Settled in 1775 and chartered in 1822, the city of Kingsport is steeped in history. An early shipping port on the Holston River, goods were loaded onto barges and floated down the river to Knoxville for further transportation on the Tennessee River.

Johnson City, the largest of the Tri-Cities, is the ninth largest city in the state of Tennessee. Predominantly in Washington County, it also reaches into Carter and Sullivan Counties. Founded in 1856 by Henry Johnson, it was originally called Johnson's Depot and later renamed Johnson City.

The twin cities of Bristol, Tennessee and Bristol, Virginia are located in the northeast portion of the Tri-Cities. Incorporated in 1856, Bristol Tennessee and Bristol, Virginia each have their own municipal governments.

Southwest Virginia was among the last parts of the state to be settled by Europeans, in a flow of migrations that consisted mainly of the English, Germans, and the Scots-Irish.

Living in Northeast Tennessee, Southwest Virginia or Northwest North Carolina yields benefits that transcend even the loftiest of expectations.