From 1920 until 1930 Johnson City again doubled in population from the previous decade. The location of huge rayon manufacturing plants in neighboring Elizabethton along with consistent growth in the city's hardwood industries fueled residential and commercial development. The 1920s were a lively time as the city earned the nickname "Little Chicago." However, just ahead were The Great Depression and World War II which slowed growth throughout the Appalachian region and were major factors in Johnson City's limited population gains from 1930 - 1950. As passenger rail services declined, the city's role as a regional rail hub also gradually decreased in significance.

Since 1960, Johnson City has transitioned from an economy based largely on manufacturing and rail related industries to a service/institutional economic base with increasingly strong medical and educational components. The Quillen College of Medicine, the reconstructed Veterans Affairs Center, and the current renovation and upgrading of capital facilities for East Tennessee State University have made Johnson City, Tennessee one of the leading institutional centers within a five-state area.

Tables on the following photo pages show historical census population data for Johnson City.

 

Next >