As Rhea County continues celebrating America 250, the beloved Strawberry Festival remains one of the county’s most enduring traditions, marking its seventy-ninth year in 2026. Long before the modern festival, strawberries shaped the local economy, with hundreds of freight cars carrying Rhea County berries across the nation during the 1930s and growers becoming known for the quality of their crop. Though the industry is smaller today, the festival still serves as a reminder of the community’s agricultural heritage and the generations who helped make the strawberry a symbol of Rhea County pride.

From the battlefields of the Revolution to the founding of Rhea County, discover the stories, sacrifices, and enduring spirit that shaped Tennessee into the proud “Volunteer State” we know today.

The Graysville Sanitarium, established in 1907 by Drs. Martin and Stella Martinson and modeled after the Battle Creek Sanitarium, was Rhea County’s first medical facility, and its history was later discussed by Dr. Lester Littell in a 1976 talk reflecting on the development of medicine in the United States and in Graysville.