Montgomery County, Tennessee

Montgomery County, Tennessee
Montgomery County Courthouse in Clarksville
Seal Logo
Location within the U.S. state of Tennessee
Tennessee's location within the U.S.
Founded	1796 (1796)
Named for	John Montgomery[1]
Seat	Clarksville
Largest city	Clarksville
Area
• Total	544 sq mi (1,409 km2)
• Land	539 sq mi (1,396 km2)
• Water	4.7 sq mi (12 km2), 0.9%
Population (est.)
• (2017)	200,182
• Density	371/sq mi (143/km2)
Congressional district	7th
Time zone	Central: UTC−6/−5
Website	[<span%20class="url">.org mcgtn.org%20mcgtn<wbr/>.org]</span>]

Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2010 census, the population was 172,331.^[2] The county seat is Clarksville.^[3] The county was created in 1836.^[1][4][5]

Montgomery County is included in the Clarksville, TN–KY Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Contents

• 
  1 History
  


• 
  2 Geography
  
  
  
  • 
    2.1 Dunbar Cave
    
  
  
  • 
    2.2 Adjacent counties
    
  
  
  • 
    2.3 State protected areas
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  3 Demographics
  


• 
  4 Government
  
  
  
  • 
    4.1 Elected officials
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  5 Communities
  
  
  
  • 
    5.1 City
    
  
  
  • 
    5.2 Unincorporated communities
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  6 See also
  


• 
  7 References
  


• 
  8 External links
  

History

The county was named for John Montgomery, a soldier in the American Revolutionary War and an early settler who founded the city of Clarksville. It was organized in 1796 when Tennessee County, North Carolina, became a state. (The federal government reached an agreement with a number of states, including North Carolina, to give up their land as far as the Mississippi River which had been promised them in their colonial charters.) The same year, much of the eastern portion of the county was combined with land taken from Sumner County to form Robertson County, Tennessee. Later acts of the Tennessee General Assembly had further reduced the county by 1871 to its current size and boundaries.^[5]

Montgomery County was the site of several early saltpeter mines. Saltpeter is the main ingredient of gunpowder and was obtained by leaching the earth from several local caves. Bellamy Cave, located near Stringtown, still contains the remains of two dozen saltpeter leaching vats. It appeared to have a large operation. Cooper Creek Cave also shows evidence of extensive mining and contains the remains of "many saltpeter hoppers". Both were probably mined during the War of 1812. Dunbar Cave is reported to have been mined for saltpeter during the Mexican War of 1848, but commercial development has destroyed any evidence of this. Little mining is likely to have happened here during the Civil War, since the Union Army captured and occupied this part of Tennessee in early 1862.^[6]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 544 square miles (1,410 km²), of which 539 square miles (1,400 km²) is land and 4.7 square miles (12 km²) (0.9%) is water.^[7]

Dunbar Cave

Montgomery County lies in a region of well-developed karst topography. A large cave system is named Dunbar Cave. Dunbar Cave is the centerpiece of Dunbar Cave State Park, which encompasses approximately 110 acres and is one of the most visited units in the Tennessee State Park System.

Dunbar Cave was extensively used by prehistoric Indians, who inhabited this area for thousands of years before European encounter. Remains of their cane torches have been found in the cave, and archaeologists have excavated numerous artifacts inside the entrance.^{[8][page needed]} During a research trip into the cave on January 15, 2005, Park Ranger Amy Wallace, History professor Joe Douglas, local historian Billyfrank Morrison, and Geologist Larry E. Matthews, discovered Indian glyphs on the walls of the cave. Subsequent investigations by archaeologists from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville confirmed that these drawings were left by people of the Mississippian culture, which was active about 1000-1300 CE.^[9][10] These Indian glyphs were featured for a few years on the tour of the cave.

In 2009 Tennessee closed Dunbar Cave to the public because White Nose Syndrome was diagnosed in a bat and they did not want the disease to spread. The above ground portion of the Park is still open to the public.

Adjacent counties

• 
  Christian County, Kentucky (north)


• 
  Todd County, Kentucky (northeast)


• 
  Robertson County (east)


• 
  Cheatham County (southeast)


• 
  Dickson County (south)


• 
  Houston County (southwest)


• 
  Stewart County (west)

State protected areas

• Barnett's Woods State Natural Area


• Dunbar Cave State Natural Area


• Dunbar Cave State Park


• Haynes Bottom Wildlife Management Area


• 
  Port Royal State Park (part)


• Shelton Ferry Wildlife Management Area

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1800	2,899		—
1810	8,021		176.7%
1820	12,219		52.3%
1830	14,349		17.4%
1840	16,927		18.0%
1850	21,045		24.3%
1860	20,895		−0.7%
1870	24,747		18.4%
1880	28,481		15.1%
1890	29,697		4.3%
1900	36,017		21.3%
1910	33,672		−6.5%
1920	32,265		−4.2%
1930	30,882		−4.3%
1940	33,346		8.0%
1950	44,186		32.5%
1960	55,645		25.9%
1970	62,721		12.7%
1980	83,342		32.9%
1990	100,498		20.6%
2000	134,768		34.1%
2010	172,331		27.9%
Est. 2017	200,182	[11]	16.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[12] 1790-1960[13] 1900-1990[14] 1990-2000[15] 2010-2014[2]

Age pyramid Montgomery County^[16]

As of the census^[17] of 2000, there were 134,768 people, 48,330 households, and 35,957 families residing in the county. The population density was 250 people per square mile (96/km²). There were 52,167 housing units at an average density of 97 per square mile (37/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 73.17% White, 19.18% Black or African American, 0.53% Native American, 1.82% Asian, 0.21% Pacific Islander, 2.18% from other races, and 2.91% from two or more races. 5.16% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 48,330 households out of which 40.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.70% were married couples living together, 12.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.60% were non-families. 20.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the county, the population was spread out with 28.40% under the age of 18, 12.30% from 18 to 24, 34.30% from 25 to 44, 17.20% from 45 to 64, and 7.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $38,981, and the median income for a family was $43,023. Males had a median income of $30,696 versus $22,581 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,265. About 7.90% of families and 10.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.70% of those under age 18 and 10.70% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Presidential election results

Presidential Elections Results^[18]

Year	Republican	Democratic	Third Parties
2016	56.1% 32,341	37.7% 21,699	6.2% 3,580
2012	54.3% 30,245	44.0% 24,499	1.8% 976
2008	53.3% 30,175	45.4% 25,716	1.3% 748
2004	58.4% 28,627	41.0% 20,070	0.6% 301
2000	50.3% 19,644	48.2% 18,818	1.5% 582
1996	45.0% 15,133	49.1% 16,498	5.9% 1,994
1992	41.5% 13,011	46.3% 14,507	12.2% 3,823
1988	57.7% 12,599	41.8% 9,145	0.5% 112
1984	56.6% 13,228	42.5% 9,939	0.9% 198
1980	41.1% 8,503	55.9% 11,573	3.0% 622
1976	32.1% 5,923	66.7% 12,310	1.2% 215
1972	56.4% 7,839	41.0% 5,691	2.7% 369
1968	22.5% 3,248	38.4% 5,538	39.1% 5,638
1964	21.7% 2,814	78.3% 10,178
1960	24.8% 2,550	74.3% 7,635	0.8% 85
1956	25.4% 2,778	73.5% 8,034	1.1% 122
1952	30.8% 2,573	68.9% 5,759	0.3% 27
1948	14.3% 646	73.5% 3,310	12.2% 549
1944	19.1% 702	80.6% 2,971	0.4% 13
1940	20.5% 819	79.2% 3,158	0.3% 13
1936	20.1% 838	79.3% 3,314	0.7% 28
1932	22.5% 799	77.5% 2,747
1928	48.3% 1,743	51.7% 1,866
1924	32.0% 941	66.2% 1,946	1.8% 54
1920	40.6% 1,780	58.5% 2,564	0.9% 40
1916	32.8% 991	65.5% 1,976	1.7% 52
1912	21.1% 514	67.3% 1,638	11.6% 281

The County Commission has 21 members, each elected from a single-member district. In addition, voters elect a County Mayor at-large and certain other county-level positions, including the sheriff.

Elected officials

• County Mayor: Jim Durrett


• Assessor of Property: Erinne Hester


• Trustee: Kimberly Wiggins


• Sheriff: John Fuson


• Circuit Court Clerk: Cheryl J. Castle


• County Clerk: Kellie A. Jackson


• Register of Deeds: Connie Gunnett


• Highway Supervisor: Robert M. Frost

Communities

Clarksville

City

• 
  Clarksville (county seat)

Unincorporated communities

• Cunningham


• Dotsonville


• Excell


• Fredonia


• Needmore


• New Providence


• Oak Plains


• Oakwood


• Oakridge


• Orgains Crossroads


• Palmyra


• 
  Port Royal (partial)


• Sango


• Southside


• Shiloh


• Rossview


• St. Bethlehem


• Sailors Rest


• Tarsus


• Woodlawn

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Montgomery County, Tennessee

References

1. 
   ^ ^ab Eleanor Williams, "Montgomery County," Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and CultureRetrieved March 11, 2013..
   


2. 
   ^ ^ab "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved December 6, 2013..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}
   


3. 
   ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
   


4. 
   ^ "Tennessee: Individual County Chronologies". Tennessee Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2007. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
   


5. 
   ^ ^ab "Origins Of Tennessee County Names" (PDF). Tennessee Blue Book. 2005–2006. p. 512. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
   


6. 
   ^ Larry E. Matthews, Dunbar Cave: The Showplace of the South, 2011,
   ISBN 978-1-879961-41-8
   


7. 
   ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
   


8. 
   ^ Larry E. Matthews, Dunbar Cave, 2005,
   ISBN 1-879961-22-9.
   


9. 
   ^ Journal of Cave and Karst Studies, v. 74, no. 1, p. 19–32. DOI: 10.4311/
   


10. 
    ^ Jan F. Simek, Joseph C. Douglas, and Amy Wallace, "Ancient Cave Art at Dunbar Cave State Natural Area", Tennessee Conservationist Magazine, September/October 2007, pp. 24 – 26.
    


11. 
    ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved July 30, 2018.
    


12. 
    ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
    


13. 
    ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
    


14. 
    ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
    


15. 
    ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
    


16. 
    ^ Based on 2000 census data
    


17. 
    ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
    


18. 
    ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2018-03-11.
    

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Montgomery County, Tennessee.

• Official website


• 
  Montgomery County, TNGenWeb - free genealogy resources for the county


• 
  Montgomery County at Curlie
  

Places adjacent to Montgomery County, Tennessee
Christian County, Kentucky Todd County, Kentucky Stewart County Montgomery County, Tennessee Robertson County Houston County Dickson County Cheatham County

v t e Municipalities and communities of Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States
County seat: Clarksville
City	Clarksville
Unincorporated communities	Cunningham Oakridge Palmyra Port Royal Saint Bethlehem Sango Shady Grove Southaven South Guthrie Southside Woodlawn
Military base	Fort Campbell
Ghost town	Bellamy

v t e  State of Tennessee
Nashville (capital)
Topics	History Geography Tennesseans African Americans Media Newspapers Radio TV Constitution Elections Governors Lieutenant Governors General Assembly Supreme Court Tennessee National Guard Law Enforcement Tourist attractions	Seal of Tennessee
Grand Divisions	East Tennessee Middle Tennessee West Tennessee
Regions	Blue Ridge Mountains Cumberland Mountains Cumberland Plateau Highland Rim Mississippi Plain Nashville Basin Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians Tennessee Valley Tri-Cities
Largest cities	Nashville Memphis Knoxville Bartlett Chattanooga Clarksville Murfreesboro Franklin Jackson Johnson City
Counties	Anderson Bedford Benton Bledsoe Blount Bradley Campbell Cannon Carroll Carter Cheatham Chester Claiborne Clay Cocke Coffee Crockett Cumberland Davidson Decatur DeKalb Dickson Dyer Fayette Fentress Franklin Gibson Giles Grainger Greene Grundy Hamblen Hamilton Hancock Hardeman Hardin Hawkins Haywood Henderson Henry Hickman Houston Humphreys Jackson Jefferson Johnson Knox Lake Lauderdale Lawrence Lewis Lincoln Loudon Macon Madison Marion Marshall Maury McMinn McNairy Meigs Monroe Montgomery Moore Morgan Obion Overton Perry Pickett Polk Putnam Rhea Roane Robertson Rutherford Scott Sequatchie Sevier Shelby Smith Stewart Sullivan Sumner Tipton Trousdale Unicoi Union Van Buren Warren Washington Wayne Weakley White Williamson Wilson

Coordinates: 36°30′N 87°23′W / 36.50°N 87.38°W / 36.50; -87.38

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