Who are we?
We are Blount Countians, both old and new, elderly and youthful, retired and still employed, rich and poor, Republican, Democrat and in between, all working together toward a common vision for Blount County. We believe in thoughtful planning and development alongside thoughtful preservation of the rural, natural and historic qualities of our area.
“Raven” was Sam Houston’s Cherokee name. He spent his formative years in Blount County and was adopted by the chief of the Hiwassee Island Cherokee. Houston served as Congressman and Governor of Tennessee; Commander in Chief of the Army of Texas; and President, Senator and Governor of Texas. An avid outdoorsman, he recognized almost 200 years ago the need for Americans to exercise restraint in what we are doing to our land. (More.)
The Raven Society was formed in 2000 to raise awareness of land conservation issues here and to help elect individuals to public office that are concerned about preserving Blount County’s rural, natural and historic qualities.
We believe in smart growth, the idea that conservation and environmental protection is compatible with economic growth. This new way to grow emphasizes preservation of open space and farmland, efficient investment of limited infrastructure dollars, and the strengthening of existing neighborhoods before seeking to develop farther out. Our mission is to support candidates and issues that will maintain the rural, natural and historic features of Blount County and East Tennessee.
Some of our concerns are loss of farmland and open space, air and water pollution, and overcrowded schools and roads. We research issues, hold educational seminars for our members, elected officials and the public; we also sponsor candidate forums during local elections. Our goal is to keep Blount County citizens informed and involved on issues of growth and planning.