[5] However, some historians suggest the county was named for Revolutionary War soldier James White, the founder of Knoxville.

Three years later a permanent county seat was established on the banks of the Calfkiller River and named Sparta.

In 1840, White County became a destination for people from all over the country when Christopher Haufmann erected a large hotel on Bon Air Mountain, part of the Cumberland Plateau.

The hotel was near some mineral springs as well as being at a high altitude; both were thought to promote health, and people came from far and wide for the "cures" advertised by the resort.

[7] The Civil War deeply affected White County, although no major battles were fought in the area.

[1] One famous Confederate guerrilla operating in the area was Champ Ferguson, who caused much mayhem and destruction before he was arrested after the war on May 28, 1865.

The county was connected to the outside world by railroad, mainly because of the booming coal mining industries being started on Bon Air Mountain.

The mountain was rich in bituminous coal, and enterprising local businessmen were quick to realize the profit potential that represented.

Several mining towns sprang up on the plateau part of the county, including Bon Air, Eastland, and Ravenscroft.

[8] In 1981, a dispute between a local mining company and residents escalated and later became a Tennessee Supreme Court case known as Doochin v. Rackley.

[10] The eastern part of the county lies atop the Cumberland Plateau, while the western portion is situated on the Highland Rim, at a lower elevation.

The river descends from the Cumberland Plateau to the Highland Rim through Scott's Gulf, a dramatic gorge noted for scenic waterfalls, most notably the 110-foot (34 m) Virgin Falls.