In 1770, Peter Livingston became the first settler in the Hiltons area when he established a farm on the North Fork of the Holston River at the mouth of Livingston Creek, about nine miles northeast of present-day Hiltons. With the arrival two years later of Abraham and James Fulkerson, who settled nearby at Dowell Gap, the first permanent settlement was begun. In 1795, the first member of the Hilton family, Reverend Samuel Hilton, moved from North Carolina to build a log house on the banks of the Holston River at the site of present-day Hiltons. When Scott County was later divided into magisterial districts, this portion became the Fulkerson District and the first post office was located in the home of John Hilton. With the coming of the railroad, the station was named Hiltons in honor of the Hilton family and the post office was moved near there in 1889.

In 1870, the State Legislature passed a bill authorizing the first pubic free schools in the state and five of these were located in the Fulkerson District. At first there were two one-room schools at Hiltons which later were combined and located in one two-story building near the depot. This building, which was the beginning of Hilton school, was the center of community social activities.

The first Hilton High School, with a separate gymnasium, opened in December of 1921 with an enrollment of 100 students, including elementary and high school. Tuition was charged for high school and district taxes were increased to help pay for the new building. There were three students in the first graduating class and Mr. C.T. Lark was the first principal. In 1947-48, five classrooms and a cafeteria were added to the original structure. A separate two-room building was added to provide for a business curriculum in 1951.

In 1956, grades nine through twelve were moved to the new Gate City High School; and shortly afterwards the old gymnasium was removed. In 1972, a new gymnasium was built. A new, modern building with carpeted floors and open classrooms around the library-media center, greeted the students in 1975, at which time the eighth grade was moved to Shoemaker Junior High. When the old school building was removed, the site was leveled and paved to be used as a parking and play area.

In 1988, the seventh grade was moved to the new Gate City Middle School Complex. Hilton Elementary School now has grades kindergarten through sixth.

Since establishment, Hilton School has been served by many outstanding educators. This following list is some of the people who have been principal at the school: Tim Spicer, David Wininger, Larry Culbertson, Gilbert Smith, Chris Haynes, Marie Miller, Byrd Blackburn, Darryl Johnson, Freddy Fugate, and C. T. Lark

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