Sullivan

Formed January 1, 1779 (2^nd county)

Sullivan County (158,161), Blountville* (3,120), Kingsport (55,441)

The 1920 red brick Colonial Revival structure had been added to in 1956 and 1958.  It is on Bristol Highway west of Church Street.  Tennessee State Highway 126 is Bristol Highway.  T. S. Brown designed the courthouse.  The structure features columns and a tower with veterans’ memorials on the grounds.  A Justice Center was added in 1989 in Blountville.  An augmenting Justice Center was included in 1963 in Bristol and one in 1988 in Kingsport.  There have been 1795, 1825, 1853, and 1866 courthouses in Blountville, the only county seat.  The county was founded on January 1, 1779 from Washington County as the 2^nd county.  It is named for American Revolutionary War hero John Sullivan.  There was also an 1866 version.  Blountville is named for Governor William Blount.  He is also the namesake of Blount County.  Sullivan County was the birthplace of 1 Tennessee Governor, John I. Cox. 

Sullivan County government consists of a sheriff, a County Mayor, and 24 Commissioners.  Three Circuit Court Judges, One Chancery Court Judge, Three General Court Judges, and Four Juvenile Court Judges serve Sullivan County.  The county is on the northeast border with Virginia.  Knoxville, Tennessee is southwest and Asheville, North Carolina is southeast of the county.  The county center is 4.2 miles South-Southwest of Blountville.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Virginia and Johnson, Carter, Washington, and Hawkins counties. 

The area of the county is 413 square miles.  It is 56 out of 95 in the state.  It ranks 9 out of 95 in population in the state.  It has a density of 383.0 persons per square mile making it 10 out of 95 in the state.  Sullivan County has 52.2% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 26 originates and goes southeast into Washington County.  Interstate Highway 81 comes from Virginia, north, and goes to Washington County, south.  United States Highway 11 East enters from the north, Virginia, and exits to the southeast, Washington County.  United States Highway 11 West travels from Virginia to Hawkins County, west.  United States Highway 19 is joined with United States Highway 11 East from Virginia and splits into United States Highways 19 East and 19 West.  United States Highway 19 East originates and goes southeast into Carter County.  United States Highway 19 West originates and continues with United States Highway 11 East into Washington County.  United States Highway 23 comes in from the north, Virginia, and joins Interstate Highway 26 into Washington County.  The county looks like a fat capital letter W.  Blountville is located slightly east of center in the county.  Kingsport is in the northwest corner of the county and extends into Hawkins County.  Blountville is the county seat although it is unincorporated.  Kingsport is the largest city.  Blountville is 2.0% of the county population while Kingsport is 35.1% of the county population.  This county is in the Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol Metropolitan Statistical Area.