Strawberry Plains, Tennessee

Strawberry Plains is an unincorporated community straddling the boundary between Jefferson and Knox counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee.

Strawberry Plains is located at coord|36|03|47|N|83|41|10|W| on the bank of the French Broad River. According to the United States Geological Survey, a variant name is "Straw Plains". [cite web | url=Gnis3|1303876 | title=Strawberry Plains | work=Geographic Names Information System | publisher=United States Geological Survey | accessdate=2007-07-29 ] Strawberry Plains has been the site of a post office since 1806. [ [http://www.tnhillbillie.net/tn/jefferson/records/business/1860-61directory.html Tennessee Gazetteer and Business Directory 1860-1861] ] The postal zip code is 37871. Strawberry Plains is said to be named for the wild strawberries that grew there in abundance when white settlers from North Carolina first arrived in the area. [http://www.tnhillbillie.net/tn/jefferson/articles/sphistory.html History of Strawberry Plains and Its Surrounding Communities] , compiled and written by the Ancient History Class at Rush Strong High School circa 1935.] According to a history of the community written by local high school students circa 1935, the name Straw Plains was a shorthand name used by railroad porters and flagmen on trains that passed through Strawberry Plains, and that came to be used as the name of the local railroad depot and on some local post office postmarks.

Through much of the 20th century, Strawberry Plains was the site of a Tennessee limestone quarry and an underground zinc mine. The zinc mine shut down in 2001 but reopened in 2006. [ [http://www.redorbit.com/news/entertainment/727015/with_the_reopening_of_three_zinc_sites_in_east_tennessee/index.html With the Reopening of Three Zinc Sites in East Tennessee, Positions Being Added] by Michael Silence, "Knoxville News Sentinel", November 9, 2006]

In September 2007 the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced plans to build an office facility and crime lab in Strawberry Plains, with an estimated cost of more than $10 million. [ [http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2007/sep/20/tbi-to-build-office-facility-in-strawberry-plains/ TBI to build office facility in Strawberry Plains area] , "Knoxville News Sentinel", September 20, 2007]

The Strawberry Plains exit of Interstate 40, exit 398 at Strawberry Plains Pike (several miles southwest from Strawberry Plains) has grown rapidly. There are several hotels and restaurants, with more under construction.Fact|date=July 2008

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