John C. Calhoun, Southern statesman and vice president under Andrew Jackson, once said, "the Lenoir estate in Loudon County is the most princely property in Tennessee. It has all the picturesque environments and attractive surroundings of an English baronial estate." In 1890, the Lenoir estate became Lenoir City thanks to a group of forward-thinking businessmen from New York City and Knoxville who saw the value and potential of the property once given to Gen. William Lenoir in appreciation for his exemplary Revolutionary War service. Surrounded by the meandering Tennessee River, the town was the perfect setting for water-driven industries such as flour and cotton mills, barges, and ferries. Today Lenoir City is a growing town that offers residents and visitors abundant recreational, shopping, and dining venues. It is located in Loudon County, the "Lakeway to the Smokies."