Morgan County is located in Eastern Tennessee among the Cumberland Mountains. This wonderful place we call home is rich in heritage, history, and beauty. From Frozen Head State Park to the Obed Wild & Scenic River, from Historic Rugby to Lone Mountain State Forest, you will find a beautiful and friendly place to live, work and raise your family. We are home to the Cumberland Trail State Park, Catoosa Wildlife Management Area and are neighbors to the Big South Fork National River and Recreational Area.
In 1805, the Cherokee ceded what is now Morgan County to the United States by signing the Third Treaty of Tellico. The first settlers arrived in the area shortly thereafter.
Wartburg was founded in the 1840s by George Gerding, a land speculator who bought up large tracts of land in what is now Morgan County with plans to establish a series of German colonies in the Cumberland region. German and Swiss immigrants arrived at the site by traveling from New Orleans up the Mississippi, Tennessee, and Emory rivers. They named the settlement after Wartburg Castle in Germany. Wartburg was officially incorporated in 1851. In 1870, Morgan County elected to move its county seat from the now-defunct town of Montgomery to Wartburg. The arrival of the railroad in 1880 expanded logging and coal mining operations in the Cumberland region, moving Morgan County away from an economy based on subsistence agriculture to a wage-based economy. Today, Morgan County is home to Frozen Head State Park, the headquarters of the Obed Wild and Scenic River, Lone Mountain State Forest, Catoosa Wildlife Management Area, Historic Rugby Tennessee, the Historic Brushy Mountain Penitentiary and also part of the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area.
Upcoming Meetings:
-November 12th, 2024: Jail Mitigation Committee Meeting at 6:00 p.m. in the Main Courtroom.
-November 18th, 2024: Budget Committee Meeting at 6:00 p.m. in the Main Courtroom.
-November 18th, 2024: Back Tax Committee Meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the Conference Room on the third floor of the Courthouse.
-November 18th, 2024: County Commission Meeting at 7:00 p.m. in the Main Courtroom.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
PRESS RELEASE:
Lives have been lost, towns have been destroyed, and people are still missing following Hurricane Helene’s path of destruction that stretched from the coast of Florida all the way up the hills of Tennessee during recent days. Morgan County residents can help with aid to residents that have been impacted in East Tennessee, by donating much needed items. Morgan County Executive Brian Langley along with the Morgan County Sheriff Wayne Potter, Morgan County Road Superintendent Joe Miller and Morgan County EMA Director Ethan Webb have joined forces to begin a disaster relief drive to help our East Tennessee neighbors, who have had their lives turned upside down. “Our hearts hurt for all the people who have been affected by Hurricane Helene. Many lives have been lost and many more are missing. Let us please keep praying for all those that have been affected,” said Executive Langley. If you would like to donate items, they can be dropped off at the Morgan County Road Department located at 3519 Morgan County Highway in Wartburg, Monday-Thursday (7-5) or at the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office located at 414 Main Street in Wartburg, Monday-Friday (7-7). Items needed include baby diapers, baby wipes, baby formula, distilled water, batteries, flashlights, bleach, non-perishable food items, canned foods, toilet paper, manual can openers, large trash bags, ziplock bags, dog food, cat food, blankets, shampoo, body wash, and hand soap. “We encourage people to donate items to help those communities in their time of need. We know that Morgan County people always step up and are ready to help,” said Langley. Morgan County Sheriff’s Office has sent officers to help in upper East Tennessee, while the Morgan County Rescue Squad has provided help in search and rescue as well. “We know those counties needed more law enforcement manpower, so we are trying to do our part to help. We are praying for all those who have been impacted by this deadly storm,” said Sheriff Potter. Many businesses and people have already started collecting items, and some of those include Dwayne Bales and Blue Line Security, Russell Family Flowers, Lighthouse Baptist Church, the City of Sunbright, the City of Wartburg, Kasey Stout and Brandon Sherwood. Bales and Blue Line Security have been helping our neighbors in North Carolina where it has been hit extremely hard. Bales said that he has seen first-hand how devastating the damage is for those residents in Edneyville, North Carolina. They estimate that it would take three years to build back all the infrastructure that has been destroyed, including water lines, sewer lines, roads, and bridges. They are desperately needing baby items, including diapers, baby bottles and baby food. “This is going to be a long road to recovery for a lot of people and a lot of communities. We appreciate the efforts of everyone who is doing what they can to help those in their time of need,” Langley added.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WEBSITE
We believe Morgan County, TN is poised for great economic improvement and the Economic Development Board is a great catalyst in this effort. For more information, you can contact the Morgan County EDB at (423) 346-9400.
Click here for even more information on the economic opportunities in Morgan County, TN:
Discover Morgan County TN
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