiting the area.
Several promotional brochures are available at the Partnership, including the Visitor Guide, locator map, the “Top 40 Daytrips,” and the “Sunnyside Trail” which highlights Highway 321 and the unique businesses and establishments along that route.
Recreational opportunities in the community are numerous, including golf, hiking, fishing, camping, boating, white water rafting and programs through the local Parks and Recreation Department, the Boys & Girls Club of Greeneville and the YMCA. Indoor pursuits include movies, theatre performances, bowling, shopping and more.
A key element in the success of the community’s growth and development is the fact that both city and county governments join forces with the Greene County Partnership to procure new industries and businesses.
Approximately 80 manufacturers are located in Greene County, many of which sit side-by-side to farming operations. More than 221,623 acres farmed by Greene County families annually provide approximately $61,523,000 in income and more than $431 million in economic benefit to the local economy. Greene County is ranked number one in the state in its number of beef and dairy cattle and in all hay (69,210 acres harvested), and 77,941 pounds of burley tobacco produced. There are 2,098 farms in Greene County with 97,207 acres of cropland, and $42,600,000 in animal sales.
With its central location in the eastern United States, the county is within a day’s drive of more than 75% of the country’s population. Greene County is accessible by Interstate 81, within 50 miles of I-40, I-75 and I-26, and is served by U.S. Highways 11E and 321 and TN 34, 70, 93 and 107.
The Greeneville Municipal Airport (GCY) has the 2nd longest non-commercial runway in the state of Tennessee at 6,302 feet with fueling and maintenance facilities. Commerial aviation needs are serviced by TriCities Regional Airport (TRI) in Blountville and McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) in Knoxville. Both are within about an hour’s drive.
Within Greene County are the four municipalities of Greeneville, Baileyton, Mosheim and Tusculum, each operating with its own governmental body.
Greeneville, the county seat, is governed by an elected board of mayor and four aldermen, who serve on a part-time basis, usually meeting twice a month. The members also serve on various municipal boards and commissions. The mayor is the chief executive officer of the town, and the various departments within the town are overseen by a town administrator.
