Long before it was Mountain City, this high mountain valley was crossed by trading paths, hunters and frontier families. Daniel Boone explored here in the 1760s, and the stories of the people who settled these hills are still written on the land, from the Trade Gap to the waters of Watauga Lake.
Explore our history
Timeline
- 1761–1769
Daniel Boone hunts and explores the area that is now Johnson County. Read more
- 1760s–1770s
Early settlements grow at the Trade Gap trading ground and on Roan Creek. Read more
- 1772
Settlers along the Watauga River form the Watauga Association, one of the first constitutional governments west of the Appalachians. Read more
- 1775
Richard Henderson and Daniel Boone negotiate the Treaty of Sycamore Shoals on the Watauga River. Read more
- 1780
The Overmountain Men muster at Sycamore Shoals before marching to victory at the Battle of Kings Mountain. Read more
- 1810
The first iron forge at Laurel Bloomery begins operating. Read more
- 1836
Johnson County is formed and its county seat, Taylorsville, is laid out. Read more
- 1885
Taylorsville is renamed Mountain City. Read more
- 1901
The tunnel at Backbone Rock is blasted for the Beaver Dam Railroad. Read more
- 1910
The railroad reaches Mountain City, boosting timber and manganese mining. Read more
- May 1925
The first Mountain City Fiddlers Convention becomes a landmark in Appalachian music history. Read more
- 1948
Watauga Dam is completed and the town of Butler is moved to higher ground. Read more
Do you have family stories, old photographs or corrections to share about Mountain City’s history? We’d love to hear from you. Contact us.