Formed on September 18, 1794, Sevier County came about from part of neighboring Jefferson County. The county takes its name from John Sevier, the first governor of Tennessee, who played a prominent role during the American Revolution as well as the settling of the Great Smoky Mountains.
Since its establishment in 1795, the county seat has been located in Sevierville, which is also named for John Sevier, and according to records is the eighth-oldest city in the state of Tennessee.
Prior to the late 1930s, Sevier County’s population, economy, and society, most of which revolved around farming and agriculture, was like any other county in the rural South. However, with the designation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the early 1930s, Sevier County’s outward appearance changed drastically. Today, tourism supports the county’s burgeoning economy and looks to be going that way in the future. The Smoky Mountains have become more of a destination in recent years and Sevier County and its towns and cities have all pushed for it whole-heartedly.
The Sevier County Courthouse in downtown Sevierville houses most of the county’s departments and service offices. The county mayor as well as other county officials including circuit court clerk, clerk and master, county clerk, property assessor, register of deeds, highway commissioner and trustee all work out of offices in the building. Services including vehicle tag renewals, property tax, business tax, driver license renewal, marriage applications, notary applications, beer permits, land records, traffic citations, and the like can all be addressed at the downtown courthouse. The count election commission also holds office downtown.