Athens, Tennessee, was created in 1822 on land obtained from William Lowry and Joseph Calloway, with an original boundary of 35 acres along Eastnalle Creek, whose water powered mills that later located there. A large spring near the center of town, still flowing beneath Market Park, provided a healthy water supply, and nine commissioners laid out the town in lots and named its streets. The Tennessee legislature officially named Athens on August 23, 1822, and local lore credits commissioner Elijah Hurst with suggesting the name after the ancient city of Greece. In 1823, the McMinn County seat moved from Calhoun to Athens to make government more accessible to most county residents. By the 1830 census, Athens had a population of 500 and was a thriving community with lawyers, ministers, doctors, stores, a tavern, a printing office, skilled trades, mills, a factory, and male and female academies. The Athens Roller Mill stood on the current site of Veterans Park Plaza and used water from the creek to power a waterwheel, reflecting the important role of water in the town's establishment and growth. The CDR Joseph T. Neville Memorial Waterwheel honors retired Commander Joseph T. Neville, United States Navy, who commanded the USS Charles R. Ware DD-865 from November 1966 through March 1969 during combat service in Vietnam, retired in 1973, married Chloe in 1974 after moving to Tallahassee, Florida, joined in a 2002 effort to recognize the ship's namesake Charles R. Ware of Athens, and supported the McMinn County Living Heritage Museum in establishing a nationally distinguished exhibit dedicated to a United States Navy ship.