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64-612: At 480 feet (150 m) high, Fontana is the tallest dam in the Eastern United States ; at the time of its construction, it was the fourth-tallest dam in the world. The dam and associated infrastructure was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2017. The dam impounds the 10,230-acre (4,140 ha) Fontana Lake , which spreads across a scenic stretch of the Little Tennessee along

128-503: A deflection system. The dam's design is largely the work of TVA chief architect Roland Wank . Fontana Dam was completed at a cost of $ 70,420,688.48 (equivalent to $ 969 million in 2024), and the gates closed on November 11, 1944. Two generating units were placed in operation on January 20, 1945, in time to provide crucial energy for aluminum production in the closing months of World War II. Over 40,000 acres (16,000 ha) along Fontana Lake's north shore were eventually transferred to

192-475: A problem for the company, which feared that its workforce would leave to look for jobs elsewhere during times of low production. Thus, during the Great Depression , the company maintained steady production levels in spite of the lack of demand for aluminum. Managers sought to cut workers' hours— which at one point dropped to 30 hours per week— rather than slash jobs. By the end of the decade,

256-463: A series of public relations initiatives, including the donation of land for schools, parks, and airport construction. The company also desegregated its facilities during this period. In the early 1950s, the company began selling off company housing to employees. In 1956, Ross Walker became the first city manager who was not employed by the company, and toward the end of the decade, the company had relinquished ownership of city utilities. The completion of

320-560: A similar attempt four years later was rejected by voters in a referendum. A third annexation attempt in 2002 also failed. The airport is currently managed by the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority. Many of the city's streets, such as Bessemer, Joule, Edison, Darwin, and Watt, are named after famous scientists and inventors. Others, such as Hunt, Glascock, and Calderwood, were named for Alcoa company officials and engineers. Alcoa operates under

384-504: A spike in the demand for aluminum, and the company quickly expanded its North Maryville operations. In 1919, a rolling mill (now West Plant) was completed, and the company purchased the Knoxville Power Company for its Little Tennessee Valley holdings. That same year, the company's town officially incorporated as "Alcoa". C.L. Babcock was the town's first mayor, and Victor Hultquist was the first city manager. Hultquist, who

448-409: A summer resort; some of the original 1940s buildings still are used. The design of the dam was unusual for TVA at the time. It was feared that the 2,818,000 yd³ (2,155,000 m³) of concrete required for the dam would create a structure so massive, that heat released during its setting would be trapped for years, and would eventually cause cracks to form. To aid the release of this heat, engineers divided

512-569: Is 2,365 feet (721 m) long and 480 feet (146 m) high, making it the tallest dam in the Eastern United States. The dam has a flood storage capacity of 513,965 acre-feet (633,966,000 m), and the combined capacity of its three generators is 293.6 megawatts. Fontana Lake has 238 miles (383 km) of shoreline and 10,230 acres (4,140 ha) of water surface, and its surface elevation varies by 57 feet (17 m) annually. The Aluminum Company of America ( Alcoa ) began investigating

576-605: Is a city in Blount County, Tennessee , United States. Its population was 10,978 at the 2020 census . It is part of the Knoxville, TN Metropolitan Statistical Area . As its name suggests, Alcoa was the site of a large aluminum smelting plant owned and operated by the Alcoa corporation (Aluminum Company of America). Formerly known as North Maryville, the town was incorporated under its present name in 1919. Shortly after

640-767: Is also a recognized geographical division used by the United States Geological Survey . All entities within the region apart from the District of Columbia and West Virginia border the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2010, the South Atlantic states had a combined population of 61,774,970. The South Atlantic region covers 292,589 square miles (757,800 km ). With the exception of West Virginia, the region has seen rapid population growth and economic development in recent decades. As of 2023,

704-582: Is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean , Canada , and the state of New York . It includes six states: Maine , New Hampshire , Vermont , Massachusetts , Rhode Island , and Connecticut . In one of the earliest British colonial settlements in the New World , Pilgrims from England first settled in New England in 1620 at Plymouth Colony in and around present-day Plymouth, Massachusetts . In

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768-672: Is ranked the sixth-best in the nation. The Southeastern United States is a large region of the country that includes a core of states that reaches north to Maryland and West Virginia , bordering the Ohio River and Mason–Dixon line , and stretches west to Arkansas and Louisiana . Unlike the Northeast, there is no official U.S. government definition for the Southeast, and it is defined variably among agencies and organizations. Its unique cultural and historic heritage includes

832-752: Is significantly smaller than the Northeastern Woodlands cultural area. The pre-Columbian Northeast had three major areas: the Coastal area, Saint Lawrence Lowlands, and Great Lakes-Riverine zones. The Coastal area includes the Atlantic Provinces of Canada and the Atlantic seaboard of the United States south to North Carolina . The Saint Lawrence Lowlands area includes parts of Southern Ontario , upstate New York , much of

896-548: Is the local school district for the vast majority of the city. A few parcels are in the Blount County Schools school district. In the 1990s, Alcoa engaged in a three-way struggle with Knoxville and Blount County for control of McGhee Tyson Airport , which is located in Blount County, but built and operated by Knoxville. In 1992, an attempt by Alcoa to annex the airport was blocked by a court ruling, and

960-496: Is water. The climate in this area is characterized by relatively high temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Alcoa has a Humid subtropical climate , abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 10,978 people, 3,835 households, and 2,574 families residing in the city. As of

1024-541: The Saint Lawrence River area, and the Susquehanna Valley . The Great Lakes-Riverine area includes the remaining inland areas of the Northeast, which were home to Central Algonquian and Siouan speakers. The Great Lakes region is sometimes considered a distinct cultural area due to its large concentration of Native American tribes. New England is a subregion of the northeastern U.S. that

1088-610: The United States Census Bureau , the Middle Atlantic is a subregion of the northeastern U.S. that includes three states: New Jersey , New York , and Pennsylvania . The Middle Atlantic region includes New York City , the largest city in the U.S. and a global center of finance and culture, and Philadelphia , the nation's sixth-largest city and first capital, where the Declaration of Independence

1152-760: The University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The East North Central area, which includes Illinois , Indiana , Michigan , Ohio , and Wisconsin , can also be classified as a subregion of the Northeastern United States, as these states are in the Great Lakes-Riverine area. As one of two subregional divisions used to categorize the modern Midwest , the East North Central region closely matches

1216-523: The census of 2000, there were 7,734 people, 3,489 households, and 2,159 families residing in the city. The population density was 560.7 inhabitants per square mile (216.5/km ). There were 3,857 housing units at an average density of 279.6 per square mile (108.0/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 81.15% White , 16.01% African American , 0.19% Native American , 0.34% Asian , 0.01% Pacific Islander , 0.78% from other races , and 1.53% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.89% of

1280-494: The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and several thousand acres along the south shore were transferred to the U.S. Forest Service . Despite the innovative design of the dam, cracks were observed in the face of the dam in 1949. In 1972, additional cracks appeared and started to expand in 1973. Following extensive investigations, specialists determined that the cracks were caused by stresses in

1344-541: The Hall Road Viaduct in the 1940s and the continued development of McGhee Tyson Airport over subsequent decades led to commercial expansion and helped the city diversify its economy. The city is situated in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains , the outermost of which, Chilhowee Mountain , rises just a few miles to the south. Large sections of the north-central and northeastern parts of

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1408-605: The Little Tennessee River: Cheoah Dam is 10 miles (16 km) downstream, followed by Calderwood Dam , Chilhowee Dam , and Tellico Dam . Cheoah, Chilhowee, and Tellico were all named for historic Cherokee towns. Along with covering a 29-mile (47 km) stretch of the Little Tennessee, Fontana Lake also extends across the lower 11 miles (18 km) of the Tuckasegee River (which flows southward from Cherokee and Bryson City), and

1472-613: The Little Tennessee Valley around 1910 in hopes of finding a place for a water power source for the massive amounts of electricity needed at its aluminum production operations at nearby Alcoa, Tennessee . In 1913, Alcoa purchased the Tallassee Power Company (now Tapoco ), and by 1930 the two entities had completed Cheoah and Calderwood dams, as well as Santeetlah Dam on the Cheoah River . By

1536-701: The North Shore. The final installment of $ 35.2 million was paid on June 29, 2018. Under a 2010 agreement, the money was deposited with the state treasurer's office . Swain County can spend only the interest the money earns. Eastern United States The Eastern United States , often abbreviated as simply the East , is a macroregion of the United States located to the east of the Mississippi River . It includes 17–26 states and Washington, D.C. ,

1600-765: The Pittsburgh Reduction Company changed its name to the Aluminum Company of America in 1907, the company began investigating the possibility of establishing a large smelting operation in East Tennessee. The hydroelectric potential of the Little Tennessee River , which exits the mountains about 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Alcoa, was one of the primary incentives, as the company's aluminum smelting operation would require massive amounts of electricity. In 1910,

1664-623: The South Atlantic region is home to three of the top ten universities in the nation, according to 2022-23 U.S. News & World Report rankings: Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and Duke University in Durham, North Carolina , which is ranked the tenth-best in the nation. The East South Central region constitutes one of the nine U.S. Census Bureau divisions . Four states make up

1728-676: The United States is one of the nine Census Bureau Divisions of the country. This region corresponds to the Southern states/areas that were geographically part of the Thirteen Colonies , with the addition of Florida . It includes eight states and one federal district: Delaware , Florida , Georgia , Maryland , North Carolina , South Carolina , Virginia , West Virginia and the District of Columbia . The South Atlantic

1792-728: The area of the Northwest Territory , excluding a portion of Minnesota . The East North Central states form a large part of the Great Lakes region, although the latter also includes Minnesota, New York , Pennsylvania and the Canadian province of Ontario . Culturally, the East North Central region of the U.S. has been historically influenced by the British and the French; Anglo-American culture permeated states covering

1856-403: The average family size was 2.80. In the city, the population was spread out, with 20.9% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.4 males. The median income for a household in the city

1920-599: The city, and in the 1920s, Alcoa sought to set aside 1-acre (4,000 m ) of land for parks for every 100 people living in the city. In the early 1930s, City Manager Hultquist used idle plant workers for park construction, and over the years, the company continued donating land for park construction and expansion. In 1998, a 3-mile (4.8 km) section of the Maryville-Alcoa Greenway was completed, connecting Alcoa's Springbrook Park with Maryville's Bicentennial Greenbelt Park . Alcoa City School District

1984-498: The company established a base camp at what is now known as Calderwood , initially known as "Alcoa", and was known as such until the name was reapplied to the company's operations in North Maryville a few years later. The company considered several potential plant sites in Knoxville , Etowah , and Monroe County , but chose North Maryville due in part to the influence of Maryville mayor Samuel Everett (1864−1941). By 1914,

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2048-509: The company had completed the initial purchase of 700 acres (280 ha) in North Maryville, and had initiated construction of the smelting plant and 150 houses for company employees. ALCOA's chief engineer Edwin Fickes and hydraulic engineer Robert Ewald drew up plans for the town to house the plant's workers. The town design initially called for the acquisition of 7,500 acres (3,000 ha), and included four sections— Vose and Springbrook in

2112-583: The company had stockpiled 42,000 tons of aluminum. The Depression (and accompanying New Deal legislation) also brought about increased labor union activity in Alcoa. A strike in 1934 was forcibly ended when Hultquist deployed a large police force. A second strike in 1937 was broken in a similar fashion, with two striking workers shot and killed and the National Guard forced to intervene. World War II proved immensely profitable for ALCOA, as aluminum

2176-471: The core of Old Dixie , one of the nine moral regions identified by James Patterson and Peter Kim in their acclaimed 1991 geopolitical best-seller, The Day America Told The Truth . Politically and culturally, the East South Central is more conservative than the South Atlantic; Mississippi, Alabama, Kentucky, and Tennessee's governments have been described during 2012 to 2023 as some of

2240-521: The curved portions of dam from thermal expansion . The cracking was exacerbated by alkali-aggregate reaction , which causes the concrete volume to increase and develop additional stresses. The area around the crack was post-tensioned with steel tendons, and an expansion slot was made in 1976 to alleviate the stresses developed within the cracked area. New slot cuts are made every 4–5 years to stop its growth. The last cuts were performed by Bluegrass Companies in 2016. The construction of Fontana Dam led to

2304-403: The dam into construction joints and outfitted them with grout pipes and cooling coils. The dam's spillway presented another problem, as engineers were worried that the water's 400-foot (120 m) drop would cause erosion issues at the dam's foundation. A special spillway was thus designed that drains water out through two 34-foot (10.3 m) diameter spill pipes into a diversion tunnel equipped with

2368-436: The dam, TVA was unable to get necessary federal funding for the project until the outbreak of World War II in 1941. Emergency wartime initiatives called for a drastic increase in aluminum production. On August 14, 1941, TVA and ALCOA signed the "Fontana Agreement," which gave TVA possession of Fontana and control over the releases and output of Tapoco's Little Tennessee Valley dams, and in return guaranteed that Alcoa would be

2432-657: The dam. North Carolina Highway 28 (which crosses a bridge downstream from the dam) provides the only major road access to the Fontana Dam area. At Deals Gap , 11 miles (18 km) west of the dam, the road intersects U.S. Route 129 , which continues westward to Maryville. East of the dam, NC-28 follows the lake's south shore for about 25 miles (40 km) before intersecting U.S. Route 74 . The Fontana Dam site previously hosted an 800 mm ( 2 ft  7 + 1 ⁄ 2  in ) narrow gauge funicular railway for tourists. This has been closed. Fontana Dam

2496-534: The division: Kentucky , Tennessee , Mississippi and Alabama . Historically, the area has been colonized and influenced by the French , Spanish , British , early US, and Confederate governments. Distinct among these states, Alabama's French culture has been preserved through the Alabama Creoles , and Kentucky's French culture can be observed throughout Louisville. The East South Central states form

2560-563: The east, and Robbinsville, North Carolina , to the south. The small resort of Fontana Village (which was first built as a temporary workers' village for people on the dam) has developed just south of the dam. The Great Smoky Mountains rise to the north, and the Yellow Creek Mountains (mostly protected within the Nantahala National Forest ) rise to the south. Fontana is the uppermost of five dams on

2624-484: The environment and raised challenges; in addition, the NPS had difficulty securing sufficient funding for the road. In the 1970s, environmental concerns completely halted the road's progress, and locals nicknamed the unfinished road "The Road to Nowhere". North Carolina's U.S. Senator Jesse Helms finally secured funding for the road in 2000, and the NPS for the first time conducted a required environmental impact study of

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2688-424: The flooding of most of North Carolina Highway 288 , which connected Deals Gap and Bryson City. The National Park Service , after gaining possession of Fontana's north shore tracts, reached an agreement with Swain County in the 1940s to replace the north shore road. By 1972, only 7.2 miles (11.6 km) of the road had been completed. People in the area had more appreciation for the effect of such construction on

2752-858: The following aspects: These aspects, among other things, led to "the South" developing distinctive customs, literature, musical styles, and varied cuisines that have profoundly shaped traditional American culture. The shift from a mainly rural society to more cities and urbanized metropolitan areas picked up speed following World War II in the 1940s. Since the late 20th century, certain Southeastern states and areas have seen great economic growth. This growth has led to many migrants moving to Southeastern states. In 2020, Fortune 500 companies headquartered in southeastern states included: Virginia with 22, Georgia with 18, Florida with 18, North Carolina with 13, and Tennessee with 10. The South Atlantic region of

2816-497: The largest metropolitan statistical area, followed by Detroit , and Minneapolis–Saint Paul . Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan is the oldest city in the region, founded by French missionaries and explorers in 1668. As of 2023, the East North Central States are home to one of the top ten universities in the nation, according to 2022-23 U.S. News & World Report rankings: the University of Chicago , which

2880-711: The late 18th century, the New England colonies were among the first North American British colonies to support an escalation in the American Revolution against Britain , launching the Boston Tea Party on December 16, 1773, and later firing the first shots of the American Revolutionary War in the Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775. New England produced the first examples of American literature and philosophy and

2944-544: The lower 5 miles (8.0 km) or so of the Nantahala River , extending into the scenic Nantahala Gorge. Several rapid-flowing mountain streams— some of which drop several thousand feet from the crest of the Great Smokies in just a few miles— empty into Fontana's north shore. The most notable of these streams — Eagle Creek and Hazel Creek — form substantial embayments just upstream from

3008-539: The mid-1930s, Alcoa had assessed the Fontana site and had purchased the initial 15,000 acres (6,100 ha) for the dam's construction. In 1935, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), which was concerned with the Little Tennessee's effect on flood control in the greater Tennessee Valley, began negotiating with Alcoa to assume control of the Fontana project. Although Alcoa preferred that TVA build

3072-487: The most conservative. Religiously, conservative Evangelical Protestantism dominates the East South Central region as a central part of the Bible Belt . As of 2020, the East South Central states had a combined population of 19,430,030. The East South Central region covers 183,401 square miles of land. Within the region, Tennessee is the largest state by population, though Alabama is the largest by land area; Tennessee

3136-488: The mountains of northern Georgia to its mouth along the Tennessee River opposite Lenoir City, Tennessee . Fontana is located 61 miles (98 km) above the mouth of the Little Tennessee, in a remote area where the westward-flowing river bends briefly to the south. Fontana Dam is a 30-mile (48 km) drive from the three nearest cities — Maryville, Tennessee to the west, Bryson City, North Carolina to

3200-586: The national capital. As of 2011, the Eastern United States had an estimated population exceeding 179 million, representing the majority (over 58 percent) of the total U.S. population. The three most populous cities in the Eastern United States are New York City , Chicago , and Philadelphia . According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the Northeastern United States coomprises nine states, including (north to south): Maine , New Hampshire , Vermont , Massachusetts , Rhode Island , Connecticut , New Jersey , New York , and Pennsylvania . The present-day Northeast

3264-473: The north (around what is now Springbrook Park) and Bassel and Hall in the south (around what is now the South Plant). Hall, named for the inventor of the aluminum electrolytic process , was originally a segregated community for the plant's African-American workers. Oldfield, a small community between the planned town and Maryville, would later be annexed by the city of Alcoa. World War I brought about

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3328-409: The population. There were 3,489 households, out of which 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were married couples living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.1% were non-families. 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and

3392-494: The primary benefactor of the dams' electrical output for at least twenty years. The U.S. Congress authorized funding on December 17, 1941, and construction of Fontana Dam began on January 1, 1942. The building of Fontana Dam and its reservoir required the purchase of 68,292 acres (27,637 ha) of land, 5,125 acres (2,074 ha) of which were forested and had to be cleared. Some 1,311 families, 1,047 graves, and more than 60 miles (97 km) of roads had to be relocated out of

3456-404: The project area. The towns of Fontana, Bushnell, Forney, and Judson were completely inundated by the formation of Lake Fontana . The temporary village of Welch Cove (later renamed Fontana Village) was constructed just south of the dam to house the project's workers, whose numbers had reached 5,000 by 1943 in spite of nationwide manpower shortages. Fontana Village has been adapted and expanded as

3520-521: The project. Published in 2007, the EIS concluded that the road's construction would cause "major, adverse, long-term impacts to topography, geology, and soils" in the area. Proponents of the road argued that the environmental concerns were exaggerated. In 2007, Swain County accepted a $ 52 million cash settlement from the National Park Service and agreed to drop its demand for a new road along

3584-477: The range are visible from Alcoa Highway. The Little River , which rises near the heart of the Smokies, flows through the eastern section of Alcoa before emptying into the Tennessee River near Louisville . According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 15.6 square miles (40.5 km ), of which 14.7 square miles (38.2 km ) is land and 0.93 square miles (2.4 km ), or 5.90%,

3648-465: The region following the westward expansion of the United States . Religiously, the East North Central states have been and remain predominantly affiliated with Christianity . Altogether, the five states are majority Catholic , non- and inter-denominational , Methodist , Lutheran , and Baptist . The largest non-Christian religion has been Islam . Chicago is the largest city in the region, followed by Columbus, Ohio and Indianapolis . Chicago has

3712-556: The southwestern boundary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park . The Appalachian Trail crosses the top of the dam. Fontana is named for the now-inundated town of Fontana, a former lumber and copper-mining hub once located at the mouth of Eagle Creek. The town's name was derived from the Italian word for "fountain." The Little Tennessee River flows for 135 miles (217 km) from its source in

3776-402: Was $ 33,520, and the median income for a family was $ 44,333. Males had a median income of $ 31,464 versus $ 23,212 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 19,526. About 9.1% of families and 11.9% of the population were below the poverty line , including 18.1% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over. Alcoa's early developers considered public parks an essential part of

3840-411: Was also ALCOA's superintendent of construction, remained city manager until 1948, and oversaw much of the town's early development. In 1920, Alcoa had a population of 3,358 people living in 700 houses. Early Alcoa was a classic "company town", with the company maintaining a paternalistic relationship with the city. The city's welfare was almost wholly dependent upon the company's fortunes. This presented

3904-423: Was also the East South Central's fastest growing state between 2010 and 2020, with Alabama second. Kentucky was the third-fastest growing state, and Mississippi experienced population decline; despite population decline, Mississippi did increase in diversity. The following is a list of the 25 largest cities in the Eastern United States, based on 2021 population estimates: Alcoa, Tennessee Alcoa

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3968-787: Was home to the beginnings of free and compulsory public education. In the 19th century, the region played a prominent role in the movement to abolish slavery in the United States . It was the first region of the United States to be transformed by the Industrial Revolution . As of 2023, New England is home to two of the top ten universities in the nation, according to 2022-23 U.S. News & World Report rankings, Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts (tied for third), and Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts (tied for third). According to

4032-493: Was needed for aircraft construction. Production increased 600% during the war, and the company's Alcoa operations workforce swelled to 12,000. In the early 1940s, the company built its North Plant, which at the time of its completion was the world's largest plant under a single roof. After World War II, the city of Alcoa became less and less dependent upon its parent company. Alcoa's public image had suffered due to its hardline stance toward labor unions, and in response, it launched

4096-517: Was signed at Independence Hall in 1776, formally launching the American Revolutionary War , and later where the U.S. Constitution was drafted and ratified at Independence Hall in Philadelphia in 1789. As of 2023, the Mid-Atlantic region is home to four of the top twenty-five universities in the nation, according to 2022-23 U.S. News & World Report rankings: Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey, Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, Columbia University in New York, New York, and

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