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Counties

Rhea County:

Rhea County is named for Tennessee politician and Revolutionary War veteran John Rhea.

A portion of the Trail of Tears ran through the county as part of the United States government's removal of the Cherokee in the 1830s.

During the American Civil War, Rhea County was one of the few counties in East Tennessee that was sympathetic to the cause of the Confederate States of America. It was the only East Tennessee county that refused to send a delegate to the East Tennessee Convention of 1861. Rhea raised seven companies for the Confederate military, compared to just one company for the Union.

Rhea had the only female cavalry company on either side during the Civil War. It was made up of young women in their teens and twenties from Rhea County and was formed in 1862. The girls named their unit the Rhea County Spartans. Until 1863, the Spartans simply visited loved ones in the military and delivered the equivalent of modern day care packages. After Union troops entered Rhea in 1863, the Spartans may have engaged in some scouting for Confederate forces. The members of the Spartans were later arrested in April 1865 under orders of a Rhea County Unionist and were forced to march to the Tennessee River. From there they were transported to Chattanooga aboard the USS Chattanooga. Once in Chattanooga, Union officers realized the women were not a threat and ordered them released and returned to Rhea County. They first were required to take the oath of allegiance to the United States government. The Spartans were not an officially recognized unit of the Confederate Army.[4]

In 1890, the county seat was moved from the Washington community to its present location in Dayton. This was a result of the Cincinnati-Chattanooga Railroad being completed through Dayton.

The Scopes Trial, which resulted from the teaching of evolution being banned in Tennessee public schools under the Butler Act, took place in Rhea County in 1925. The Scopes Trial was one of the first to be referred to as the Trial of the century. William Jennings Bryan played a role as prosecutor in trial, and he died in Dayton shortly after the trial ended. A statue of Bryan was recently erected on the grounds of the Rhea County courthouse. In 1954 the laws were changed to allow teaching of evolution alongside Bible studies in school. On June 8, 2004, a federal appeals court upheld a ruling banning further Bible instructions as a violation of the First Amendment principle of "Separation of church and state".

Rhea County Statistics:
Average year-round temperature/weather:
Rainfall (in.) 56

Snowfall (in.) 3.9

Avg. July High 88.6

Avg. Jan. Low 27.4

Median price of homes: $91,000

Cost of living:
Rhea County's cost of living is 22.82% lower than the U.S. average.

2008 cost of living index in Rhea County: 79.7 (low, U.S. average is 100)

Population of city/county and/or median age:
30,328 (2009)

Median resident age: 37.2

Recreational and Cultural:
Hiking
The mountains along Rhea County's western edge provide plenty of opportunities for hiking, camping, even kayaking. Pocket Wilderness areas provide spectacular vistas west of both Dayton and Spring City.

Water Recreation
The mountains along Rhea County's western edge provide plenty of opportunities for hiking, camping, even kayaking. Pocket Wilderness areas provide spectacular vistas west of both Dayton and Spring City. Please visit www.cumberlandtrail.org for maps on all of the hiking trails in Rhea County and the surrounding area.

Hunting
Hunting is another pastime enjoyed by Rhea Countians as there is an abundance of deer, raccoon, turkey, dove, quail, and rabbit in the area.

Golf
Dayton Golf and Country Club

The Dayton Golf and Country Club is an 18-hole golf course.

Softball/Baseball
Youth and adult softball leagues are offered in Rhea County. Organized youth baseball leagues are plentiful in Rhea County.

Tennis, Basketball, Walking Trails
Dayton, Graysville, and Spring City offer community tennis and basketball courts. Each community also offers a walking track for those interested in this relaxing activity.

Bowling
Bowling is a year-round activity that attracts both the young and young-at-heart. Crystal Lanes on Old Graysville Road has leagues for adults all year and youth and children's leagues during certain times of the year.

YMCA
The Rhea Family YMCA offers a multitude of activities.

Education:
Frazier Elementary School

Graysville Elementary School

Rhea Central Elementary School

Spring City Elementary School

Spring City Middle School

Rhea County High School

Evensville Center

Colleges and Universities
Bryan College

Chattanooga State Technical Community College North

Medical Facilities:
Rhea Medical Center

Crime Rate: VERY LOW

Additional Information:
Cities and towns
* Dayton

* Graysville

* Spring City

Unincorporated communities
* Evensville

* Frazier

* Grandview