Calhoun
Calhoun is the oldest town in McMinn County
and one of the oldest in East Tennessee. Calhoun was the county seat until 1823.
Founded on the banks of the Hiwassee River
on the county's southern border, the town was carved out of land owned by the
Cherokee Indians.
Twelve Cherokee chiefs met with John C.
Calhoun, then the U.S. Secretary of War, to sign the treaty turning the land
over to the federal government in 1819. The town was named in Calhoun's honor.
Gov. Joseph McMinn, for whom McMinn County
was named, operated a tavern in Calhoun after leaving the governor's office
and also served as Indian Agent for the area. He was one of the town's first
settlers. McMinn is buried in the old Presbyterian Cemetery located next to
Hiwassee Meadowlands Park.
McMinn County was organized in Calhoun in the
home of John Walker. Later, Pumpkintown, which was to become Athens, was
designated the county seat.
Calhoun has an estimated population of 500
people, many of whom moved to the area in 1954 when Bowater established its
paper mill there. Bowater is the largest employer in McMinn County.
Government
Calhoun has been an incorporated city since
1961. Currently, the town is governed by a City Commission made up of Mayor
George Harbison and Commissioners Bryan Keeton, John Walker, Joe Watson
and Don Swafford. City Commission meetings are held the first Monday of
each month at 6 p.m. at the Calhoun Municipal Building.
Joe Bryan is the city manager and Linda Dale
is the city recorder. The city also has fire and police departments. The fire
chief is Gary Knight and the police chief is Julie Tanksley. The city hall
telephone number is 336-2348.
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