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Huntsville, Tennessee

Scott County’s small seat on the northern Cumberland Plateau — a 1904 fortress jail turned museum, a pioneer village built by high-school students, the spring and waterfall that put the town here, and the gateway to Brimstone’s off-road country.

Town · incorporated 1965Seat of Scott County →Pop. 1,270 (2020)Eastern timeThings to do ↓Eat & drink ↓Places to stay ↓Events ↓A short history ↓Town hall & resources ↓

Checked Oct 29, 2026 · sources at the bottom

In 30 seconds
  • Why stop: tour the Historic Scott County Jail, see the student-built Museum of Scott County, walk to the Old Town Springs waterfall — then ride Brimstone’s trails or head west through Oneida to the national river and recreation area.
  • Before you go: the jail museum is closed Tuesday and Wednesday; the Museum of Scott County is by appointment during the school year, with free USS Tennessee open days on set Saturdays.
  • Don’t confuse: this is Huntsville, Tennessee (Scott County, about 1,300 people) — not Huntsville, Alabama. The Big South Fork park’s visitor centers are reached via Oneida and US 27, not in Huntsville itself.

Visitor directory

Things to do in and around Huntsville

In town

  • Historic Scott County Jail ↗214 Litton Covered Bridge Rd · the fortress-like jail, built in 1904 to a design by Chattanooga architect J. G. Barnwell, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is the oldest building still standing in Huntsville. Today it is a privately run true-crime and law-enforcement museum on all three floors, with an audio tour; flashlight tours and paranormal investigations after dark by reservation · March–December: Thu–Sat 11 AM–4 PM, Sun noon–4 PM, Mon 11 AM–4 PM ET, closed Tue–Wed (shorter hours in January–February) · self-guided admission $12, ages 5–10 $9, plus tax · the upper floors are reached by stairs only · (423) 663-5353. ⓘ source
  • Museum of Scott County ↗400 Scott High Dr, on the Scott High School campus · free · a two-acre village of more than a dozen log and stone buildings, built, run and maintained by Scott High students since it opened in May 2003: a history museum covering the county from prehistoric times on, a pioneer village of relocated log buildings (homestead, rifle-smith shop, general store, schoolhouse), the Learning Lodge children’s museum, the Baker Building on Sen. Howard Baker Jr.’s career, and the USS Tennessee (BB-43) battleship memorial museum · during the school year visits are by appointment, (423) 701-0168 · the Heritage Festival fills the grounds on the last Saturday of September. ⓘ source
  • Old Town Springs Park & New River boat launch ↗Beside the old Scott County courthouse and jail complex downtown · benches, picnic tables and an observation platform over the Old Town Springs waterfall — the spring that helped Huntsville win the county seat in 1849 · just over the hill on Old Town Springs Rd: another picnic area and a public boat launch on the New River, a major tributary of the Big South Fork · gateway to the New River Greenway.
  • Huntsville City Park ↗Town park with a softball field, soccer field, paved walking trail, big playground, zip line, basketball courts, a picnic shelter and frisbee golf · open daily 8 AM–10 PM.
  • The courthouse mallThe courthouse mall in downtown Huntsville, with its gazebo stage, is where the Scott County Chamber of Commerce holds its free Fall on the Mall each October — the 10th annual was set for Oct. 24, 2026, with local musicians, karaoke and costume contests, food trucks, crafters and a trunk-or-treat. ⓘ source

Just outside town

  • Brimstone Recreation ↗Headquarters at 2860 Baker Hwy (TN 63), Huntsville; the trails spread across the mountains outside town · a privately managed off-road park on more than 19,000 acres, with over 300 miles of OHV trails and roads, overlooks, and cabins and a campground on site · open 365 days a year · trail permits and rules on Brimstone’s site; Jeeps, rail buggies and trucks are not allowed on the trail system · (423) 663-4868. ⓘ source

Nearby: Big South Fork (via Oneida)

  • Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area (NPS) ↗Not in Huntsville — from town, the closest park roads run west from Oneida. From Huntsville, take US 27 north about 7 miles to Oneida, then TN 297 west; the Bandy Creek Visitor Center is about 15 miles west of Oneida. The free-flowing river and its sandstone gorges are shared by Scott, Fentress, Pickett and Morgan counties and McCreary County, Ky.; Huntsville native Howard Baker Jr. sponsored the legislation behind the park. Trails, overlooks and campgrounds are on our Scott County guide. ⓘ source
  • Helenwood Visitor Center (Scott County Visitor Center) ↗12025 Scott Hwy (US 27), Helenwood, between Huntsville and Oneida · shared with the Scott County Chamber; national-park information from rangers, free Wi-Fi and restrooms · open 7 days a week, 9 AM–5 PM ET · (423) 663-6900.

Eat & drink

  • Zach & Dani’s Firehouse Pizza1020 Baker Hwy · pizza, wings, breadsticks, burgers, subs, salads and calzones — dine in, carry out or delivery · (423) 663-8600. ⓘ source
  • Panda Restaurant447 Baker Hwy · Chinese · (423) 663-2900 (Discover Scott listing). ⓘ source
  • Flonnie’s Drive-In122 Glass House Rd · a Scott County classic with the usual drive-in foods — dine in or use the walk-up window · (423) 663-2998 (Discover Scott listing). ⓘ source
  • Howdy Coffee Co.631 E. Monticello Pike · coffee and cold drinks (Discover Scott listing). ⓘ source
  • Little’s Drugs & Fountain ↗11735 Scott Hwy, Helenwood, on US 27 between Huntsville and Oneida · soups, sandwiches, ice cream and a soda fountain inside the pharmacy · store hours Mon–Fri 8 AM–6 PM · (423) 663-9855. ⓘ source

Places to stay

  • Grand Vista Hotel ↗11597 Scott Hwy, Helenwood, right off US 27 between Huntsville and Oneida · two-story, 49 rooms with mini fridges and microwaves, seasonal outdoor pool, morning coffee · popular with Brimstone riders · (423) 663-4100.
  • Brimstone Recreation cabins & campground ↗On the off-road park’s property outside Huntsville — book through Brimstone.

More motels and cabins in Oneida and near the national park: Discover Scott ↗.

Checked Oct 29, 2026 · businesses copied from each business’s own page or its Scott County Chamber / Discover Scott listing — free listings; call ahead, small-town hours change.

Coming up in Huntsville

  • Thu Oct 29 — Last day of early votingThe Oct. 14–29 early-voting period for the Nov. 3 election ends today · sites and hours from the Scott County Election Commission, 2845 Baker Hwy, Huntsville, (423) 663-3210. ⓘ source
  • Tue Nov 3 — Election DayPolls 8 AM–8 PM ET at your own precinct · the governor’s race and U.S. Senate and House races are on the ballot; Huntsville has no town race this year (its next town election is in 2028 — Winfield votes for mayor and aldermen). ⓘ source
  • Sat Nov 7 — USS Tennessee (BB-43) museum open day10 AM–4 PM ET at the Museum of Scott County, Scott High School campus · free. ⓘ source
  • Thu Nov 19 — Board of Mayor and Aldermen6 PM ET at Town Hall, 3053 Baker Hwy (meets the 3rd Thursday). ⓘ source
  • Sat Nov 21 — USS Tennessee (BB-43) museum open day10 AM–4 PM ET at the Museum of Scott County · free. ⓘ source
  • Sat Dec 5 — USS Tennessee museum open day · Scott County Christmas ParadeMuseum 10 AM–4 PM ET in Huntsville. The county’s Christmas parade steps off at 2 PM ET in Oneida, not Huntsville — from HBD Industries on Industrial Lane, up Alberta Street to Oneida Elementary; rain date Sun Dec 6, 3 PM. ⓘ source
  • Thu Dec 17 — Board of Mayor and Aldermen6 PM ET at Town Hall (3rd Thursday). ⓘ source

Every year: the Heritage Festival at the Museum of Scott County (last Saturday of September) and Fall on the Mall on the courthouse mall (October) — 2027 dates from the Scott County Chamber ↗.

Checked Oct 29, 2026 · times Eastern · dates from UT MTAS, the Scott County Election Commission, the Scott County Chamber and Discover Scott. More Scott County events on the county guide.

Area news

Headlines from local outlets · Huntsville & Scott County

  • Independent Herald · Oct 22, 2026

    The Scott County Chamber’s 10th annual Fall on the Mall was set for Oct. 24 on the courthouse mall in downtown Huntsville, with local musicians, contests, food trucks and a trunk-or-treat.

    Read at Independent Herald →
  • Scott County News · Sep 22, 2026

    Huntsville’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen appointed a new alderman to fill the seat left open when the vice mayor moved up to mayor.

    Read at Scott County News →
  • WBIR 10 · Sep 17, 2026

    Construction began on a $2.2 million gym at Huntsville Elementary School, with a regulation floor and bleachers for up to 575.

    Read at WBIR 10 →
  • Independent Herald · Sep 2, 2026

    Great Dane’s Huntsville plant is building the company’s new all-aluminum Freedom Ultra flatbed trailer.

    Read at Independent Herald →

Short summaries in our words — tap through to read the full story at the outlet. All area news → · Outlet requests: [email protected]

A short history

When the General Assembly created Scott County in 1849 from parts of Anderson, Campbell, Fentress and Morgan counties — naming it for Gen. Winfield Scott — three spots were proposed for the county seat: farms on Buffalo Creek, on Paint Rock Creek, and here. This site won partly because of its natural spring, which could supply a town’s water; 25 acres were bought from George McDonald and Emanuel Phillips and the town was laid out. Huntsville was named for an early hunter. The county’s first election was held in March 1850 and its first court that July; the first courthouse went up in 1851 and was replaced in 1874 and again in the 20th century.

Scott County was strongly Unionist. U.S. Sen. Andrew Johnson spoke against secession at the courthouse in Huntsville on June 4, 1861; the county voted against secession by the widest margin of any county in Tennessee, and later that year the county court passed a protest resolution declaring a “Free and Independent State of Scott.” There was guerrilla fighting, but no major battle in the county.

After the war, the Cincinnati Southern Railroad through Oneida opened the county to timber and coal, and lumbering became Huntsville’s chief business. The county jail built in 1904 — fortress-like, by Chattanooga architect J. G. Barnwell — is now the oldest building in town and is on the National Register. U.S. 27 arrived in the late 1920s. Huntsville was incorporated as a town in 1965 and is governed by a mayor and board of aldermen under Tennessee’s general law.

Howard H. Baker Jr. was born in Huntsville on Nov. 15, 1925, the son of future Congressman Howard Baker Sr. He built a law practice in Scott County before winning a U.S. Senate seat in 1966 — Tennessee’s first popularly elected Republican senator — and went on to the Watergate committee, Senate majority leader and White House chief of staff. He also sponsored the legislation behind the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. Today Huntsville is home to county government, Scott High School and its museum, and Great Dane’s trailer plant.

Visit: Historic Scott County Jail ↗ · Museum of Scott County ↗

Scott County’s history → · East Tennessee history hub →

Town hall & local resources

Town of Huntsville official site ↗ — town services, parks, property taxes and public notices. Huntsville has an elected mayor and board of aldermen (general-law mayor-aldermanic charter); the board meets the 3rd Thursday at 6 PM ET at Town Hall. Scott County government is also based in Huntsville, at the county office building on Baker Highway.

Checked Oct 29, 2026 · official sites only · numbers copied from each agency’s own page — tap ⓘ to confirm. Emergencies: call 911.

Around Scott County

← Scott County guide — the county directory, Big South Fork’s Leatherwood Ford, East Rim and campgrounds, the North Cumberland WMA and Scott State Forest.

Other Scott County towns: Oneida · Winfield. Communities: Helenwood · Robbins · Elgin · Norma · Pine Hill · Smoky Junction · Straight Fork.

Other county-seat guides: Wartburg (Morgan County) · Kingston (Roane County).

Sources

Checked Oct 29, 2026