Harrison

History

The town developed southeast of Vann's Ferry (Vann Town), a ferry crossing established by James Vann, a prominent Cherokee trader and planter. It was later named Harrison after President William Henry Harrison and became the seat of Hamilton County in 1840. The county seat was later moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee, after the Civil War. The first post office was opened on June 16, 1841. In 1870 the Hamilton County Courthouse was moved from Harrison to Chattanooga. Harrison's borders were once larger than today. When the Chickamauga Dam was completed on the Tennessee River by the Tennessee Valley Authority in 1940, much of the city was flooded, as portrayed in the 1960 movie Wild River. Some parts of the old city, such as old building foundations, roads, and guard rails, can still be seen, especially in and around Harrison Bay, named for the submerged town. Harrison Bay State Park is a TVA-built park in the area now.

Geography

Harrison is located at (35.119296, -85.149487). According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it (20.57%) is water.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  26,520
• Carolina Wren

  Thryothorus ludovicianus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  22,270
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  22,235
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  19,459
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  18,755
• Northern Mockingbird

  Mimus polyglottos (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  18,648
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  18,631
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  17,990

Most recent

• M 2.58 — 2025-02-25
  8 km N of Menlo, Georgia
• M 2.58 — 2024-03-10
  14 km W of Graysville, Tennessee
• M 2.58 — 2024-02-29
  9 km NNW of Graysville, Tennessee
• M 2.5 — 2023-12-23
  7 km ENE of Stevenson, Alabama
• M 2.52 — 2023-06-21
  6 km SSE of Sewanee, Tennessee
• M 2.94 — 2022-01-21
  16 km NNE of Eton, Georgia