Etowah, Tennessee
Etowah is a city of 3,658 people in McMinn County, Tennessee, founded in 1906.
Why visit Etowah
Townapedia lists 8 museums and landmarks, 4 parks and trails, 12 places to eat and 2 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Etowah Depot and L&N Depot Museum.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 88°F; January lows average 28°F.
Weather in Etowah
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Etowah
Etowah is a city in McMinn County in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The population was 3,613 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Etowah, Tennessee (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks8
Etowah Depot
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Former railway station in Tennessee
Parks, trails and playgrounds4
Restaurants and cafes12
Where to stay2
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 word 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 Hiwassee 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 (5.88 km2) for the main terminus (depot), maintenance and repair facilities (shops), 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.
From the History section of Etowah, Tennessee on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship9
Shopping8
Gas and EV charging5
Schools, colleges and libraries6
Healthcare2
Map of Etowah
56 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 49°F | 28°F | 5.6 in | 1.0 in |
| Feb | 53°F | 31°F | 5.1 in | 1.3 in |
| Mar | 62°F | 37°F | 5.5 in | 0.8 in |
| Apr | 71°F | 45°F | 5.5 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 79°F | 55°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 85°F | 63°F | 5.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 88°F | 68°F | 5.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 88°F | 66°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 83°F | 60°F | 5.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 73°F | 47°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 61°F | 36°F | 4.9 in | 0.1 in |
| Dec | 52°F | 31°F | 5.9 in | 0.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Athens (7 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
McMinn County has had 11 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-02-06: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2025-04-02: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-04-02: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2015-04-02: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding (Severe Ice Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
McMinn County Airport (MMI) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 5 miles away.
- Englewood 6 mi north, about 10 min by car
- Athens 9 mi northwest, about 15 min by car
- Benton 13 mi southwest, about 21 min by car
- Decatur 20 mi northwest, about 32 min by car
- Cleveland 22 mi southwest, about 36 min by car
- East Cleveland 22 mi southwest, about 36 min by car
- McCaysville 26 mi south, about 42 min by car
- Dayton 29 mi west, about 47 min by car
- Collegedale 35 mi southwest, about 57 min by car
- Lenoir City 36 mi northeast, about 58 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Etowah-tennessee-tn1, Brian Stansberry, CC BY 3.0
- EtowahDepot, Jdpaschal, CC BY-SA 3.0
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