Washington

Folks in the Watauga River area know how to spin a good yarn so pull up a chair! Anecdotes are quite literally an art form in these here parts. The National Storytelling Festival is hosted annually at the International Storytelling Center in Jonesborough. Mark it on your calendar, it's an event not to be missed. But take note, it's open year-round. The word "Watauga" is said locally to be a Cherokee word meaning "beautiful river". Watauga also happens to be a city located in both Carter and Washington Counties of Tennessee. It's the name of the river bordering Johnson City to the north, and the name of the lake formed by Watauga Dam, however, it's most notable historically for the Watauga Association, an autonomous government formed by early settlers along the Watauga River. The county seat is Jonesborough. The largest city, Johnson City, is shared by three counties. The largest portion of Johnson City lies in Washington County. During the 1920s, Johnson City's ties to Appalachian Mountains bootlegging activity gave the city the nickname of "Little Chicago" . The annual "Little Chicago Blues Festival" is held commemorating the legends surrounding the Prohibition-era speakeasies and railroad glory days of Johnson City.