Morganton, Tennessee

Morganton was a community that developed on the Little Tennessee River in Loudon County, Tennessee, in the southeastern United States. It was located 13.7 miles (22.0 km) above the mouth of the river at its confluence with Bakers Creek, flowing westward from Maryville. During its heyday in the 19th century, Morganton thrived as a flatboat port and regional business center. An important ferry operated at Morganton for nearly 170 years providing service across the river. The abandoned townsite was submerged in the late 20th century by creation of Tellico Lake, part of the Tellico Dam hydroelectric project completed in 1979 by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Due largely to the decline in river trade that occurred in the mid-19th century following construction of railroads in East Tennessee, Morganton was mostly deserted by the late 1960s. This was when the TVA began buying up property to prepare for construction of Tellico Dam. Since the flooding of the lake area, the Morganton Cemetery, which overlooks the former townsite, is all that remains of the community. A road and Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency boat ramp are named for Morganton.