Blount County was established in 1795 when the territorial Legislature separated a part of Knox County. The new county was named in honor of William Blount, Governor of the Territory of the United States "South of the River Ohio." The County seat was authorized to be laid out in 1795 and was named Maryville in honor of Mary Blount, the wife of Governor William Blount.

The first settlers came primarily from Virginia in 1785 and were mainly Scot-Irish Presbyteries. Due to the topography of the area and a limitation on the number of acres allowed in early land grants, Blount County did not have any large plantations. Fertile land rich in various minerals, adequate water supply, and plentiful timber made the area very appealing to settlers.

Blount County's first lumber mill was recorded in 1788. Lumber was the first principal industry of the county, only to be replaced by aluminum when Alcoa established its Tennessee operation in 1912. There are now over 70 manufacturing plants in the county.

Nestled in the Foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains is one of the oldest counties in Tennessee. Blount County covers 584 square miles in the extreme eastern portion of Tennessee, including miles of beautifully wooded rolling hills, sky-blue lakes and scenic mountains.

Blount County is one of the fastest growing counties in Tennessee, increasing its population by 22 percent from 1970 to 1980, with an additional increase of 10.5 percent from 1980 to 1990. With a total county population of more than 100,000 people. Maryville consists of 19,935 residents and 6,580 reside in Alcoa.

Companies used to come to Blount County because of the low taxes and inexpensive labor and land. Today, companies still enjoy the financial benefits, choosing Blount County because of quality of life, labor, community and because of quality of life in a county that encompasses one third of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park yet lies only 15 minutes from metropolitan Knoxville.

The people in Blount County live better and not only because of the scenery. The cost of living is 24 percent less than in America's top five cities and four percent below the national average. Dollars are stretched to cover things that might only be a dream in other cities.

The weather in Blount County typically provides a mild variation of all four seasons. Average temperatures range from 48.7 degrees in the winter to 87 degrees in the summer. Blount County receives an annual total of 47.29 inches of rainfall. The area's average cumulative snowfall is 12.2 inches, usually coming in amounts of less than four inches at a time.

Blount County is a fantastic place to live if you enjoy the outdoors. The southeastern corner of the county is included in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a mountain wilderness with more flora and fauna species than any national park in the country. There are rocky balds to climb and trout streams to wade. For boaters there are Calderwood, Chilhowee and Tellico Lakes to the south, Ft. Loudon Lake to the north, the floatable Little River in between. There are 6 golf course, including a Country Club, swimming pools, riding stable and even hang gliding.

There is a ballet company, summer playhouse, plus arts and crafts and square dance clubs. Blount County offers 32 civic clubs and six professional societies. Shop in a beautiful regional mall or a variety of retail businesses throughout Maryville and Alcoa. There is a liberal arts college and public education that ranks in the top third of the State by expenditure per student. The University of Tennessee is only 10 miles away.

The Future..
Blount County continues to grow with new residents and industry locating here. Blount County is on the cutting edge of city government, developing and implementing programs to provide a modern, safe and beautiful place to live.

Maryville and Alcoa... founded in 1790, Maryville is the county seat of Blount County and covers an area of 11.46 square miles. Formerly known as Maryville, Alcoa was incorporated in 1919 and was named for the founder of the city, Aluminum Company of America. The City of Alcoa covers an area of 8.68 square miles. The twin cities of Maryville and Alcoa provide a scenic gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, surrounded on all sides by lakes, rivers, and streams.