Powell, Tennessee

About Powell, TN

Powell TN, previously known as Powell Station, is a census-designated place situated in Knox County, Tennessee. Located along the Emory Road corridor (State Route 131), just north of Knoxville, southeast of Clinton, and east of Oak Ridge, it recorded a population of 13,802 during the 2020 census. The area is encompassed within the Knoxville, TN Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Despite its unincorporated status, Powell possesses a distinct character as more of an “independent” small town than a suburb. Its origins trace back to 1789, establishing itself two years prior to Knoxville, as settlers passed through East Tennessee into the frontier. Noteworthy among these pioneers was Stockley Donelson (1753–1804), President Andrew Jackson’s brother-in-law. The Alexander Bishop House, Donelson’s former home, still stands on Bishop Lane. John Manifee, a Revolutionary War veteran, was another early settler who erected a small fort and trading station along what is now Clinton Highway in the late 1780s.

The name “Powell” finds its roots in the Powell Station train stop, named in honor of Columbus Powell, a prominent local resident. Although the train station is no longer operational, it remains a prominent feature in the town’s “downtown” area. During the early 20th century, the railroad played a pivotal role in Powell’s economy, transporting bricks made from mud collected from Beaver Creek to various destinations. Originally part of the East Tennessee, Virginia, and Georgia Railway (now part of the Norfolk Southern line), the tracks held significant importance for the region.

Between 1951 and 2012, Powell housed the Powell STOLport, a rural airstrip adjacent to the I-75 and Emory Road (SR 131) interchange. Following the Knoxville City Council’s annexation of the airstrip site in March 2013, the Knoxville-Knox County Metropolitan Planning Commission approved plans for a shopping complex on the location, including a Kroger supermarket, Regal Cinemas theater, Kohl’s department store, and other retail developments.