[1] During the American Civil War, Confederate Lieutenant General James Longstreet established a headquarters in the Nenney House in Russellville just after the Battle of Bean's Station in December 1863.

It was originally called the Tavern with the Red Door, while General Joseph B. Kershaw was at the nearby Taylor plantation.

The nearby Bethesda Presbyterian Church was used as a hospital during the Civil War and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

[8][9] In the mid and early twentieth century, Russellville was a hub for production and distribution of bootleg whiskey.

As of 2020, portions of the Russellville community, including an industrial park, have been annexed into the city limits of Morristown.