In 1858, prosperous farmer, railroad investor, and legislator I. T. Lenoir deeded part of his farm for a railroad depot on the East Tennessee and Georgia Railroad, which bisected the fledgling town of Sweetwater. Within a few years, Sweetwater became a bustling shipping point for wagon loads of wheat, other agricultural products, and cattle from farms in southeast Tennessee and western North Carolina. Over the years, the town supported industries ranging from cheese to clothing production while retaining strong ties to the region’s agricultural base. Each year, from mid-November to mid-January, millions of pounds of tobacco are auctioned in warehouses north of Sweetwater on Hwy 11. In 1985, export of local tobacco to national markets shifted from rail transport to commercial trucking, relying on the interstate system.