Editing Dickson County, Tennessee

{{short description|County in Tennessee, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county       = Dickson County
 | state             = Tennessee
 | flag                 = Flag of Dickson County,Tennessee.png
 | founded    = October 25, 1803
 | named for            = [[William Dickson (congressman)|William Dickson]]<ref name="auto" />
 | seat wl           = Charlotte
 | largest city wl     = Dickson
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 491
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 490
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 1.4
 | area percentage      = 0.3%
 | census yr            = 2020
 | pop                  = 54315
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2023
 | population_est       = 56729 {{gain}}
 | density_sq_mi        = auto
 | time zone           = Central
 | footnotes            = 
 | web                  = dicksoncountytn.gov
 | ex image             = Dickson-county-courthouse-tn1.jpg
 | ex image cap         = Dickson County Courthouse in Charlotte
 | district             = 7th 
 | area codes = [[615 area code|615]] }}

'''Dickson County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Tennessee]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 54,315.<ref name="QF">{{cite web |title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Dickson County, Tennessee |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/dicksoncountytennessee |website=www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=August 6, 2023 |language=en}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Charlotte, Tennessee|Charlotte]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ce.naco.org/?county_info=47043 |access-date=August 6, 2023 |title=Dickson County, TN |website=County Explorer |publisher=National Association of Counties |language=en}}</ref> Dickson County is part of the [[Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area|Nashville-Davidson&ndash;Murfreesboro&ndash;Franklin]], TN [[Metropolitan Statistical Area]]. Dickson County is home to Tennessee's oldest courthouse in continuous use, built in 1835. This is the second courthouse in Charlotte as the first one, a log building, was destroyed in the Tornado of 1833, which destroyed all but one building on the courthouse square.

==History==
Charlotte, Dickson County's capital, was built on 50 acres of land purchased from Charles Stewart. Charlotte was nearly entirely destroyed after a tornado occurred within its city limits, decimating its jail, courthouse, & roughly 80% of the county's records.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |last=Jackson |first=George E. |title=Dickson County |url=https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/dickson-county/ |access-date=August 5, 2023 |website=Tennessee Encyclopedia |language=en-US |orig-date=October 8, 2017 |date=March 1, 2018}}</ref>

On October 25, 1803, the [[Tennessee General Assembly]] passed a bill creating Dickson County, the 25th of Tennessee's 95 counties. It was formed from parts of Montgomery and Robertson counties, and was named for [[William Dickson (congressman)|William Dickson]], a Nashville physician then serving in the [[United States Congress]].<ref name="auto" /> The first court justices included [[Montgomery Bell]], William Doak, William Russell, Sterling Brewer, Gabriel Allen, Lemuel Harvey, Jesse Craft, Richard C. Napier, and William Teas. The county was organized on March 19, 1804, at the home of Robert Nesbitt, and later sessions of the court were held at various county officials' homes until a courthouse was constructed in 1810.

Dickson County was part of the Military Reserve and was widely settled among the [[Piney River (Middle Tennessee)|Piney]] and [[Cumberland River|Cumberland]] rivers. Initially, [[cotton]] was among the county's predominant industries before [[rye]], [[oat]]s, [[Maize|corn]] and [[tobacco]] had overtaken it. A [[cotton gin]] was constructed by Robert Jarman in 1807.<ref name="auto" />

General [[James Robertson (explorer)|James Robertson]] built the first ironworks in west Tennessee in Dickson County. Robertson sold his furnace in 1804 to [[Montgomery Bell]] who later sold it to [[Anthony Wayne Van Leer]](1769&ndash;1855), who the town [[Vanleer, TN]] is named after. Van Leer's family was noted in the anti-slavery cause.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Anthony Wayne Van Leer |url=https://vanleerarchives.org/samuel-van-leer/anthony-van-leer/ |access-date=August 28, 2023 |website=Van Leer Archives |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Saint James Episcopal Church History |url=https://www.archinform.net/projekte/55626.htm |website=International Architecture Database}}</ref> Other important iron manufacturers included Anthony and Bernard Van Leer and George F. and Richard C. Napier.  Iron production was chiefly accomplished through [[Slavery|slave labor]]. Although iron production declined in importance in the post-Civil War period, the furnace was still in production in the early 1940s.<ref name="auto" />

Though a county school board was established in 1807, public education received little government support during the nineteenth century. Among the county's early schools were Tracy Academy, Charlotte Female School, Alexander Campbell School, Edgewood Academy and Normal College, Dickson Academy, Dickson Normal School, Glenwylde Academy, and Ruskin Cave College.<ref name="auto" />

The county voted by a wide margin to join the [[Confederate States of America|Confederacy]] on June 8, 1861. Six [[infantry]] companies and a battery of [[artillery]] were sent to the south by Dickson County. For the guerrilla forces, Yellow Creek and what is now [[Cumberland Furnace, Tennessee|Cumberland Furnace]] were favorite rendezvous points. No major confrontations had occurred, but the railroad laid by the Union were subject to frequent attacks.<ref name="auto" />

The Nashville and Northwestern Railroads which were constructed through the county's southern portion became a magnet for migrants from the [[Great Lakes]] & [[Great Plains]], who settled in the new railroad towns of [[Dickson, Tennessee|Dickson]] (originally called Sneedville), [[Tennessee City, Tennessee|Tennessee City]], [[White Bluff, Tennessee|White Bluff]], and [[Burns, Tennessee|Burns]]. After two railroad lines were further constructed through Dickson, it became the county's hub for the vast majority of railroad travel, and, by the early 1900s was the commercial and cultural center of Dickson County. The growth of Dickson soon overtook that of Charlotte & produced infighting and debate amongst the county's government as to which town was a better county seat.<ref name="auto" />

In July 1917, a mass meeting was held in the Alamo Theatre in Dickson to raise [[United States dollar|$]]760 (equivalent to $25,000 in 2016) to pay for the surveying of the Bristol to Memphis Highway through Dickson County. The money was raised in less than 15 minutes by donations from those present at the meeting. State highway surveyors began surveying the route on August 14, 1917. The building of this highway put the county along the route known as the “Broadway of America,” [[U.S. Route 70 in Tennessee|Highway 70]].

The county's most prominent recreational area, [[Montgomery Bell State Park]], was constructed by the [[National Park Service]] and the [[Civilian Conservation Corps]] in 1942. After [[World War II|World War 2]], administration of the park was transferred to the state.

===The Ruskin Colony and ''The Coming Nation''===

[[File:Julius Wayland.jpg|thumb|160px|left|Julius Wayland, publisher of ''The Coming Nation'' and the ''[[Appeal to Reason (newspaper)|Appeal to Reason]]''.]] The [[Ruskin Colony]] (or Ruskin Commonwealth Association) was a 250-member, [[utopian socialism|utopian socialist]] [[cooperative]] established in Dickson County in 1894. Initially located near Tennessee City, it relocated to what is now Ruskin. Internal conflict had brought about the dissolution of the colony by 1899.<ref name="auto" />

''[[Appeal to Reason (newspaper)|The Coming Nation]]'', a socialist communalist paper established by [[Julius Augustus Wayland]] in [[Greensburg, Indiana|Greensburg]], [[Indiana]], was relocated to the Ruskin Colony. It was the forerunner of the ''[[Appeal to Reason (newspaper)|Appeal to Reason]]'', which later became a weekly political newspaper published in the [[Midwestern United States|American Midwest]] from 1895 until 1922. The ''Appeal to Reason'' was known for its politics, giving support to the [[Farmers' Alliance]] and [[People's Party (United States)|People's Party]], before becoming a mainstay of the [[Socialist Party of America]] following its establishment in 1901. Using a network of highly motivated volunteers known as the "Appeal Army" to increase its subscription sales, the ''Appeal''{{'s}} paid circulation climbed to over a quarter million by 1906, and half a million by 1910, making it the largest-circulation [[history of the socialist movement in the United States|socialist]] newspaper in American history.<ref>{{cite journal |first=Tim |last=Davenport |url=http://www.haldeman-julius.org/historical-notes/the-appeal-to-reason.html |title=''The Appeal to Reason:'' Forerunner of Haldeman-Julius Publications |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130914203038/http://haldeman-julius.org/historical-notes/the-appeal-to-reason.html |archive-date=September 14, 2013 |journal=Big Blue Newsletter |issue=3 |volume=2004 Q-III |access-date=November 16, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=John |last=Simkin |url=http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAappealR.htm |title=Appeal to Reason |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015091219/http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAappealR.htm |archive-date=October 15, 2013 |work=Spartacus Educational |access-date=June 26, 2013}}</ref>

===Governor Frank G. Clement===

On November 4, 1952, [[Frank G. Clement]] (1920&ndash;1969) of Dickson was elected Governor of Tennessee. He served as governor from 1953 to 1959, and again from 1963 to 1967. Known for his energetic speaking ability, he delivered the keynote address at the [[1956 Democratic National Convention]]. The [[Clement Railroad Hotel Museum|Hotel Halbrook]], where Clement was born, still stands in Dickson, and has been listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]]. Today the Hotel operates as the Clement Railroad Hotel Museum.

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|491|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|490|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|1.4|sqmi}} (0.3%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_47.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 4, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}</ref>

Dickson County is bordered on the northeast by the [[Cumberland River]]. The [[Harpeth River]] passes along the county's eastern border.

Ruskin Cave, site of the former socialist colony, is located {{convert|8|mi|km}} northwest of Dickson.

===Adjacent counties===
*[[Montgomery County, Tennessee|Montgomery County]] (north)
*[[Cheatham County, Tennessee|Cheatham County]] (east)
*[[Williamson County, Tennessee|Williamson County]] (southeast)
*[[Hickman County, Tennessee|Hickman County]] (south)
*[[Humphreys County, Tennessee|Humphreys County]] (southwest)
*[[Houston County, Tennessee|Houston County]] (northwest)

===State protected areas===
*Cheatham Lake Wildlife Management Area (part)
*[[Clement Railroad Hotel Museum|Hotel Halbrook Railroad and Local History Museum]] (state historic site)
*Montgomery Bell State Natural Area
*[[Montgomery Bell State Park]]

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| 1810 = 4516
| 1820 = 5190
| 1830 = 7265
| 1840 = 7074
| 1850 = 8404
| 1860 = 9982
| 1870 = 9340
| 1880 = 12460
| 1890 = 13645
| 1900 = 18635
| 1910 = 19955
| 1920 = 19342
| 1930 = 18491
| 1940 = 19718
| 1950 = 18805
| 1960 = 18839
| 1970 = 21977
| 1980 = 30037
| 1990 = 35061
| 2000 = 43156
| 2010 = 49666
| 2020 = 54315
| estyear = 2023
| estimate = 56729
| estref = <ref name="USCensusEst2023">{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/tables/2020-2023/counties/totals/co-est2023-pop.xlsx| title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023|publisher= United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 14, 2024}}</ref>
| align-fn = center
| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 4, 2015}}</ref><br />1790-1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=April 4, 2015}}</ref> 1900-1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/tn190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|editor-last=Forstall|editor-first=Richard L.|date=March 27, 1995|access-date=April 4, 2015}}</ref><br />1990-2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|date=April 2, 2001|access-date=April 4, 2015}}</ref> 2010-2014<ref name="QF" />
}}
{{Stack|[[Image:USA Dickson County, Tennessee.csv age pyramid.svg|thumb|right|160px|Age pyramid Dickson County<ref>Based on [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]] data</ref>]]}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
|+Dickson County racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US47043&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)
| 46,994
| 86.52%
|-
!scope="row"| [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
| 1,931
| 3.56%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
| 181
| 0.33%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
| 310
| 0.57%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
| 4
| 0.01%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
| 2,313
| 4.26%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
| 2,582
| 4.75%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 54,315 people, 19,198 households, and 13,030 families residing in the county.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR8">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=May 14, 2011 |title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 43,156 people, 16,473 households, and 12,173 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|88|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. There were 17,614 housing units at an average density of {{convert|36|/mi2|/km2|adj=pre|units&nbsp;}}. The racial makeup of the county was 93.25% [[Race (United States Census)|European American]], 4.58% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.40% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.27% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.01% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.47% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.01% from two or more races. 1.12% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 16,473 households, out of which 35.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.30% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 11.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.10% were non-families. 22.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.60% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 30.70% from 25 to 44, 22.90% from 45 to 64, and 11.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,056, and the median income for a family was $45,575. Males had a median income of $32,252 versus $23,686 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $18,043. About 8.10% of families and 10.20% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 12.90% of those under age 18 and 11.80% of those age 65 or over.

By 2005 the county had a population that was 92.0% non-Hispanic white, 4.4% African-American and 1.7% Latino.

== Government ==
Historically, Dickson County has been a Democratic stronghold; [[Ulysses S. Grant|Ulysses Grant]] carried it in [[1868 United States presidential election in Tennessee|1868]], but after that, it did not vote Republican again until [[Richard Nixon|Nixon]]'s [[1972 United States presidential election in Tennessee|1972]] landslide.<ref>{{Cite web|title=County winners, 1836-2016|url=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZmDRzvm83BYurKX7LsrET-C7tcIsE5Em42Wt-gTydXk/edit?usp=embed_facebook|access-date=January 14, 2021|website=Google Docs|language=en-US}}</ref> It has trended powerfully Republican starting in the beginning of the 21st century. An early sign of this could be seen in its back-to-back votes for [[Ronald Reagan|Reagan]] in [[1984 United States presidential election in Tennessee|1984]] and [[George H. W. Bush]] in [[1988 United States presidential election in Tennessee|1988]], even though it had generally voted Democratic in elections in which the Democratic nominee was losing substantially worse nationally than [[Michael Dukakis|Dukakis]] was in 1988 (for example, giving [[Adlai Stevenson II|Adlai Stevenson]] over 70% of its vote in both of his runs). Not only this, but George H. W. Bush was even able to slightly ''improve'' on Reagan's vote share, despite the small national swing towards the Democrats in 1988.

However, in the subsequent three elections, [[Bill Clinton]] recaptured the county by double digit margins, and Tennessee native [[Al Gore]] carried it by over 8%. In [[2004 United States presidential election in Tennessee|2004]], it switched to giving [[George W. Bush]] a 10.2% margin, however, and, as of [[2024 United States presidential election in Tennessee|2024]], has voted Republican in every subsequent election, giving the Republican nominee an increased vote share every time. Neither [[Hillary Clinton]] in [[2016 United States presidential election in Tennessee|2016]] nor [[Delaware]] native [[Joe Biden]] in [[2020 United States presidential election in Tennessee|2020]] was able to reach so much as a third of the county's vote.
{{PresHead|place=Dickson County, Tennessee|source=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=March 10, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|19,002|5,913|289|Tennessee}}	
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|17,643|6,106|574|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|13,233|4,722|744|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|11,296|6,233|306|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|11,677|7,506|336|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|10,567|8,597|134|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|2000|Democratic|7,016|8,332|208|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|5,283|7,458|1,088|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|4,450|7,863|1,780|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|5,343|5,129|64|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|5,846|5,809|150|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|3,636|6,622|209|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|2,285|6,551|86|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|3,645|2,619|182|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1968|American Independent|1,291|2,034|3,475|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|1,281|4,724|0|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|1,928|3,930|36|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|1,247|3,799|68|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|1,415|4,196|0|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|485|2,337|323|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|600|2,379|11|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|527|2,784|8|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|402|2,022|13|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|369|2,007|4|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|891|1,428|0|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|516|1,648|106|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|1,412|2,145|0|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|1,008|2,105|41|Tennessee}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Democratic|448|1,689|348|Tennessee}}

=== County Commission ===
The 12-member county commission is the legislative body of Dickson County. One commissioner is elected from each of the county's 12 commission districts. The county mayor chairs the commission.

==== Responsibilities ====
Commissioners are charged with appropriating funds for the county departments, setting the property tax rate and creating personnel policies for county employees.

==== Terms ====
The commissioners are chosen in the August general elections and serve four-year terms. These elections coincide with the state's gubernatorial primaries and begin September 1 of each non-presidential even-numbered year.

==== Commission meetings ====
The county commission meets for a work session the first Monday evening of each month. Regular sessions are held the third Monday evening of each month. At this meeting, matters are brought before the commission for action. When meeting dates fall on holidays, the meeting is generally held the next evening.

==== Current Commissioners ====
{| class="wikitable"
|+County Commissioners (2022–present)<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.dicksoncountytn.gov/county_commission.html |title=County Commissioners |website=dicksoncountytn.gov |publisher=Dickson County, TN |access-date=August 6, 2023}}</ref>
!District
!Commissioner
|-
|1
|Randy Simpkins
|-
|2
|Ray Ledger
|-
|3
|Dwight McIllwain
|-
|4
|Stacey Batey
|-
|5
|James Dawson
|-
|6
|Becky Spicer
|-
|7
|Carl Buckner
|-
|8
|Jody Britt
|-
|9
|Mike Petty
|-
|10
|Danny Williams
|-
|11
|Rusty Grove
|-
|12
|Cindy Gray
|}

=== County Officials ===
Dickson County has various elected officials to carry out the necessary duties of the county government.

County Officials are chosen in the August general elections, along with the County Commissioners, and serve four-year terms. These elections are on the first Thursday in August and coincide with the state's gubernatorial primaries. The terms begin September 1 of each non-presidential even-numbered year.  The exception to this is the Assessor of Property whose election occurs on the same schedule but in the presidential election years.
{| class="wikitable"
|+Current County Officials
!Office
!Name
!Duties
!Citation
|-
|Mayor
|Bob Rial
|Is the chief executive officer of the county and manages the day-to-day operation of the office and any aspect of county government that is not specifically designated to another elected official. He also appoints members of county boards and commissions and county department heads which are subject to confirmation by the County Commission. He also serves as a nonvoting member of each committee of the county commission and of each board, commission or authority of county government.
|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dicksoncountytn.gov/mayor.html |title=Mayor's Office |website=dicksoncountytn.gov |publisher=Dickson County, TN |access-date=August 6, 2023}}</ref>
|-
|Assessor of Property
|Jenny Heath Martin
|discovering, listing, classifying, and valuing all taxable property in the county for tax purposes
|<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.dicksoncountytn.gov/assessor.html |title=Assessor of Property |website=dicksoncountytn.gov |publisher=Dickson County, TN |access-date=August 6, 2023}}</ref>
|-
|Clerk
|Luanne Greer
|numerous duties, including: overseeing vehicle, marriage, county beer, and business licenses; handling the issuance of [[Notary public|Notary Publics]]; titling of vehicles.
Also: clerk of the County Commission, maintaining the official County Commission Minutes
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dicksoncountytn.gov/county_clerk.html |title=County Clerk |website=dicksoncountytn.gov |publisher=Dickson County, TN |access-date=August 6, 2023}}</ref>
|-
|Register of Deeds
|Shelly Yates
|primary function: recording and preserving documents, including, but not limited to: deeds, powers of attorneys, mortgages, liens, contracts, leases, military discharges, judgments, greenbelt assessments, and subdivision plats; provides information to attorneys, realtors, surveyors, appraisers, lending institutions and the general public
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dicksoncountytn.gov/register_of_deeds.html |title=Register of Deeds |website=dicksoncountytn.gov |publisher=Dickson County, TN |access-date=August 6, 2023}}</ref>
|-
|Highway Chief Administrative Officer
|Jackie Hodges
|Oversees the Highway Department; maintain county roads, including paving, grading, tar & sealing, ditching, salting and snow removal
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dicksoncountytn.gov/highway.html |title=Highway Chief Administrative Officer |website=dicksoncountytn.gov |publisher=Dickson County, TN |access-date=August 6, 2023}}</ref> 
|-
|Sheriff
|Tim Eads
|The chief law enforcement official of the county. Also is responsible for the management of the jail.
|<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.dicksoncountysheriff.org/administration |title=Administration |website=dicksoncountysheriff.org |publisher=Dickson County Sheriff's Office |access-date=August 6, 2023}}</ref>
|-
|Trustee
|Glynda Barrett Pendergrass
|Acts as treasurer of Dickson County Government, including the Dickson County School System; collects all real and personal property taxes; keeps an account of all money received for County Government; invests temporarily idle County funds; disperses sales tax revenues
|<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.dicksoncountytn.gov/trustee.html |title=Dickson County Trustee |website=dicksoncountytn.gov |publisher=Dickson County, TN |access-date=August 6, 2023}}</ref>
|}

==== Department Heads ====
The Mayor makes the appointments for non elected county government departments.
{| class="wikitable"
|+Dickson County Government Department Heads<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.dicksoncountytn.gov/mayors_admin.html |title=Mayor's Administration |website=dicksoncountytn.gov |publisher=Dickson County, TN |access-date=August 6, 2023}}</ref>
!Department
!Head
|-
|Accounts and Budgets
|Don Hall
|-
|Emergency Medical Service (Ambulance)
|Donny Bear
|-
|Archives
|Pam Edwards
|-
|Emergency Management Agency/Fire
|Rob Fisher
|-
|Maintenance
|W. H. Batey
|-
|Planning and Zoning
|David Darnell
|-
|Solid Waste Management
|Jim Lunn
|}

=== Judicial Branch Officials ===
The judicial officials are chosen in the August general elections, along with other elected officials and county commissioners, and serve four-year terms (with the exception of the General Sessions and the Juvenile Court Judges, who serve an eight-year term, with elections coinciding with every other gubernatorial primary). These elections coincide with the state's gubernatorial [[Partisan primary|primaries]] and they assume office on September 1 of each non-presidential even-numbered year.
{| class="wikitable"
|+Current Judicial Officials
!Office
!Name
!Duties
!Citation
|-
|Circuit Court Clerk
|Pam Lewis
|acts as the principal administrative aide to the Circuit Court; provides assistance in the areas of the courtroom administration and records management, docket maintenance, revenue management, maintenance of court minutes; holds the position of jury coordinator for the court system.
|<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.dicksoncountytn.gov/circuit_court.html |title=Circuit Court |website=dicksoncountytn.gov |publisher=Dickson County, TN |access-date=August 6, 2023}}</ref>
|-
|Clerk and Master
|Lynn Collins
|deals with all types of civil cases such as divorces, custody, child support, adoptions, worker's compensation, contracts, debts, and property disputes; acts as the principal administrative aide to the Chancery Court; provides assistance in the areas of the courtroom administration and records management, docket maintenance, revenue management, maintenance of&nbsp;court minutes; collects Delinquent Taxes
|<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.dicksoncountytn.gov/chancery_court.html |title=Chancery Court |website=dicksoncountytn.gov |publisher=Dickson County, TN |access-date=August 6, 2023}}</ref>
|-
|General Sessions/Juvenile Court Clerk
|Leslie Shelton
|some of the entities served: Dickson County Sheriff's Office, TN Department of Safety Troopers, Judicial Drug Task Force, [[Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency|TWRA]], Department of Conservation, Tennessee ABC, [[Tennessee Bureau of Investigation|TBI]], [[Burns, Tennessee|Burns]] City Officers, Cities of [[Charlotte, Tennessee|Charlotte]] and [[Vanleer, Tennessee|Vanleer]]
|<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |url=https://www.dicksoncountytn.gov/general_sessions.html |title=General Sessions Court |website=dicksoncountytn.gov |publisher=Dickson County, TN |access-date=August 6, 2023}}</ref>
|-
|General Sessions Court Judge
|Craig Monsue
|files and manages the court files and dockets for both criminal and civil cases; attends court session, administers oaths, and retains, preserves, and files all papers.
|<ref name=":0" />
|-
|Juvenile Court Judge
|Jarred Creasy
|handles cases for: conservatorships, guardianships, paternity, legitimation, name changes, minors settlement cases, and child support; custody cases involving dependent and neglected children and cases of termination of parental rights; delinquent, unruly and traffic cases for juveniles and contributing cases for adults
|<ref name=":0" />
|}

==Education==
The Dickson County School District serves the entirety of the county.<ref name=CensusSDMap2020>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st47_tn/schooldistrict_maps/c47043_dickson/DC20SD_C47043.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Dickson County, TN|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=2024-10-06}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st47_tn/schooldistrict_maps/c47043_dickson/DC20SD_C47043_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref> Since 2024, the current Director of Schools is Dr. Christie Southerland.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dcstn.org/director.aspx |title=Director of Schools|website=www.dcstn.org|access-date=July 15, 2024}}</ref>

Serving around 8,500 students, the Dickson County School System ranks 23rd in student population among 142 school districts in Tennessee. The District employs around 1,200 people.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dcstn.org/About.aspx|title=About Us|website=www.dcstn.org|access-date=February 18, 2019}}</ref>

===Board of education===
The Dickson County Board of Education is a committee of six elected officials responsible for governing the counties' educational system. Each member represents one of the six districts that make up Dickson County. The Board was created and empowered by State Law with authority to oversee the operation of Dickson County Schools. The Board meets every 4th Thursday of the month unless otherwise noted.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dcstn.org/SchoolBoard.aspx|title=School Board|website=www.dcstn.org|access-date=February 18, 2019}}</ref>

The Board chooses the Director of Schools. Dr. Christie Southerland is the Director of Schools and has been in that position since 2024. 
{| class="wikitable"
|+Current Board Members<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dcstn.org/BoardMembers.aspx|title=Board Members|website=www.dcstn.org|access-date=February 18, 2019}}</ref>
!District
!Name
!Notes
|-
|1
|Kirk Vandivort
|Chair<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/dickson/2018/10/03/vandivort-new-dickson-co-school-board-chairman/1500256002/|title=Vandivort is new Dickson Co. School Board chairman|website=The Tennessean|language=en|access-date=February 18, 2019}}</ref>
|-
|2
|Sonya Brogdon
|
|-
|3
|Steve Haley
|
|-
|4
|Phil Chadwick
|
|-
|5
|Joe Underwood
|
|-
|6
|Aaron Parker
|
|}

===History===
Prior to the 1920s, numerous private high schools and colleges existed in Dickson County. These included the Tracy Academy, Charlotte Female School, Alexander Campbell School, [[Edgewood Academy]] and Normal College, the Dickson Academy, Dickson Normal School (where [[Hattie Carraway]], the first woman elected to the [[United States Senate|U.S. Senate]], was educated), Glenwylde Academy, and Ruskin Cave College. Most of these closed before or during the [[Great Depression]].<ref name="auto" /> As is typical of most Tennessee counties, all public schools of the county are currently operated by a single county-wide [[school district]].<ref name=CensusSDMap2020/>

=== Schools ===
The Dickson County Board of Education operates 16 schools.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dcstn.org/Schools.aspx|title=Schools|website=www.dcstn.org|access-date=February 18, 2019}}</ref>

'''Elementary Schools'''

* Centennial 
* Charlotte 
* Dickson 
* Oakmont 
* The Discovery School
* Sullivan
* Stuart-Burns
* Vanleer
* White Bluff

'''Middle Schools'''

* Charlotte
* Burns
* Dickson
* William James

'''High Schools'''

* Creek Wood
* Dickson County

'''Alternative School'''

* New Directions Academy

=== Higher Education ===
Dickson County is home to two campuses for higher education.

The '''[[Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology|Tennessee College of Applied Technology]] &ndash; Dickson''', under the [[Tennessee Board of Regents]], provides career and technical education programs. Some programs include administrative office technology, automotive technology, computer information technology, cosmetology, various health programs (dental, nursing, etc.), digital graphic design, HVAC/refrigeration, [[mechatronics]], and welding, among many others.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tcatdickson.edu/programs|title=Programs {{!}} TCAT Dickson|website=tcatdickson.edu|access-date=February 18, 2019}}</ref>

'''[[Nashville State Community College]]''' maintains a satellite campus in Dickson, offering associate degrees to prepare students to transfer to four-year universities or enter the workforce.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nscc.edu/campuses/dickson|title=Dickson|date=February 17, 2019|website=Nashville State Community College|language=en|access-date=February 18, 2019}}</ref>

==Communities==
===City===
*[[Dickson, Tennessee|Dickson]]

===Towns===
*[[Burns, Tennessee|Burns]]
*[[Charlotte, Tennessee|Charlotte]] (county seat)
*[[Slayden, Tennessee|Slayden]]
*[[Vanleer, Tennessee|Vanleer]]
*[[White Bluff, Tennessee|White Bluff]]

===Unincorporated communities===
* [[Abiff, Tennessee|Abiff]]
*[[Bellsburg, Tennessee|Bellsburg]]
*[[Cumberland Furnace, Tennessee|Cumberland Furnace]]
*[[Promise Land, Tennessee|Promise Land]]
*[[Tennessee City, Tennessee|Tennessee City]]

==See also==
*[[National Register of Historic Places listings in Dickson County, Tennessee]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.DicksonCountyTn.gov/ Dickson County Government] 
* [http://www.dicksoncountychamber.com/ Dickson County Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://www.dicksoncountyschools.org/ Dickson County Schools]
* [http://www.tngenweb.org/dickson Dickson County, TNGenWeb] &ndash; genealogy resources

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Dickson County, Tennessee
|North     = [[Montgomery County, Tennessee|Montgomery County]]
|Northeast =
|East      = [[Cheatham County, Tennessee|Cheatham County]]
|Southeast = [[Williamson County, Tennessee|Williamson County]]
|South     = [[Hickman County, Tennessee|Hickman County]]
|Southwest = [[Humphreys County, Tennessee|Humphreys County]]
|West      =
|Northwest = [[Houston County, Tennessee|Houston County]]
}}

{{Dickson County, Tennessee}}
{{Nashville Metro}}
{{Tennessee}}

{{coord|36.15|-87.36|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-TN_source:UScensus1990}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Dickson County, Tennessee| ]]
[[Category:1803 establishments in Tennessee]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1803]]
[[Category:Nashville metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Middle Tennessee]]