Editing Tazewell, Tennessee (section)

==History==

In 1750, Dr. [[Thomas Walker (explorer)|Thomas Walker]] of Virginia publicized the location of [[Cumberland Gap]], which brought a stream of [[longhunter|long hunters]] down the Clinch and Powell valleys into what is now Claiborne County.<ref>John Kivett, "[http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entry.php?rec=267 Claiborne County]."  ''The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture'', 2002.  Retrieved: February 19, 2008.</ref>  The land at the time was part of [[Cherokee]] and [[Shawnee (people)|Shawnee]] hunting grounds,<ref>Edgar Holt, ''Claiborne County'' (Memphis, Tenn.: Memphis State University Press, 1981), 4-6.</ref> and hostile attacks by members of these two tribes were not uncommon. To protect themselves, hunters, fur traders and early settlers erected a series of small forts and stations along the Powell and Clinch valleys. One such station, known as Fort Butler, was located just west of modern Tazewell.<ref>"[http://www.joepayne.org/goodspeed.html Goodspeed's History of Claiborne County]," 1887.  Transcribed for web content by Joe Payne, 2001.  Retrieved: February 19, 2008.</ref>

[[File:Graham-Kivett-House-tn1.jpg|left|thumb|210px|The Graham-Kivett House, built c. 1810]]

Among the earliest settlers in the Tazewell area was John Hunt (1750–1822), a militia captain who would later be instrumental in the founding of [[Huntsville, Alabama|Huntsville]], [[Alabama]]. In 1804, three years after the creation of Claiborne County, Tazewell was chosen as the county seat due in part to Hunt's influence (although a local legend states that the residents of Tazewell's rival for the seat, Springdale, were too intoxicated to vote on the day of selection). Hunt was named the county's first sheriff, and the government met at his house until a courthouse was constructed.<ref>Holt, ''Claiborne County'', 10-12.</ref> The original courthouse was a wooden structure which had hitching posts for horses in front.

In 1862, at the height of the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], [[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] troops occupied Tazewell as part of the greater struggle for the strategic [[Cumberland Gap]]. When the Confederates evacuated the town in November of that year, a fire followed, destroying much of Tazewell.<ref>[http://www.state.tn.us/environment/hist/pdf/claibornecojail.pdf National Register of Historic Places Registration Form for the Claiborne County Jail], Sec. 8: 5.  September 20, 2006.  Retrieved: February 19, 2008.</ref> The town retains a number of historical structures, mostly from the Victorian era, including a [[Claiborne County Jail|historic jail]], built in 1819.

In 1890, plans developed for a railroad through the town, connecting nearby [[Cumberland Gap, Tennessee|Cumberland Gap]] to [[Knoxville, Tennessee|Knoxville]]<ref name="namesake"/> Residents protested the construction of a [[train depot]], which led to the re-routing of the railroad and establishment of a depot several miles west, still bearing the name of the town.<ref name="namesake"/> The area around the depot saw the birth of a new town, with businesses and homes propping in its vicinity.<ref name="namesake"/> This town would later [[Municipal corporation|incorporate]] into what is now the city of [[New Tazewell, Tennessee|New Tazewell]].<ref name="namesake"/>

In the early years of its incorporation, a rivalry began between the two communities, often over development projects choosing to start up in the area.<ref name="namesake"/> In the 2000s, the rivalry subsided, and efforts to [[Merger (politics)|merge]] the two communities into one municipality were proposed, but were rejected.<ref name="namesake"/>