Editing Carthage, Tennessee

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Carthage, Tennessee
|settlement_type          = [[Town]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Smith-county-courthouse-tn1.JPG
|imagesize                = 250px
|image_caption            = Smith County Courthouse in Carthage
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = File:Smith County Tennessee Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Carthage Highlighted 4711280.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Carthage in Smith County, Tennessee.
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             = 
|pushpin_map              = USA Tennessee#USA
|pushpin_label            = Carthage
|pushpin_map_caption      = Location within Tennessee##Location within the United States
|pushpin_relief           = yes

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Tennessee]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Tennessee|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Smith County, Tennessee|Smith]]

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = Settled
|established_date         = 1789
|established_title2       = Incorporated
|established_date2        = 1804<ref>''[http://www.state.tn.us/sos/bluebook/05-06/48-data.pdf Tennessee Blue Book]'', 2005-2006, pp. 618-625.</ref>
|named_for                = [[Ancient Carthage]]<ref>Larry Miller, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=zOzPQYkkbaAC&dq=carthage+tennessee+named+1804&pg=PA39 Tennessee Place Names]'' (Indiana University Press, 2001), p. 39.</ref>

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref  = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/5/query?where=STATE='47'&outFields=NAME,STATE,PLACE,AREALAND,AREAWATER,LSADC,CENTLAT,CENTLON&orderByFields=PLACE&returnGeometry=false&returnTrueCurves=false&f=json|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 15, 2022}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 7.52
|area_land_km2            = 7.52
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_total_sq_mi         = 2.90
|area_land_sq_mi          = 2.90
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly"/>
|population_total         = 2291
|population_density_km2   = 304.78
|population_density_sq_mi = 789.46

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
|utc_offset               = -6
|timezone_DST             = CDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -5
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 157
|elevation_ft             = 515
|coordinates              = {{coord|36|15|18|N|85|56|57|W|region:US-TN|display=inline}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 37030
|area_code                = [[Area code 615|615]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 47-11280<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1279827<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=October 25, 2007}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|https://townofcarthagetn.com/}}
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
}}
'''Carthage''' is a town in and the county seat of [[Smith County, Tennessee|Smith County]], [[Tennessee]], United States; it is part of the [[Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref> The population was 2,306 at the 2010 census.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US4711280| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200210223427/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US4711280| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 10, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Carthage town, Tennessee| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=March 25, 2013}}</ref> It is located on the [[Cumberland River]], which was important to its early development. It is likely best known as the hometown of former Vice President and Senator [[Al Gore]] of the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] and his father, Senator [[Albert Gore, Sr.]] The younger Gore announced his 1988 and 2000 presidential bids, as well as his 1992 vice-presidential bid, from the steps of the Smith County Courthouse.

==History==

The earliest known European-American settler in what is now Carthage was William Walton (1760–1816), who arrived in the late 1780s after the United States achieved independence in the [[American Revolutionary War]].<ref name=history>"[http://smithcountychamber.org/history-of-smith-county/ The History of Smith County"], Smith County Chamber of Commerce, Retrieved: 17 January 2013.</ref>  ''Circa'' 1800, Walton directed the construction of the Walton Road (Cumberland Turnpike), an early stagecoach route connecting the [[Knoxville, Tennessee|Knoxville]] area in the east with Middle Tennessee.  The road, which was roughly paralleled later by the construction of what is now [[U.S. Route 70 in Tennessee|U.S. 70]], was influential to the development and early settlement of the Cumberland region.<ref>W. Calvin Dickenson, "[http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entry.php?rec=1460 Walton Road"], ''The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture'', 2009.  Retrieved: January 17, 2013.</ref> Walton operated a ferry across the Cumberland River and a tavern nearby along the road, around which a small community developed. In 1804, Walton's community was chosen as the county seat of the newly formed Smith County after a heated election, and the town of Carthage was laid out shortly thereafter.<ref name=tehc>Sue Maggart, "[http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entry.php?rec=1213 Smith County"],  ''The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture,'' 2009. Retrieved: January 17, 2013.</ref>

Carthage's location at the confluence of the Caney Fork and Cumberland rivers made it an important shipping and steamboat port throughout the first half of the 19th century. The area was developed for tobacco and hemp crops, as well as blooded livestock. Goods were shipped downstream to Nashville. During the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], Carthage became an important post in the Eastern [[Highland Rim]] area of Tennessee. Carthage was selected as part of the route Confederate General [[Braxton Bragg]] marched the [[Army of Mississippi]] through on his [[Confederate Heartland Offensive]] into [[Kentucky]]. Later on March 6, 1863,<ref>''Official Record of the War of the Rebellion'', Series I, Volume XXIII, Part II, No. 110</ref> Union Brigadier General [[George Crook]] established a Union outpost in Carthage to serve as a base for his effort to clear out the considerable Confederate [[guerrilla]] insurgency from East Tennessee through Middle Tennessee.

Carthage's prominence as a river port on the Cumberland River was superseded after the railroads replaced river traffic in the later 19th century. The area's industrial focus shifted to South Carthage and Gordonsville.<ref name=tehc />

==Geography==
Carthage is located at {{coord|36|15|18|N|85|56|57|W|type:city}} (36.254960, -85.949211).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> The town is situated amid a series of low hills at the confluence of the [[Caney Fork]] with the [[Cumberland River]], and just southwest of the latter's [[Cordell Hull Lake]] impoundment. [[South Carthage, Tennessee|South Carthage]] is located along the opposite bank of the Cumberland to the south.

[[U.S. Route 70 in Tennessee|U.S. Route 70]] passes east-to-west through South Carthage, connecting the area with [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]] to the west and [[Cookeville, Tennessee|Cookeville]] to the east. State Route 53 connects U.S. 70 with [[Gordonsville, Tennessee|Gordonsville]] and [[Interstate 40 in Tennessee|Interstate 40]] to the south. [[Tennessee State Route 25|State Route 25]] connects Carthage with [[Trousdale County, Tennessee|Trousdale County]] and north-central Tennessee to the northwest, and State Route 80 connects the town with [[Macon County, Tennessee|Macon County]] to the north.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|2.9|sqmi|km2}}, all land.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1870= 477
|1880= 327
|1890= 478
|1910= 904
|1920= 920
|1930= 1068
|1940= 1512
|1950= 1604
|1960= 2021
|1970= 2491
|1980= 2672
|1990= 2386
|2000= 2251
|2010= 2306
|2020= 2291
|footnote=Sources:<ref name="GR9">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=March 4, 2012|title=Census of Population and Housing: Decennial Censuses}}</ref><ref name=CensusPopEst>{{cite web|title=Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions Datasets: Subcounty Resident Population Estimates: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012|url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/SUB-EST2012.html|work=Population Estimates|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=December 11, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130611010502/http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/SUB-EST2012.html|archive-date=June 11, 2013}}</ref><ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly">{{cite web|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=P1_001N,NAME&for=place:*&in=state:47&key=5ccd0821c15d9f4520e2dcc0f8d92b2ec9336108|title=Census Population API|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 15, 2022}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
|+Carthage racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US4711280&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 27, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!scope="col"| Race
!scope="col"| Number
!scope="col"| Percentage
|-
!scope="row"| [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
| 1,984
| 86.6%
|-
!scope="row"| [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
| 105
| 4.58%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
| 5
| 0.22%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
| 26
| 1.13%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
| 83
| 3.62%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
| 88
| 3.84%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 2,291 people, 947 households, and 528 families residing in the town.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 2,251 people, 952 households, and 560 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|784.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,050 housing units at an average density of {{convert|365.9|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 90.67% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 6.53% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.27% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.53% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.76% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.24% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.16% of the population.

[[Image:Carthage-tennessee-old-town1.jpg|left|210px|thumb|The Carthage business district]]

There were 952 households, out of which 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.2% were married couples living together, 16.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.1% were non-families. 38.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.9% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 23.9% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 22.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 80.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 72.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $24,375, and the median income for a family was $32,159. Males had a median income of $30,531 versus $20,417 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,709. About 18.6% of families and 20.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.0% of those under age 18 and 19.2% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
Carthage and other surrounding areas in Smith County are served by Smith County Schools and the Smith County Board of Education.  They include:

*Carthage Elementary
*Defeated Elementary
*[[New Middleton]] Elementary
*[[Union Heights]] Elementary
*[[Forks River]] Elementary
* Smith County Middle School [https://web.archive.org/web/20100226160415/http://boe.smithcounty.com/scms/ New Page 1]
*[[Gordonsville High School]]
*[[Smith County High School]]
*Smith County [[Adult Education]]
*Smith County [[HeadStart]]

==Climate==
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.  According to the [[Köppen Climate Classification]] system, Carthage has a [[humid subtropical climate]], abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=84104&cityname=Carthage,+Tennessee,+United+States+of+America&units=|title=Carthage, Tennessee Köppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase)|website=Weatherbase}}</ref>

{{Weather box
|location = carthage, Tennessee (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1890–present)
|single line = Y
|Jan record high F = 88
|Feb record high F = 83
|Mar record high F = 92
|Apr record high F = 95
|May record high F = 98
|Jun record high F = 105
|Jul record high F = 110
|Aug record high F = 111
|Sep record high F = 108
|Oct record high F = 97
|Nov record high F = 87
|Dec record high F = 77
|year record high F = 111
|Jan high F = 48.1
|Feb high F = 52.5
|Mar high F = 61.4
|Apr high F = 71.3
|May high F = 78.7
|Jun high F = 85.7
|Jul high F = 89.0
|Aug high F = 88.4
|Sep high F = 83.7
|Oct high F = 73.1
|Nov high F = 61.5
|Dec high F = 51.7
|year high F = 70.4
|Jan mean F = 37.6
|Feb mean F = 41.1
|Mar mean F = 48.8
|Apr mean F = 57.9
|May mean F = 66.4
|Jun mean F = 74.2
|Jul mean F = 78.1
|Aug mean F = 76.8
|Sep mean F = 71.3
|Oct mean F = 59.8
|Nov mean F = 48.8
|Dec mean F = 41.1
|year mean F = 58.5
|Jan low F = 27.0
|Feb low F = 29.6
|Mar low F = 36.1
|Apr low F = 44.5
|May low F = 54.1
|Jun low F = 62.8
|Jul low F = 67.1
|Aug low F = 65.2
|Sep low F = 58.8
|Oct low F = 46.5
|Nov low F = 36.0
|Dec low F = 30.4
|year low F = 46.5
|Jan record low F = -17
|Feb record low F = −15
|Mar record low F = 3
|Apr record low F = 21
|May record low F = 30
|Jun record low F = 40
|Jul record low F = 49
|Aug record low F = 46
|Sep record low F = 32
|Oct record low F = 23
|Nov record low F = 0
|Dec record low F = −9
|year record low F = -17
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 4.49
|Feb precipitation inch = 4.86
|Mar precipitation inch = 5.01
|Apr precipitation inch = 4.41
|May precipitation inch = 4.73
|Jun precipitation inch = 5.03
|Jul precipitation inch = 4.97
|Aug precipitation inch = 3.71
|Sep precipitation inch = 3.40
|Oct precipitation inch = 3.43
|Nov precipitation inch = 3.55
|Dec precipitation inch = 4.92
|year precipitation inch = 52.51
|Jan snow inch = 0.5
|Feb snow inch = 0.7
|Mar snow inch = 0.2
|Apr snow inch = 0.0
|May snow inch = 0.0
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.0
|Oct snow inch = 0.0
|Nov snow inch = 0.0
|Dec snow inch = 0.1
|year snow inch = 1.5
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 10.2
|Feb precipitation days = 10.2
|Mar precipitation days = 10.8
|Apr precipitation days = 10.2
|May precipitation days = 10.3
|Jun precipitation days = 9.8
|Jul precipitation days = 10.1
|Aug precipitation days = 8.0
|Sep precipitation days = 7.4
|Oct precipitation days = 7.4
|Nov precipitation days = 8.3
|Dec precipitation days = 10.3
|year precipitation days = 113.0
|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 0.7
|Feb snow days = 0.6
|Mar snow days = 0.2
|Apr snow days = 0.0
|May snow days = 0.0
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 0.0
|Nov snow days = 0.1
|Dec snow days = 0.2
|year snow days = 1.8
|source 1 = [[NOAA]]<ref name= NOAA>
{{cite web
| url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/Climate?wfo=ohx
| title = NowData - NOAA Online Weather Data
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = September 25, 2021}}</ref><ref name=NCEI>
{{cite web
| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00401480&format=pdf
| title = Station: Carthage, TN
| work = U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020)
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = September 25, 2021}}</ref>
}}

==Notable residents==

*[[William Cullom]] - Congressman
*[[James Comer (politician)|James Comer]] - Congressman
*[[Albert Gore, Sr.]] – U.S. Senator
*[[Al Gore|Albert Gore, Jr.]] – U.S. Senator and Vice President
*[[Simon Pollard Hughes, Jr.]] – Governor of Arkansas, 1885–1889
*[[Cordell Hull]] – U.S. Secretary of State; practiced law in Carthage
*[[Brandon Maggart]] – actor
*[[George McCorkle]] – founding member of the [[Marshall Tucker Band]]
*[[Benton McMillin]] – Governor of Tennessee, 1899–1903
*[[Sharon Wyatt]] – actress (General Hospital, Passions)
*[[Keith Habersberger]] – Youtube creator, musician

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Carthage, Tennessee}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20160304193216/http://www.mtas.tennessee.edu/public/CHARTERS.nsf/0/D2B5F54E0C1AC021852568CC0061DADD/$File/Carthage.cht.pdf?OpenElement Town charter]

{{Coord|display=title|36.25496|-85.949211}}

{{Smith County, Tennessee}}
{{Tennessee county seats}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Smith County, Tennessee]]
[[Category:Towns in Tennessee]]
[[Category:County seats in Tennessee]]
[[Category:Cities in Nashville metropolitan area]]