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Bledsoe County, Tennessee

Coordinates: 35°36′N 85°13′W / 35.60°N 85.21°W / 35.60; -85.21
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Bledsoe County
County
Bledsoe County Courthouse in Pikeville
Bledsoe County Courthouse in Pikeville
Official seal of Bledsoe County
Seal
Map of Tennessee highlighting Bledsoe County
Location within the U.S. state of Tennessee
Map of the United States highlighting Tennessee
Tennessee's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 35°36′N 85°13′W / 35.6°N 85.21°W / 35.6; -85.21
Country United States
State Tennessee
Founded1807
Named forAnthony Bledsoe[1]
SeatPikeville
Largest cityPikeville
Area
 • Total407 sq mi (1,050 km2)
 • Land406 sq mi (1,050 km2)
 • Water0.3 sq mi (0.8 km2)  0.08%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total14,913 Increase
 • Density36.73/sq mi (14.18/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district4th

Bledsoe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,913.[2] Its county seat is Pikeville.[3]

History

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Bledsoe County was formed in 1807 from land that was formerly Indian Land as well as land carved from Roane County. The county was named for Anthony Bledsoe (1739–1788), a soldier in the Revolutionary War and was an early settler of Sumner County. He was killed in an Indian attack at Bledsoe's Station.[4]

Like many East Tennessee counties, Bledsoe County opposed secession on the eve of the Civil War. In Tennessee's Ordinance of Secession on June 8, 1861, the county's residents voted against secession by a margin of 500 to 197.[5] General James G. Spears, a resident of Bledsoe, served as a vice president at the pro-Union East Tennessee Convention in May and June 1861, and fought for the Union Army in the war.[6]

Geography

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Northern Bledsoe County, with the Cumberland Plateau on the horizon

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 407 square miles (1,050 km2), of which 406 square miles (1,050 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) (0.08%) is water.[7]

Adjacent counties

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State protected areas

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18204,005—
18304,64816.1%
18405,67622.1%
18505,9595.0%
18604,459−25.2%
18704,8709.2%
18805,61715.3%
18906,1349.2%
19006,6268.0%
19106,329−4.5%
19207,21814.0%
19307,128−1.2%
19408,35817.3%
19508,5612.4%
19607,811−8.8%
19707,643−2.2%
19809,47824.0%
19909,6692.0%
200012,36727.9%
201012,8764.1%
202014,91315.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10]
1990-2000[11] 2010-2020[2]
Age pyramid Bledsoe County[12]

2020 census

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Bledsoe County racial composition[13]
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 13,129 88.04%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 781 5.24%
Native American 48 0.32%
Asian 37 0.25%
Other/Mixed 459 3.08%
Hispanic or Latino 459 3.08%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 14,913 people, 4,894 households, and 3,473 families residing in the county.

2000 census

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As of the census[14] of 2000, there were 12,367 people, 4,430 households, and 3,313 families residing in the county. The population density was 30 people per square mile (12 people/km2). There were 5,142 housing units at an average density of 13 units per square mile (5.0/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.44% White, 3.70% Black or African American, 0.38% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 1.15% from two or more races. 1.12% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 4,430 households, out of which 31.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.50% were married couples living together, 9.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.20% were non-families. 22.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.10% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 31.30% from 25 to 44, 25.80% from 45 to 64, and 11.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 121.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 121.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,982, and the median income for a family was $34,593. Males had a median income of $26,648 versus $20,639 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,889. About 14.90% of families and 18.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.00% of those under age 18 and 23.20% of those age 65 or over.

Recreation

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Bledsoe County is home to a portion of Fall Creek Falls State Resort Park.

Prisons

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Bledsoe County Correctional Complex (BCCX) covers about 2,500 acres between Pikeville and Spencer. The prison is a level 3 facility which houses about 2,539 offenders in three separate facilities: Site 1; Site 2 (formerly Southeast Tennessee State Regional Correctional Facility); and Unit 28 (houses female offenders.)[15]

Communities

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City

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Old Bellview School in northwestern Bledsoe County

Unincorporated communities

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Politics

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The last Democrat to carry this county was Bill Clinton in 1992. In 1988, it was one of two counties that didn't vote for Democratic Senator Jim Sasser, but two years later, it backed Governor Ned McWherter.[16][17]

It backed Donald Trump with a historic 82% of the vote in 2020, the largest vote share ever recorded for a presidential candidate.
United States presidential election results for Bledsoe County, Tennessee[18]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 4,725 82.06% 971 16.86% 62 1.08%
2016 3,622 77.66% 897 19.23% 145 3.11%
2012 3,022 69.33% 1,267 29.07% 70 1.61%
2008 3,166 66.18% 1,517 31.71% 101 2.11%
2004 2,849 59.24% 1,927 40.07% 33 0.69%
2000 2,380 56.72% 1,756 41.85% 60 1.43%
1996 1,626 46.04% 1,621 45.89% 285 8.07%
1992 1,776 44.20% 1,884 46.89% 358 8.91%
1988 1,858 59.04% 1,274 40.48% 15 0.48%
1984 1,950 59.34% 1,316 40.05% 20 0.61%
1980 1,970 54.94% 1,585 44.20% 31 0.86%
1976 1,620 47.63% 1,757 51.66% 24 0.71%
1972 1,952 65.90% 899 30.35% 111 3.75%
1968 1,477 46.65% 957 30.23% 732 23.12%
1964 1,431 50.33% 1,412 49.67% 0 0.00%
1960 1,439 58.69% 981 40.01% 32 1.31%
1956 1,429 56.57% 1,079 42.72% 18 0.71%
1952 1,229 50.85% 1,158 47.91% 30 1.24%
1948 1,103 49.07% 1,092 48.58% 53 2.36%
1944 1,187 59.89% 795 40.11% 0 0.00%
1940 1,317 46.31% 1,527 53.69% 0 0.00%
1936 1,178 48.70% 1,218 50.35% 23 0.95%
1932 960 48.14% 1,034 51.86% 0 0.00%
1928 901 60.11% 598 39.89% 0 0.00%
1924 690 58.28% 485 40.96% 9 0.76%
1920 1,198 71.31% 482 28.69% 0 0.00%
1916 681 61.68% 423 38.32% 0 0.00%
1912 379 30.22% 464 37.00% 411 32.78%

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Elizabeth Robnett, "Bledsoe County," Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture. Retrieved: March 31, 2013.
  2. ^ a b "Bledsoe County, Tennessee". quickfacts.census.gov. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ^ Origins Of Tennessee County Names, Tennessee Blue Book 2005-2006, pages 508-513
  5. ^ Oliver Perry Temple, East Tennessee and the Civil War (R. Clarke Company, 1899), p. 199.
  6. ^ Oliver Perry Temple, Mary Boyce Temple (ed.), "General James G. Spears," Notable Men of Tennessee (Cosmopolitan Press, 1912), pp. 186-190.
  7. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  8. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  9. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  10. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  11. ^ "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 1, 2015.
  12. ^ Based on 2000 census data
  13. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 26, 2021.
  14. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  15. ^ See "Bledsoe County Correctional Complex" (2020)
  16. ^ "1988 Senatorial General Election Results - Tennessee". Archived from the original on May 14, 2015.
  17. ^ "1990 Gubernatorial General Election Results - Tennessee". Archived from the original on May 28, 2013.
  18. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
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35°36′N 85°13′W / 35.60°N 85.21°W / 35.60; -85.21

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