European settlers first arrived in present day White Pine during the final years of the American Revolutionary War. The community was originally known as "Dandridge Crossing", based on its proximity to the Jefferson County seat, Dandridge. After the American Civil War, a railroad route was constructed in the area, crossing a prominent stagecoach path. The town was later founded in 1870 due to the growth of the area. The town was renamed to White Pine in 1873, after a large pine tree that once stood along Main Street. Twenty years later, White Pine was officially incorporated.