Greene County, Tennessee

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Greene County, Tennessee
Greene-county-courthouse-tn1.jpg
Greene County Courthouse in Greeneville
Map of Tennessee highlighting Greene County
Location in the U.S. state of Tennessee
Map of the United States highlighting Tennessee
Tennessee's location in the U.S.
Founded 1783
Named for Nathanael Greene[1]
Seat Greeneville
Largest town Greeneville
Area
 • Total 624 sq mi (1,616 km2)
 • Land 622 sq mi (1,611 km2)
 • Water 2.0 sq mi (5 km2), 0.3%
Population
 • (2010) 68,831
 • Density 111/sq mi (43/km²)
Congressional district 1st
Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website greenecountytngov.com

Greene County is a county located on the eastern border of the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2010 census, the population was 68,831.[2] Its county seat is Greeneville,[3] and the current county mayor is David Loy Crum (R).

Greene County comprises the Greeneville, TN Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

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Greene County developed from the "Nolichucky settlement," established by pioneer Jacob Brown on land leased in the early 1770s from the Cherokee people. The Nolichucky settlement was aligned with the Watauga settlement, centered in modern Elizabethton.

After the United States became independent, Greene County was formed in 1783 from the original Washington County, North Carolina, part of the former Washington District. The county is named for Major General Nathanael Greene[4] (1742-1786), a major general in the Continental Army from Rhode Island. John Crockett, father of Davy Crockett, and his wife settled in the county near Limestone. Davy was born there in 1786. At the time, the area was part of the extra-legal state Franklin.

Greene County is the home of Tusculum College, the oldest college in Tennessee; the state's oldest Methodist congregation (the Ebenezer Methodist Church, near Chuckey), and the state's second oldest continuously cultivated farm (Elmwood Farm, part of the Earnest Farms Historic District). Revolutionary War veteran, and state legislator, Col. Joseph Hardin made Greene County his home for a period of time, serving as justice of the peace and as one of the original trustees of Tusculum (then Greeneville) College.

As with yeomen farmers in much of East Tennessee, those in Greene County were generally Unionist and opposed to secession on the eve of the Civil War. In Tennessee's Ordinance of Secession referendum on June 8, 1861, Greene Countians voted against secession by a vote of 2,691 to 744.[5] Following the vote (the call for secession was passed statewide), the second session of the East Tennessee Convention convened in Greeneville. It called for a separate, Union-aligned state to be formed in East Tennessee.

A railroad bridge near Mosheim was among those destroyed by the East Tennessee bridge-burning conspiracy in November 1861. Several of the conspirators who had taken part in the burning of this bridge were later captured and executed by Confederate supporters, including Jacob Hensie, Henry Fry, Jacob and Henry Harmon, and noted local potter Alex Haun.[6]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 624 square miles (1,620 km2), of which 622 square miles (1,610 km2) is land and 2.0 square miles (5.2 km2) (0.3%) is water.[7] Most of Greene County is located within the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, a range characterized by long, narrow ridges alternating with similarly-shaped valleys. Bays Mountain, a prominent ridge in this range, forms much of Greene's northern border with Hawkins County. The extreme southeastern part of Greene County is located within the Blue Ridge Mountains, specifically a subrange of the Blue Ridge known as the Bald Mountains.[8] This range straddles Greene's border with North Carolina, and includes the county's two highest points: Gravel Knob, which rises to over 4,840 feet (1,480 m), and 4,844-foot (1,476 m) Camp Creek Bald (it's uncertain which is higher due to lack of an exact measurement for Gravel Knob's elevation).[9]

Greene County is drained by the Nolichucky River, which traverses the southern half of the county. This river is impounded by Nolichucky Dam south of Greeneville, creating Davy Crockett Lake.

Adjacent counties

Grave of Andrew Johnson

National protected areas

State protected areas

Other historic sites

Government

County Commission

Members of the county commission are elected by geographic district. They are as follows:

  • District 1: Baileyton, Cross Anchor, Woodlawn, Hardin's & Greeneville
    • Charles Tim White (Greeneville)
    • Dale Tucker (Baileyton)
    • Wade McAmis (Greeneville)
  • District 2: Chuckey, Newmansville, Afton & Jockey.
    • Brad Peters (Afton)
    • Zachary "Zak" Neas (Chuckey)
    • Ted Hensley (Chuckey)
  • District 3: Tusculum & Afton
    • Sharron Collins (Tusculum)
    • Robin Quillen (Afton)
    • Jason Cobble (Afton)
  • District 4: Courthouse, Sunnyside, Greystone and Flag Branch
    • George Clemmer (Greeneville)
    • Eddie Jennings (Greeneville)
    • Lyle Parton (Greeneville)
  • District 5: South Greene, Caney Branch, Middle School & DeBusk
    • Pamela Carpenter (South Greene)
    • Gerald Miller (Greeneville)
    • Tim Shelton (South Greene)
  • District 7: Greeneville (Highland-Roby, High School, Mount Pleasant and Andrew Johnson), Orebank & Glenwood
    • Harold "Butch" Patterson (Greeneville)
    • James Randolph (Greeneville)
    • Hilton Seay (Mosheim)

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1800 7,610
1810 9,713 27.6%
1820 11,324 16.6%
1830 14,410 27.3%
1840 16,076 11.6%
1850 17,824 10.9%
1860 19,004 6.6%
1870 21,668 14.0%
1880 24,005 10.8%
1890 26,614 10.9%
1900 30,596 15.0%
1910 31,083 1.6%
1920 32,824 5.6%
1930 35,119 7.0%
1940 39,405 12.2%
1950 41,048 4.2%
1960 42,163 2.7%
1970 47,630 13.0%
1980 54,422 14.3%
1990 55,853 2.6%
2000 62,909 12.6%
2010 68,831 9.4%
Est. 2014 68,335 [10] −0.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]
1790-1960[12] 1900-1990[13]
1990-2000[14] 2010-2014[2]
Age pyramid Greene County[15]

As of the census[16] of 2000, there were 62,909 people, 25,756 households, and 18,132 families residing in the county. The population density was 101 people per square mile (39/km²). There were 28,116 housing units at an average density of 45 per square mile (17/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.42% White, 2.11% Black or African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from other races, and 0.56% from two or more races. 1.02% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Farm in eastern Greene County

There were 25,756 households out of which 29.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.70% were married couples living together, 10.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.60% were non-families. 25.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.84.

In the county, the population was spread out with 22.20% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 28.70% from 25 to 44, 26.10% from 45 to 64, and 14.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,382, and the median income for a family was $36,889. Males had a median income of $26,331 versus $20,304 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,746. About 11.20% of families and 14.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.00% of those under age 18 and 16.70% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Public schools in Greene County school system include the following, with their enrollments for the 2007-2008 school year:

  • Baileyton Elementary - 365 students
  • Camp Creek Elementary - 315 students
  • Chuckey Elementary - 325 students
  • DeBusk Elementary - 340 students
  • Doak Elementary - 590 students
  • Glenwood Elementary - 255 students
  • McDonald Elementary - 410 students
  • Mosheim Elementary and Middle School - 960 students
  • Nolachuckey Elementary - 340 students
  • Ottway Elementary - 260 students
  • West Pines Elementary - 240 students
  • Chuckey-Doak Middle School - 495 students
  • Chuckey-Doak High School - 710 students
  • North Greene High School - 395 students
  • South Greene High School - 525 students
  • West Greene High School - 735 students

Public schools that are within Greene County but are part of the Greeneville City School System[17] include:

  • Eastview Elementary
  • Hal Henard Elementary
  • Highland Elementary
  • Tusculum View Elementary
  • Greeneville Middle School
  • Greeneville High School
  • Greene Technology Center - 489 students

Hospitals

Two hospitals are located in Greene County: Laughlin Memorial Hospital and Takoma Regional Hospital.

Communities

Towns

City

Census-designated place

Unincorporated communities

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See also

References

  1. Blythe Semmer, "Greene County," Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture. Retrieved: 16 October 2013.
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  5. Oliver Perry Temple, East Tennessee and the Civil War, (R. Clarke Company, 1899), p. 199.
  6. Temple, East Tennessee and Civil War, pp. 370-406.
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  8. Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, et al., "Ambient Air Monitoring Plan," Environmental Protection Agency website, 1 July 2010, p. 6. Accessed: 18 March 2015.
  9. Fred Lobdell, "Greene County High Point Trip Report," COHP.org, 1998. Retrieved: 18 March 2015.
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  15. Based on 2000 census data
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  17. Schools, Greeneville City Schools official website. Retrieved: 16 October 2013.

External links

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