 It is part of the Johnson City Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a component of the Johnson City–Kingsport–Bristol, TN-VA Combined Statistical Area – commonly known as the "Tri-Cities" region.Some of the earliest European pioneers in Tennessee settled in the vicinity of Watauga in the mid-18th century.William Bean, traditionally recognized as Tennessee's first white settler, built his cabin at the mouth of Boone Creek, downstream from modern Watauga, in 1769.