Bristol, Tennessee

Bristol
City
State Street in downtown Bristol, Tennessee (left) and Bristol, Virginia (right)
State Street in downtown Bristol, Tennessee (left) and Bristol, Virginia (right)
Flag of Bristol
Flag
Official seal of Bristol
Seal
Official logo of Bristol
Logo
Nickname: 
The Birthplace of Country Music
Motto: 
A Good Place To Live
Location of Bristol in Sullivan County, Tennessee.
Location of Bristol in Sullivan County, Tennessee.
Coordinates: 36°35′N 82°11′W / 36.583°N 82.183°W / 36.583; -82.183
CountryUnited States
StateTennessee
CountySullivan
Incorporated1856[1]
Named forBristol, England[2]
Government
 • MayorVince Turner
 • Vice MayorMark Hutton
 • City ManagerKelli Bourgeois
Area
[3]
 • Total32.83 sq mi (85.03 km2)
 • Land32.68 sq mi (84.63 km2)
 • Water0.15 sq mi (0.40 km2)
Elevation
1,676 ft (511 m)
Population
 (2020)[4]
 • Total27,147
 • Density830.79/sq mi (320.77/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes
37617, 37620, 37621 & 37625
Area code423
FIPS code47-08540
GNIS feature ID1327702[5]
Websitewww.bristoltn.org

Bristol is a city in Sullivan County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 27,147 at the 2020 census. It is the twin city of Bristol, Virginia, which lies directly across the state line between Tennessee and Virginia. The boundary between the two cities is also the state line, which runs along State Street in their common downtown district. It is a principal city in the Kingsport–Bristol metropolitan area, which had a population of 307,614 in 2020.[6] The metro area is a component of the larger Tri-Cities region of Tennessee and Virginia, with a population of 508,260 in 2020.

Bristol is known for being the site of some of the earliest commercial recordings of country music, showcasing Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family, and later a favorite venue of mountain musician Uncle Charlie Osborne. The U.S. Congress recognized Bristol as the "Birthplace of Country Music" in 1998, and the Birthplace of Country Music Museum is located nearby in Bristol, Virginia.[7] It also is the birthplace of Tennessee Ernie Ford.

Bristol is the site of Bristol Motor Speedway, a NASCAR short track. The world's fifth-largest coal producer, Contura Energy, is based in Bristol.[8]

  1. ^ Tennessee Blue Book (PDF). 2005–2006. pp. 618–625. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 2, 2006.
  2. ^ Bristol Chamber of Commerce, "About Bristol Archived December 21, 2012, at the Wayback Machine". Retrieved: January 17, 2013.
  3. ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  6. ^ "2020 Population and Housing State Data". United States Census Bureau, Population Division. August 12, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference ALgov was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ "Alpha, Contura sounding an optimistic note".