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 Scott County was established in 1849 from portions of Fentress, Morgan, and Campbell Counties, and was named in honor of General Winfield Scott, a veteran of the War of 1812 and the Mexican War, who also served as the Chief of Staff for the Army and as an advisor to the President. The earliest known settlers came to Scott County in 1786 and settled along New River and its tributaries. The mild climate, abundant rainfall, and prime agricultural land encouraged settlers to stay.
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 Scott County is located in northeastern Tennessee on the Cumberland Plateau in the western foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in a rugged and scenic region. The western portion of Scott County contains the Big South Fork River Gorge. Scott County is approximately 65 miles northwest of Knoxville, around 155 miles northeast of Nashville, and about 120 miles south of Lexington, KY. Scott County consists of 348,160 acres of land and is bordered on the north by Kentucky, to the east by Campbell County, to the east-southeast by Anderson County, to the south by Morgan County, and to the west by Fentress County.
Scott County is an Enterprise Community with a skilled labor force with work ethics that is second to none. Enterprise Zone programs are available to business or industry wishing to relocate, expand or embark upon a new business.
 Scott County consists of approximately 536 square miles. In 2000 Scott County had an estimated population of 21,127. Thirty-nine percent of the Scott County population is under the age of 25, while 12 percent is 65 years old or older.
Scott County consists of four formal government jurisdictions-- the county and three incorporated municipalities. Huntsville, the county seat, is located along Tennessee Highway 63 in the geographic center of the county. Huntsville was incorporated in 1965 being primarily a residential community. Huntsville contains the county's administrative offices and a limited number of retail establishments. Oneida is situated along U.S. Highway 27, about five miles south of the Tennessee-Kentucky border. It is the largest town in Scott County, located near the center of Scott County, and was incorporated in 1913. Oneida serves as the residential, commercial, and industrial center of the county. The town's population grew from 2,602 in 1970 to 3,502 in 2000. Winfield is located on U.S. Highway 27 in the extreme northern part of Scott County and was incorporated in 1983. Winfield possesses a rural character and a small town atmosphere. Limited commercial and industrial development exists in Winfield with a 2000 population of 564. Most residents reside along the main roads of intersection U.S. Highway 27.
Norfolk Southern Railway provides rail service. The rail line runs in a north-south direction. Norfolk Southern provides direct and indirect service to many major industrial cities in the eastern United States.
The closest interstate, Interstate 75, is approximately 20 miles east of Scott County by way of Highway 63 (Baker Highway). The primary highway serving Scott County is Highway 27 being a north-south highway from Lexington, Kentucky to Chattanooga, Tennessee.
The Scott County Airport has a 5,500 foot paved runway. Scheduled air service is available at the Knoxville McGhee Tyson Airport approximately 90 miles southeast of Scott County.
The Tennessee Valley Authority, one of the nation's largest electric power systems, provides electrical power to Plateau Electric Cooperative that provides electricity to Scott County. Citizens Gas Utility District supplies natural gas to the area. Highland Telephone Cooperative offers telephone, internet service, and long distance.
The Scott County School System and the Oneida Independent School System provides primary and secondary education to Scott County students. Also, Landmark Christian School offers non-public primary and secondary education. Roane State Community College provides the opportunity for adults of all ages to continue their education and earn an associates degree. Tennessee Technological University offers upper level courses. Vocational training is available at the Tennessee Technology Center. The University of Tennessee is located approximately 70 miles east of Scott County in Knoxville.
Scott County is blessed with an abundance of natural resources including timber, coal, oil, and natural gas. Timber has traditionally been a major economic activity in Scott County because of its abundant mixture of hardwood and softwood forests. Of Scott County's approximately 338,000 acres, 300,300 acres, or 88.9 percent, are in forests. Although coal production decreased dramatically during the 1980's, there remains a large coal reserves, as there is a large reserve of oil and natural gas.
The Industrial Development Board of Scott County, the Town of Oneida, and the Town of Winfield have developed industrial property with all infrastructures available. The Industrial Development Board of Scott County has an available spec building located in the Helenwood Industrial Park.
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