Paris, Tennessee
| Paris, Tennessee | |
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| — City — | |
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| Coordinates: 36°18′4″N 88°18′50″W / 36.30111°N 88.31389°WCoordinates: 36°18′4″N 88°18′50″W / 36.30111°N 88.31389°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Tennessee |
| County | Henry |
| Area | |
| • Total | 10.9 sq mi (28.3 km2) |
| • Land | 10.9 sq mi (28.2 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.1 km2) |
| Elevation | 515 ft (157 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| • Total | 9,763 |
| • Density | 897.4/sq mi (346.5/km2) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 38242 |
| Area code(s) | 731 |
| FIPS code | 47-56720[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1296772[2] |
Paris is a city in Henry County, Tennessee, United States, 86 miles (138 km) west of Nashville, on a fork of the West Sandy River. In 1900, 2,018 people lived in Paris, Tennessee; in 1910, 3,881; and in 1940, 6,395. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 9,763. It is the county seat of Henry County.[3]
A 60-foot (18 m) tall replica of the Eiffel Tower stands in Paris.[4] Paris is also home of the "World's Biggest Fish Fry".
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[edit] History
The present site of Paris was selected by five commissioners appointed to the task at the December 1822 session of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions of Henry County. Their choice was fifty acres, 37 and one half of which were owned by Joseph Blythe and 12 and one half owned by Peter Ruff, both of whom gifted the land. A public square, streets, alleys and 104 lots were laid off and the lots were sold at auction over a two day period in either March or April 1823.[5]
Paris was incorporated on 30 September 1823. It was the first town incorporated in west Tennessee, followed by Lexington on 9 October 1824, and Memphis on 19 December 1826.[5][6][7]
[edit] Geography
Paris is located at 36°18′4″N 88°18′50″W / 36.30111°N 88.31389°W (36.301229, -88.313815)[8].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.9 square miles (28 km2), of which, 10.9 square miles (28 km2) of it is land and 0.04-square-mile (0.10 km2) of it is water. The total area is 0.37% water.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 9,763 people, 4,394 households, and 2,605 families residing in the city. The population density was 897.4 people per square mile (346.5/km²). There were 4,965 housing units at an average density of 456.4 per square mile (176.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 77.09% White, 20.26% African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.60% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.39% from other races, and 1.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.18% of the population.
There were 4,394 households out of which 24.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.5% were married couples living together, 16.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.7% were non-families. 36.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.77.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.7% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 22.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 81.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,261, and the median income for a family was $32,258. Males had a median income of $27,759 versus $20,198 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,572. About 14.1% of families and 19.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.6% of those under age 18 and 20.5% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Industry
Local companies manufacture brakes, small electric motors, aftermarket auto parts, metal doors, rubber parts and school laboratory furniture.[9]
[edit] Culture
[edit] Eiffel Tower
Originally constructed by Christian Brothers University in the early 1990s, the Eiffel Tower is located in Memorial Park. The original tower suffered from wood decay and was later replaced with a metal structure. The tower is a 60-foot (18 m) tall scale model of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.[10]
In addition to the Eiffel Tower, Memorial Park provides tennis courts, a public Olympic-sized swimming pool, soccer fields, two walking trails, a children's playground with pavilions, and a newly constructed frisbee golf course.
[edit] World's Biggest Fish Fry
Paris is home of the "World's Biggest Fish Fry". The festival is held every year and culminates on a weekend, on the last full week in April, with a parade, an art and craft fair, a rodeo and a fun fair. Part of the festivities include the "catfish races." There is a sign which features a roughly 20-foot (6.1 m) long catfish that can be seen when entering the town from the south on U.S. Highway 79. As Kentucky lake is only a 20 minute drive away from downtown, fishing is a popular activity.
[edit] Arts
Paris is known for its support of the arts. Many large events of musical nature take place in the city's auditorium, the Krider Performing Arts Center. Known as "KPAC", the building is attached to the city's public elementary school, Paris Elementary.
[edit] Notable people
- Edwin Wiley Grove (1850–1927), operated a drug store in Paris, established Paris Medicine Company 1886, endowed E. W. Grove High School 1906[11]
- Howell Edmunds Jackson, U.S. Supreme Court Justice 1893-95[12]
- Vernon Jarrett, political activist, social commentator and Chicago Tribune's first African American syndicated columnist[13]
- Bobby Jones, gospel singer[14]
- Cherry Jones, Tony Award-winning actress[15]
- Charles Gilbert "Chick" King, outfielder for Detroit Tigers 1954-56, Chicago Cubs 1958-59 and St. Louis Cardinals 1959,[16] first two-sport professional athlete
- Harry Neal, member of piano duo Nelson and Neal
- James D. Porter, Jr., Tennessee governor 1875–1879[17]
- Stephen M. Veazey, President of Community of Christ 2005 to present[18]
- Hank Williams Jr., Country Music Star[19]
[edit] Paris/Henry County media
- Radio stations
- WAKQ-FM 105.5 - KF99-KQ105
- WTPR-AM 710 - WENK-WTPR
- WTPR-FM 101.7
- WMUF-AM 1000
- WMUF-FM 104.7 "104.7 W-M-U-F"
- WLZK-FM 94.1 "The Lake"
- Newspapers
[edit] References
- ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ http://www.paristnchamber.com/eiffeltower.htm Paris, TN Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved on 2008-02-17.
- ^ a b Johnson, E. McLeod (1958). A History of Henry County Tennessee, Volume 1.
- ^ "The Goodspeed Publishing Co., History of Tennessee, 1886 History of Henderson County". http://www.tngenweb.org/goodspeed/henderson/. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
- ^ "Memphis History and Facts". http://www.memphislibrary.lib.tn.us/history/memphis2.htm. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ^ http://www.paristnchamber.com/industry.htm Paris, TN Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved on 2008-02-17.
- ^ "Eiffel Tower". Paris-Henry County Chamber of Commerce. http://www.paristnchamber.com/eiffeltower.htm. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
- ^ "Dr. Edwin Wiley Grove". http://ewgrove.com/groveleg/ewdex.htm. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
- ^ "JACKSON, Howell Edmunds, (1832 - 1895)". http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=j000014. Retrieved 3/8/11.
- ^ Lamb, Yvonne. "Vernon Jarrett, 84; Journalist, Crusader". Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A53239-2004May24.html. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
- ^ "Bobby Jone Radio Show". http://www.sgnthelight.com/showdj.asp?DJID=22251. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
- ^ "Cherry Jones". Imdb. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0427728/. Retrieved 3/8/11.
- ^ "About Chick King". http://www.sportsmemorabilia.com/player/Chick_King. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
- ^ "Tennessee Governor James Davis Porter". http://www.nga.org/cms/home/governors/past-governors-bios/page_tennessee/col2-content/main-content-list/title_porter_james.html. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
- ^ "STEPHEN M. VEAZEY". http://www.cofchrist.org/bio/current/Veazey-Steve.asp. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
- ^ {cite web|title=HANK WILLIAMS JR|url=http://www.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hank_Williams_Jr}}
[edit] External links
- Official city web site
- World's Biggest Fish Fry
- Our Town USA
- The Paris Post-Intelligencer
- Pie bird convention [1]
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