Chickamauga Lake is a reservoir in the United States along the Tennessee River created when the Chickamauga Dam , as part of the Tennessee Valley Authority , was completed in 1940. The lake stretches from Watts Bar Dam at mile 529.9 (853 km) to Chickamauga Dam at mile 471.0 (758 km) making the lake 58.9 miles (94.8 km) long. It borders Rhea County , Meigs County , and Hamilton County with 810 miles (1,303 km) of shoreline and two bridges crossing it at State Highway 60 and Highway 30 . The lake is commonly used for recreational and outdoor activities, especially at the southern end, due to the high population density surrounding it. It was named after the Chickamauga Cherokee who used to live in the area.
31-456: The Hiwassee River empties into Chickamauga Lake at Hiwassee Island , just north of the Highway 60 bridge at mile 500 (804.5 km). Chickamauga Lake is immediately downstream from Watts Bar Lake and immediately upstream from Nickajack Lake . Full pool for Chickamauga Lake is 682 feet (208 m) above sea level; the current lake level can be checked here . The normal operating zone
62-463: A male householder with no wife present, 11.38% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.87% were non families. 26.02% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.65% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.94. The population was distributed with 22.57% under the age of 18, 60.57% ages 18 to 64, and 16.86% age 65 years and older. The median age
93-579: A total of 31% of elementary school students tested at or above the proficient level for reading, and 40% tested did so for math. Also, 31% of middle school students tested at or above the proficient level for reading, and 40% did so for math. Furthermore 34% of high school students tested at or above the proficient level for reading, and 22% did so for math. Athens City Schools and the Etowah School District , respectively, serve their areas for grades K-8, with McMinn County Schools operating
124-557: Is a popular venue for fishing and a variety of gamefish can be caught there including largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and catfish. As a result, the venue hosts popular fishing tournaments. This article related to a protected area in Tennessee is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Hiwassee River The Hiwassee River originates from a spring on the north slope of Rocky Mountain in Towns County in
155-434: Is between 675 ft (206 m) and 677 ft (206 m) through the end of March, rising steadily to a summer range of 681.5 to 682.5 ft (207.7 to 208.0 m) by the middle of May. Then, full pool is maintained through the end of August, at which time the level drops steadily back down to 676 ft (206 m) by the end of November. Actual lake levels vary due to weather conditions and power needs. The lake
186-485: Is diverted from the stream bed at Apalachia Dam and sent through a pipeline, which is tunneled through the mountains for eight miles (13 km); then it flows through the Apalachia Powerhouse to generate electricity. The stretch of the river that flows between Apalachia Dam and Apalachia Powerhouse features reduced flow. The John Muir Trail in Tennessee's Cherokee National Forest goes along this part of
217-665: Is located in East Tennessee . As of the 2020 census , the population was 53,794. The county has a total area of 432 square miles (1,120 km ). Most of the county is within the Ridge and Valley area of the Appalachian Mountains . Its county seat is Athens . McMinn County, along with Meigs County comprises the Athens, TN Micropolitan Statistical Area . McMinn County was created in 1819 from Indian lands and
248-555: Is popular for whitewater rafting , whitewater canoeing , and whitewater kayaking . Recreational fishing is popular with several outfitters located near the river, and there is also industrial activity along the river, such as paper mills. The Interstate 75 bridge crossed the Hiwassee between McMinn and Bradley counties in Tennessee. This was the site of a fatal 99-vehicle accident in December 1990, during extremely foggy weather in
279-550: The Appalachian Mountains , which is characterized by a series of parallel ridges separated by valleys oriented in a northeast-to-southwest direction. The Hiwassee River forms the county's border with Bradley County to the southwest. Starr Mountain , a large ridge in the southeastern part of the county on the edge of the Unicoi Mountains , part of the Blue Ridge Appalachian province, forms part of
310-467: The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed, Tennessee began to integrate schools. McMinn County Schools operates public schools serving most of the county for grades K-12. Included are McMinn County High School and McMinn Central High School . In 2020, the district had 5,493 students. It had two high schools, seven middle schools, seven elementary schools, and seven preschools. As of 2022,
341-619: The Tennessee River. This area of the river is enjoyed by boaters, fishermen, and water skiers. Major tributaries include Valley River, Nottely River , Coker Creek, Big Lost Creek, Spring Creek, Conasauga Creek , and Toccoa/Ocoee River . The Hiwassee River has been known by many variant spellings, particularly Hiawassee, which is also the name of the Georgia town through which the river flows. Other alternate spellings include Heia Wassea, Highwassee, Euphasee, and Quannessee. Some say
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#1732791133365372-716: The Union Army and eight for the Confederate Army during the course of the war. On August 18, 1920, State Rep. Harry T. Burn of Niota cast the deciding vote in the Tennessee General Assembly to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment . Burn credited a letter from his mother, Febb Ensminger Burn, for his decision to vote in favor of the amendment. McMinn County voters, although divided on the women's suffrage issue, reelected Burn to
403-526: The age of 65. At the 2000 census , there were 49,015 people, 19,721 households and 14,317 families living in the county. The population density was 114 people per square mile (44 people/km ). There were 21,626 housing units at an average density of 50 units per square mile (19/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 92.72% White , 4.48% Black or African American , 0.27% Native American , 0.70% Asian , 0.02% Pacific Islander , 0.75% from other races , and 1.06% from two or more races. 1.80% of
434-425: The area of a paper mill in the valley. During the years since then, a huge system of warning signs and lights has been built on that stretch of Interstate 75 to warn automobiles and trucks against incidents of foul weather, characterized by heavy rains and clouds. Many serious collisions had occurred in this area. McMinn County, Tennessee McMinn County is a county in the U.S. state of Tennessee . It
465-493: The county officials turned over the ballot boxes, and the votes were counted in a public setting, proving the bipartisan reform ticket won the election. On December 11, 1990, a crash involving 99 vehicles occurred along Interstate 75 near Calhoun in heavy fog , killing 12 and injuring 42. The accident, which occurred in an area prone to fog, was reportedly the largest motor vehicle crash in United States history at
496-405: The county's border with Polk County to the south and Monroe County to the north and east. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 53,794 people, 20,804 households, and 13,685 families residing in the county. As of the census of 2010 , there were 52,266 people, 20,865 households, and 14,632 families living in the county. The population density was 121.55 persons per square mile and
527-436: The housing unit density was 48.52 units per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 91.96% White , 3.95% Black , 0.34% Native American , 0.74% Asian , 0.02% Pacific Islander , and 1.79% from two or more races . Those of Hispanic of Latino origins made up 2.84% of the population. Of all of the households, 26.93% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 53.88% were married couples living together, 4.86% had
558-528: The late 1830s, but was halted due to financial difficulties. Work was resumed by the East Tennessee and Georgia Railroad (ET&G) in 1849, and by the mid-1850s rail lines connected Chattanooga, Knoxville, and the Tri-Cities. The ET&G was headquartered in Athens before moving to Knoxville in 1855. A train depot from this early railroad period still stands in Niota. A number of communities sprang up along
589-469: The mountains through a gorge, the Hiwassee broadens, meandering through rural Polk and Bradley counties in Tennessee. It is crossed by a bridge carrying US-411 soon after it exits the mountains. U.S. Route 11 passes over the river at Calhoun and Charleston, Tennessee , where local industries such as Bowater Newsprint Mill and Arch/Olin Chemical use river water in their operations. At this point
620-597: The name came from the Cherokee word Ayuhwasi , meaning meadow or savanna. The Hiwassee River passes through Murphy, North Carolina , where it flows past a site famous in Cherokee Indian mythology . The legend tells of a house-sized leech that could command the waters and use them to sweep hapless people to the bottom of the river and consume them. It was known as Tlanusi-yi , "The Leech Place." The river flows west from North Carolina into Tennessee. This area
651-828: The northern area of the State of Georgia . It flows northward into North Carolina before turning westward into Tennessee , flowing into the Tennessee River a few miles west of what is now State Route 58 in Meigs County, Tennessee . The river is about 147 miles (237 km) long. The river is dammed by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in four locations, all in Western North Carolina : Chatuge Dam , Mission Dam (not owned by TVA), Hiwassee Dam , and Apalachia Dam . Water
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#1732791133365682-439: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 19,721 households, of which 31.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.70% were married couples living together, 10.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.40% were non-families. 24.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size
713-562: The railroads in subsequent years, most notably Etowah , where the L&;N built a large depot in the early 1900s, and Englewood , which developed into a textile manufacturing center in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Like many East Tennessee counties, McMinn was polarized by the Civil War and the issue of secession. On June 8, 1861, the county voted against secession by a margin of 1,144 to 904. The county provided 12 regiments for
744-536: The river interfaces with the impoundment of Chickamauga Dam (located in Chattanooga, Tennessee ). Many marshes and wetlands surround the main channel, providing rich habitats for wildlife and areas for hunting and fishing. Interstate 75 passes over the river on the border of McMinn and Bradley counties. The Hiwassee continues westward; it is crossed by SR 58 's bridge (this bridge replaced an old historic and narrow bridge) on its way to its confluence with
775-614: The river. The 23-mile (37 km) stretch of river that flows from the North Carolina/Tennessee state line to U.S. Highway 411 near Delano is designated as a Tennessee State Scenic River (Class III Partially Developed River). For recreational purposes, it is managed by the Tennessee Resource Management Division, in cooperation with TVA. The river features Class I through Class III rapids, depending on water levels. After exiting
806-554: The state legislature three months later. In August 1946, an uprising known as the Battle of Athens erupted when the McMinn County sheriff and several other county officials (who had ties to Memphis political boss E.H. Crump ) tried to steal the election. A group of World War II veterans launched an armed assault on the jail in Athens, where the county officials had retreated with the ballot boxes. After an exchange of gunfire,
837-426: The time, in terms of the number of vehicles involved, and was blamed by some on the nearby Bowater (now Resolute Forest Products ) paper mill . According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 432 square miles (1,120 km ), of which 430 square miles (1,100 km ) is land and 2.1 square miles (5.4 km ) (0.5%) is water. Most of the county is within the Ridge and Valley province of
868-479: Was $ 38,992. Males had a median income of $ 31,051 versus $ 20,524 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 16,725. About 10.90% of families and 14.50% of the population were below the poverty line , including 18.20% of those under age 18 and 16.80% of those age 65 or over. The 1870 Tennessee constitution prevented black and white children from attending the same public schools. In 1875, McMinn County had 56 white schools and 10 "colored" schools. After
899-421: Was 2.45, and the average family size was 2.90. Age distribution was 23.90% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 28.50% from 25 to 44, 24.80% from 45 to 64, and 14.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 93.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.80 males. The median household income was $ 31,919, and the median family income
930-433: Was 40.4 years. 51.43% of the population were females and 48.57% were males. The median household income was $ 37,146 and the median family income was $ 47,726. Males had a median income of $ 38,459 versus $ 31,342 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 19,796. About 13.7% of families and 17.3% of the population were below the poverty line , including 24.0% of those under the age of 18 and 11.9% of those over
961-684: Was named in honor of Joseph McMinn (1758–1824). McMinn was a militia commander during the Revolutionary War , a member of the territorial legislature, speaker of the state senate, and eventually governor of the state of Tennessee. McMinn died on October 17, 1824, and is buried at Shiloh Presbyterian Cemetery in Calhoun . The first railroad in East Tennessee, the Hiwassee Railroad, began construction in McMinn County in