Originally known as Tuckaleechee Cove by the Cherokee, Townsend was chartered in 1921 and shaped by the Little River Railroad and Lumber Company. The city is named after Colonel Wilson B. Townsend, who purchased tens of thousands of acres for logging before eventually selling much of it to help form the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Today, it is celebrated as the "Peaceful Side of the Smokies," maintaining its heritage through local museums and a focus on natural preservation over commercialization.