Union County, Tennessee
| Union County, Tennessee | |
 Union County Courthouse in Maynardville
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 Location in the state of Tennessee |
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 Tennessee's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | 1850 |
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| Named for | Either its creation from parts of five other counties or its support for the Union during the Civil War[1] |
| Seat | Maynardville |
| Largest city | Plainview |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
247 sq mi (640 km²) 224 sq mi (579 km²) 24 sq mi (61 km²), 9.54% |
| Population - (2000) - Density |
17,808 80/sq mi (31/km²) |
| Time zone | Eastern: UTC-5/-4 |
| Website | www.unioncountytn.com |
Union County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. Its population was 17,808 as of the United States Census, 2000. Its county seat is Maynardville.[2] It is included in the Knoxville, Tennessee, Metropolitan Statistical Area.
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History [edit]
Union County was formed in 1850 from portions of Grainger, Claiborne, Campbell, Anderson and Knox counties. There are at least two theories on the source of its name. The name may commemorate the "union" of sections of five counties, or it may reflect East Tennessee's support for the preservation of the Union in the years before the Civil War.[3]
In the 1930s, the damming of the Clinch River by Norris Dam to form Norris Lake inundated a large part of the county,[4] including the community of Loyston, and displaced many residents. With assistance from the National Park Service and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) developed Big Ridge State Park as a demonstration park on the shore of the lake in Union County. The park's recreational facilities opened in May 1934.[5]
Geography [edit]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 247 square miles (640 km2), of which 224 square miles (580 km2) is land and 24 square miles (62 km2) (9.54%) is water.
Adjacent counties [edit]
- Claiborne County (north)
- Grainger County (east)
- Knox County (south)
- Anderson County (southwest)
- Campbell County (northwest)
Demographics [edit]
At the 2000 census[6], there were 17,808 people, 6,742 households and 5,191 families residing in the county. The population density was 80 per square mile (31/km²). There were 7,916 housing units at an average density of 35 per square mile (14/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.46% White, 0.10% Black or African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.17% from other races, and 0.86% from two or more races. 0.79% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 6,742 households of which 35.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.20% were married couples living together, 10.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.00% were non-families. 19.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 2.99.
25.70% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.90% from 18 to 24, 31.00% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 10.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 98.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.60 males.
The median household income was $27,335 and the median family income was $31,843. Males had a median income of $26,436 versus $18,665 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,375. About 16.80% of families and 19.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.10% of those under age 18 and 27.80% of those age 65 or over.
Populated places [edit]
- Braden (unincorporated)
- Luttrell
- Maynardville
- Plainview
- Sharps Chapel (unincorporated)
Notable people [edit]
- Roy Acuff, entertainer
- Chet Atkins, entertainer
- Jake Butcher, former banker and politician, convicted of fraud
- Kenny Chesney, entertainer
- John Rice Irwin, historian and founder of Museum of Appalachia
- Florence Reece, who wrote the song "Which Side Are You On?", was born in Sharps Chapel in 1900.
- Carl Smith, entertainer
Education [edit]
- Big Ridge Elementary School
- Horace Maynard Middle School (previously Horace Maynard High School until 1997)
- Luttrell Elementary School
- Maynardville Elementary School
- Paulette Elementary School
- Sharps Chapel Elementary School
- Union County Alternative Center Grades 6-12
- Union County High School
Attractions [edit]
- Big Ridge State Park
- Roy Acuff Museum
See also [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ Bonnie Heiskell Peters, "Union County," Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture. Retrieved: 19 April 2013.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ Origins Of Tennessee County Names, Tennessee Blue Book, 2005-2006, page 513
- ^ History, Union County Chamber of Commerce website, accessed December 5, 2009
- ^ America from the Great Depression to World War II: Black-and-White Photographs from the FSA-OWI, 1935-1945, LC-USW33- 015718-C
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ Based on 2000 census data
External links [edit]
- Official site
- Union County Chamber of Commerce
- Union County Public Schools
- TNGenWeb
- Union County at the Open Directory Project
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Campbell County | Claiborne County | |
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Grainger County | |||
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| Anderson County | Knox County |
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