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Trousdale County, Tennessee

Coordinates: 36°23′N 86°10′W / 36.39°N 86.16°W / 36.39; -86.16
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Trousdale County
County
Hartsville-Trousdale County
Trousdale County Courthouse in Hartsville
Trousdale County Courthouse in Hartsville
Map of Tennessee highlighting Trousdale County
Location within the U.S. state of Tennessee
Map of the United States highlighting Tennessee
Tennessee's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 36°23′N 86°10′W / 36.39°N 86.16°W / 36.39; -86.16
Country United States
State Tennessee
FoundedSeptember 5, 1870[1]
Named forWilliam Trousdale[2]
SeatHartsville
Largest townHartsville
Area
 • Total
117 sq mi (300 km2)
 • Land114 sq mi (300 km2)
 • Water2.5 sq mi (6 km2)  2.1%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
11,615 Increase
 • Density69/sq mi (27/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district6th
Websitewww.trousdalecountytn.gov

Trousdale County, also known as Hartsville/Trousdale County,[3] is a county in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 11,615.[4] Its county seat is Hartsville,[5] with which it shares a uniquely formed consolidated city-county government. With an area of just 117 square miles (300 km2), it is Tennessee's smallest county.

Trousdale County is part of the Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN Metropolitan Statistical Area, although it is located just beyond the ring of "bedroom communities" in the Nashville metropolitan area. Farming and livestock-raising characterize this largely rural area.

Hartsville is the county seat of Trousdale County and now coextensive with it as a metropolitan government by virtue of a referendum which passed in Trousdale County by a single vote. Trousdale County High School is located here, as well as a technical school operated by the Tennessee Board of Regents. Trousdale County is one of two counties in Tennessee to have legalized parimutuel betting on horse racing, but no group has ever stepped forward to build a racetrack.[6]

In 2016, Corrections Corporation of America (since renamed CoreCivic) opened the Trousdale Turner Correctional Center in Hartsville. Its approximately 2,500 prisoners comprise over a fifth of the county's residents and nearly 12% of Tennessee state prisoners.[7] The prison became a hot spot for COVID-19 cases during the COVID-19 pandemic, giving the county the highest incidence rate in the U.S. in May 2020, with 1 in 7 residents known to be infected with coronavirus.[8]

History

[edit]

Trousdale County was formed in 1870 from parts of Macon, Smith, Sumner and Wilson counties. It was named for William Trousdale (1790–1872), Brigadier General in the Mexican War, Governor of Tennessee, 1849–1851, and U.S. Minister to Brazil, 1853–1857. Hartsvillians had initially sought the creation of their own, separate county in 1849, but the effort failed.

On December 7, 1862, The Battle of Hartsville occurred within the boundaries of the county (although Trousdale County was not officially a county until 1870), with the Confederate forces under John Hunt Morgan defeating the Union forces of Absalom B. Moore in a surprise attack on their campsite. Morgan captured most of the Union forces and marched them South to Lebanon, Tennessee.

In the early part of the 20th century, a series of floods left the county seat devastated, with some floodwaters reaching flood stage of nine to twelve feet. There are photographs showing residents of the county canoeing in front of the flooded courthouse.[9] During the Second World War, American infantry often trained in Trousdale County, simulating battles and participating in minor war games on the countryside owned by local farmers. After the war, the county flourished with the railroad running through the county. However, after the trains stopped running through the county, business slowed and suffered economically.

In 2020, an outbreak of COVID-19 at the Trousdale Turner Correctional Center, a privately operated prison, made Trousdale County the county with the highest per capita infection rate in the United States as of May 5, 2020. As of May 8, 1,284 prisoners at Trousdale had tested positive for the coronavirus, as had 50 employees and contractors at the facility.[10]

Geography

[edit]
Hartsville area

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 117 square miles (300 km2), of which 114 square miles (300 km2) is land and 2.5 square miles (6.5 km2) (2.1%) is water.[11] It is the smallest county by area in Tennessee.

Adjacent counties

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State protected areas

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  • Old Hickory Wildlife Management Area (part)

Highways

[edit]

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18806,646—
18905,850−12.0%
19006,0042.6%
19105,874−2.2%
19205,9962.1%
19305,629−6.1%
19406,1138.6%
19505,520−9.7%
19604,914−11.0%
19705,1554.9%
19806,13719.0%
19905,920−3.5%
20007,25922.6%
20107,8708.4%
202011,61547.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[12]
1790-1960[13] 1900-1990[14]
1990-2000[15] 2010-2014[4]
Age pyramid Trousdale County[17]

2020 census

[edit]
Trousdale County racial composition[18]
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 8,786 75.64%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 1,917 16.5%
Native American 26 0.22%
Asian 27 0.23%
Other/Mixed 484 4.17%
Hispanic or Latino 375 3.23%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 11,615 people, 3,189 households, and 2,083 families residing in the county.

2000 census

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As of the census[19] of 2000, there were 7,259 people, 2,780 households, and 2,034 families residing in the county. The population density was 64 people per square mile (25 people/km2). There were 3,095 housing units at an average density of 27 units per square mile (10/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 86.57% White, 11.35% Black or African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.99% from other races, and 0.72% from two or more races. 1.52% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,780 households, out of which 31.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.30% were married couples living together, 11.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.80% were non-families. 23.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.20% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 28.10% from 25 to 44, 24.90% from 45 to 64, and 14.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,212, and the median income for a family was $37,401. Males had a median income of $27,466 versus $21,207 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,838. About 9.70% of families and 13.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.00% of those under age 18 and 20.00% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

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Like most other Middle Tennessee counties, Trousdale was formerly a Democratic stronghold that in the 21st century has transformed along with other rural counties in this region into becoming safely Republican. The only Republican presidential candidate to win the county before John McCain in 2008 was Richard Nixon in his 1972 landslide re-election. Since McCain's victory, the Republican margin of victory has dramatically increased with each presidential election.

United States presidential election results for Trousdale County, Tennessee[20]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 3,358 78.90% 856 20.11% 42 0.99%
2020 2,936 73.44% 1,012 25.31% 50 1.25%
2016 2,103 66.55% 946 29.94% 111 3.51%
2012 1,612 55.49% 1,240 42.69% 53 1.82%
2008 1,688 52.11% 1,475 45.54% 76 2.35%
2004 1,314 41.18% 1,851 58.01% 26 0.81%
2000 950 32.26% 1,966 66.76% 29 0.98%
1996 683 27.33% 1,615 64.63% 201 8.04%
1992 565 21.21% 1,846 69.29% 253 9.50%
1988 969 44.59% 1,193 54.90% 11 0.51%
1984 781 40.36% 1,142 59.02% 12 0.62%
1980 629 26.72% 1,674 71.11% 51 2.17%
1976 332 19.24% 1,385 80.24% 9 0.52%
1972 663 53.90% 539 43.82% 28 2.28%
1968 252 15.80% 694 43.51% 649 40.69%
1964 205 13.90% 1,270 86.10% 0 0.00%
1960 308 22.71% 1,036 76.40% 12 0.88%
1956 209 16.76% 1,032 82.76% 6 0.48%
1952 261 17.43% 1,236 82.57% 0 0.00%
1948 104 8.46% 1,014 82.51% 111 9.03%
1944 131 10.05% 1,170 89.72% 3 0.23%
1940 94 9.17% 929 90.63% 2 0.20%
1936 72 8.58% 765 91.18% 2 0.24%
1932 64 7.11% 835 92.78% 1 0.11%
1928 179 22.74% 607 77.13% 1 0.13%
1924 143 17.21% 684 82.31% 4 0.48%
1920 574 37.52% 955 62.42% 1 0.07%
1916 217 23.98% 688 76.02% 0 0.00%
1912 211 26.71% 544 68.86% 35 4.43%

Communities

[edit]
The old Methodist Church building in Hartsville

Hartsville, the county seat, is the only officially constituted municipality in Trousdale County. Former Unincorporated communities include:

See also

[edit]

References

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  1. ^ "[1] Genealogy Inc. Trousdale County, Tennessee Facts. Retrieved: June 12, 2016.
  2. ^ Jeffrey Durbin, "Trousdale County," Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture. Retrieved: April 19, 2013.
  3. ^ Hartsville/Trousdale County, USA.com. Retrieved: November 6, 2013.
  4. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on October 13, 2015. Retrieved December 7, 2013.
  5. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  6. ^ Ridley Wills II, "Thoroughbred Horse Breeding and Racing." The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture, 2009. Retrieved: February 11, 2013.
  7. ^ Tennessee Department of Correction (April 30, 2020), Tennessee Bed Space and Operating Capacities Report (PDF), archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022
  8. ^ See "Coronavirus in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case Count" The New York Times May 15, 2020.
  9. ^ "History | Trousdale County". Archived from the original on February 5, 2020. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
  10. ^ Finley, Jeremy (May 8, 2020). "Recorded conversations reveal life inside prison ravaged by COVID-19". WSMV Nashville. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  11. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
  12. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
  13. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
  14. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
  15. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
  16. ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  17. ^ Based on 2000 census data
  18. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  19. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  20. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
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36°23′N 86°10′W / 36.39°N 86.16°W / 36.39; -86.16

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