Community profile: Jasper, Tennessee, has small town charm, close to metropolitan highlights

The Marion County Courthouse is located in Jasper, Tenn.
The Marion County Courthouse is located in Jasper, Tenn.

Location: Jasper, the county seat, is in the south central portion of Marion County near the Sequatchie River on U.S. Highway 41.

Size: 3.07 square miles

Founded: Incorporated 1854

Population: 3,297 (2013 estimate)

Mayor: Paul W. Evans

Aldermen: Steve Looney, Leon Rash, Paul West and Mac Bumpus

Attractions: Jasper Regional History Museum, Chattanooga Skydiving Company at the Marion County Airport on Airport Road

Schools: Jasper Elementary, Jasper Middle, Marion County High

Place in history: The building of Hales Bar Lock and Dam, the world's first multipurpose structure used as a dam and power source, turned Jasper into a boomtown. During the project to build the dam, which started in 1905, 3,000 men worked around the clock, seven days a week.

Famous landmark: A restored map from 1895 that hangs in the Marion County Courthouse is the oldest piece of history created in the community. It was drawn as an overview of the earliest settlers, Civil War and Indian history. Local historian Nonie Webb has published two historical books, the most recent, "The Cherokees and First Settlers: Volume II of Marion County." Libraries in Chattanooga and Jasper have copies available.

Quote: "It's a small town. We're close enough to Chattanooga to enjoy the benefits of the larger city, but we're small enough we know most everybody in town." -- Deb Hooper, owner of Deb's Flower Bank

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