HISTORY

Etowah was founded in 1906, primarily as a location for a depot on the Louisville & Nashville Railroad (L&N) line as part of a more direct route between Atlanta and Cincinnati. The etymology of the town name is unclear, but local folklore states that a train crew brought a sign reading "Etowah" from the Etowah River, and the name stuck. The work Etowah comes from the Muskogee/Creek word italwa meaning "town".  

In 1902, the Louisville and Nashville Railroad announced its plan to build a more direct line from Atlanta to Cincinnati in order to avoid the rugged mountains of North Georgia and East Tennessee bypassing the Great Hiwasseee Loop.  A point midway between these cities was needed to service cars and change crews, and at the end of 1904, land had been purchased in McMinn County to serve as this site and the city of Etowah was planned. The L & N purchased 1,454 acres for the main terminus (Depot), maintenance and repair facilities, railroad yards and proposed township to support the railroad workforce. This land was purchased at $10 to $20 per acre and the L&N set about building a major rail center and the town of Etowah. 

Out of what was referred to then as a wet swampland, a boomtown sprung up in 1906 with the L & N Depot serving as the hub of the new town's business and social activities. Since then, the City  of Etowah has seen positive growth in industry, services and retail. Etowah plans to continue to grow in all areas to provided economical stability and the perfect Tennessee Community. 



Located in McMinn County, Tennessee                       Coordinates:  35 19'46" N 84 31'42" W

Founded 1906                                                              Incorporated 1909