Editing Franklin County, Tennessee

{{short description|County in Tennessee, United States}}
{{Distinguish|Franklin, Tennessee}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Franklin County
 | state                = Tennessee
 | flag                 = Flag of Franklin County, Tennessee.png
 | seal                 = Seal of Franklin County, Tennessee.png
 | founded              = 1807
 | named for            = [[Benjamin Franklin]]
 | seat wl              = Winchester
 | largest city wl      = Winchester
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 576
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 555
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 21
 | area percentage      = 3.7%
 | census yr            = 2020
 | pop                  = 42774 {{increase}}
 | density_sq_mi        = 74
 | time zone            = Central
 | footnotes            = 
 | web                  = franklincotn.us
 | ex image             = Franklin County Courthouse, Winchester, Tennessee 6-8-2010.jpg
 | ex image cap         = Franklin County Courthouse in Winchester
 | district             = 4th 
}}

'''Franklin County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Tennessee]]. It is located on the eastern boundary of [[Middle Tennessee]] in the southern part of the state. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 42,774.<ref>{{cite web|title=Census - Geography Profile: Franklin County, Tennessee|url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Franklin_County,_Tennessee?g=0500000US47051|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 7, 2023}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Winchester, Tennessee|Winchester]].<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> Franklin County was formerly part of the [[Tullahoma, Tennessee|Tullahoma]]-[[Manchester, Tennessee|Manchester]], TN [[Tullahoma, Tennessee micropolitan area|Micropolitan Statistical Area]], it was removed in 2023 and is part of the Winchester Micropolitan Statistical Area.

==History==
White settlement began around 1800, and the county was formally organized in 1807 and named for [[Benjamin Franklin]].<ref name=tehc>John Abernathy Smith, "[http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entry.php?rec=506 Franklin County]," ''Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture''. Retrieved: June 28, 2013.</ref><ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n120 131]}}</ref>  During the next several decades, the size of the county was reduced several times by reorganizations which created the neighboring counties of [[Coffee County, Tennessee|Coffee County]], [[Moore County, Tennessee|Moore County]], and [[Grundy County, Tennessee|Grundy County]]. One of the most notable early settlers was frontiersman [[Davy Crockett]], who came about 1812 but is not thought to have remained long.<ref name=tehc />

The [[Sewanee, The University of the South|University of the South]], founded by the Episcopal Church, was organized just before the [[American Civil War|Civil War]]. It began full operations shortly after hostilities ceased. It encompasses a full university and theological seminary. The University of Tennessee Space Institute is also located in the county.

The area became strongly [[secessionist]] before the war. Franklin County formally threatened to [[Secession|secede]] from Tennessee and join [[Alabama]] if Tennessee did not leave the union, which the state did when forced to take sides by Abraham Lincoln.<ref name=tehc /> This contrasted sharply with the situation in not distant [[Winston County, Alabama]], which was largely pro-Union and provided more volunteers for the Union than the Confederacy.

During 1863, the [[Army of Tennessee]] retreated through the county, leaving it more or less under Union control for the rest of the war, although some guerrilla warfare still took place. [[Isham G. Harris]], the Confederate governor of Tennessee, was from Franklin County. After having his political rights restored after the war, he was chosen to represent the state in the [[United States Senate]].

During the [[Temperance movement|temperance]] (anti-liquor) agitations of the late 19th century, residents discovered that by a quirk of state law, liquor could be sold only in [[municipal corporation|incorporated town]]s. As a result, all of the county's towns abolished their charters in order to prohibit the sale of alcohol.<ref name=tehc />

In the 20th century, Franklin County benefited from the flood control and power generation activities of the [[Tennessee Valley Authority]] (TVA), built by the President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] administration during the [[Great Depression]]. The TVA helped bring new industry to the area. It also created opportunities for water recreation by making new lakes, but at the same time also displaced many county residents from their soon to be submerged homes. The establishment of the federal [[Arnold Engineering Development Center]], which is partly within the county, helped spur economic growth and technical development. The [[interstate highway]] system barely touched the county, but it did provide valuable access on [[Interstate 24 in Tennessee|Interstate 24]] to nearby [[Chattanooga, Tennessee|Chattanooga]].

Two notable figures who were born in the county early in the twentieth century were singer/entertainer [[Dinah Shore]] and entrepreneur/philanthropist [[John Templeton]]. He later became a British subject and was awarded a [[knighthood]].

During the last decades of the 19th and the first of the 20th, Tennessee, like other southern states, passed laws and constitutional amendments establishing [[Jim Crow law|Jim Crow]]: [[racial segregation]] in public facilities, restrictions of voting for blacks, and similar measures. There were few violent disturbances in Franklin County compared to many other localities, but it was not until a decade after the historic ''[[Brown v. Board of Education]]'' court decision that the county's schools were [[desegregated]] in 1964 when [[Sewanee Elementary School|a lawsuit was won in Sewanee, Tennessee.]]

Considerable industrial growth occurred in the county in the last decades of the 20th century, including the construction of a large automobile engine plant by the [[Nissan]] corporation in [[Decherd, Tennessee|Decherd]]. An emphasis on tourism also developed, based on Civil War history and local scenic attractions such as the [[dogwood]] forests, for which an annual festival is held.

==Geography==
[[File:US-41A-Cumberland-Plateau-tn1.jpg|right|thumb|210px|[[U.S. Route 41A|US 41A]] approaching the [[Cumberland Plateau]] near Cowan]]
[[File:Lost Cove Cave Main Entrance From Below.jpg|right|210px|thumb|[[Lost Cove Cave]]]]
[[File:Tims-Ford-Lake-Winchester-sunset-tn1.jpg|right|210px|thumb|[[Tims Ford Lake]]]]
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|576|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|555|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|21|sqmi}} (3.7%) 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>

Franklin is one of Tennessee's southern tier of counties and abuts the [[Alabama]] border. It has a varied geography, extending from the southeast corner of the [[Nashville Basin]] over the [[Highland Rim]] and up onto the [[Cumberland Plateau]], for a difference in elevation of about {{convert|1300|ft|m}}. The county is well watered and forested, and except for the steeper areas of the plateau is well suited for agriculture, having a long growing season and mild winters.

[[Sewanee Natural Bridge]] is a {{convert|25|ft|m}} high [[Natural arch|natural sandstone arch]] with a span of {{convert|50|ft|m}}.

[[Lost Cove Cave]], located near Sherwood, is in the Carter State Natural Area. One of its entrances is known as the Buggytop Cave Entrance and another entrance is known as the Peter Cave Entrance. The Buggytop Entrance is {{convert|100|ft|m}} wide and {{convert|80|ft|m}} high and opens at the base of an overhanging bluff {{convert|150|ft|m}} high. The cave stream cascades down from the mouth and drops {{convert|40|ft}} in less than {{convert|100|yd}}.<ref name="barr_1961_pp_195-197">{{cite book |last1= Barr |first1= Thomas C. |title= Caves of Tennessee |series= Bulletin 64 of the Tennessee Division of Geology |year= 1961 |pages= 195–197 }}</ref>

===Adjacent counties===
*[[Coffee County, Tennessee|Coffee County]] (north)
*[[Grundy County, Tennessee|Grundy County]] (northeast)
*[[Marion County, Tennessee|Marion County]] (east)
*[[Jackson County, Alabama]] (south)
*[[Madison County, Alabama]] (southwest)
*[[Lincoln County, Tennessee|Lincoln County]] (west)
*[[Moore County, Tennessee|Moore County]] (northwest)

===State protected areas===
*Bear Hollow Wildlife Management Area
*Carter State Natural Area
*[[Franklin State Forest]] (part)
*Hawkins Cove State Natural Area
*Mingo Swamp Wildlife Management Area
*Natural Bridge State Natural Area
*Owl Hollow Mill Wildlife Management Area
*[[South Cumberland State Park]] (part)
*[[Tims Ford State Park]]
*Walls of Jericho State Natural Area

===Other protected areas===
* [[Tims Ford Lake]]
* [[Woods Reservoir]]

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1810= 5730
|1820= 16571
|1830= 15620
|1840= 12033
|1850= 13768
|1860= 13848
|1870= 14970
|1880= 17178
|1890= 18929
|1900= 20392
|1910= 20491
|1920= 20641
|1930= 21796
|1940= 23892
|1950= 25431
|1960= 25528
|1970= 27244
|1980= 31983
|1990= 34725
|2000= 39270
|2010= 41052
|2020= 42774
|estref=
|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">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/47/47051.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=November 29, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607141707/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/47/47051.html|archive-date=June 7, 2011}}</ref>
}}
{{Stack|[[File:USA Franklin County, Tennessee.csv age pyramid.svg|thumb|left|150px|Age pyramid Franklin County<ref>Based on [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]] data</ref>]]}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
|+Franklin County racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US47051&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 24, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!scope="col"| Race
!scope="col"| Number
!scope="col"| Percentage
|-
!scope="row"| [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
| 36,864
| 86.18%
|-
!scope="row"| [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
| 1,962
| 4.59%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
| 117
| 0.27%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
| 348
| 0.81%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
| 17
| 0.04%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
| 1,964
| 4.59%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
| 1,502
| 3.51%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 42,774 people, 16,326 households, and 11,197 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 39,270 people, 15,003 households, and 11,162 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|71|PD/sqmi}}.

There were 16,813 housing units at an average density of {{convert|30|/sqmi}}. The racial makeup of the county was 92.20% [[Race (United States Census)|White]] or [[Race (United States Census)|European American]], 5.49% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.20% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.41% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.03% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.60% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.06% from two or more races. 1.58% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.00% under the age of 18, 10.90% from 18 to 24, 26.40% from 25 to 44, 24.40% from 45 to 64, and 15.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,044, and the median income for a family was $42,279. Males had a median income of $31,506 versus $21,479 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $17,987. About 9.60% of families and 13.20% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 17.00% of those under age 18 and 13.00% of those age 65 or over.

==Communities==
[[File:Winchester-Courthouse-Square-tn1.jpg|right|thumb|210px|Winchester]]

===Cities===
* [[Cowan, Tennessee|Cowan]]
* [[Decherd, Tennessee|Decherd]]
* [[Tullahoma, Tennessee|Tullahoma]] (partial)
* [[Winchester, Tennessee|Winchester]] (county seat)

===Towns===
* [[Estill Springs, Tennessee|Estill Springs]]
* [[Huntland, Tennessee|Huntland]]
* [[Monteagle, Tennessee|Monteagle]] (also in [[Marion County, Tennessee|Marion]] and [[Grundy County, Tennessee|Grundy]] Counties)

===Census-designated places===
* [[Belvidere, Tennessee|Belvidere]]
* [[Sewanee, Tennessee|Sewanee]]
* [[Sherwood, Tennessee|Sherwood]]

===Unincorporated communities===
{{div col}}
* Alto
* [[Asia, Tennessee|Asia]]
* [[Beech Hill, Franklin County, Tennessee|Beech Hill]]
* [[Broadview, Tennessee|Broadview]]
* [[Midway, Franklin County, Tennessee|Midway]]
* [[Shady Grove, Franklin County, Tennessee|Shady Grove]]{{div col end}}

==Notable people==
*[[Stephen Adams (politician)|Stephen Adams]] (1807&ndash;1857), [[United States Senator]] and [[United States House of Representatives|Representative]]<ref name="Marquis 1607-1896">{{cite book | title = Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607–1896 | publisher = Marquis Who's Who | location = Chicago | year = 1963}}</ref>
*[[James Patton Anderson]], (1822–1873), born in Franklin County, [[Confederate Army]] general <ref name="Marquis 1607-1896"/>
*[[Jimmy Bedford]] (1940–2009), sixth master distiller at [[Jack Daniel's]].<ref>Hevesi, Dennis. [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/11/business/11bedford.html "Jimmy Bedford, Guardian of Jack Daniel’s, Dies at 69"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', August 10, 2009. Accessed August 11, 2009.</ref>
*[[Phillip Fulmer]] (b. 1950), former head coach of the [[Tennessee Volunteers football]] team
*[[Bernie Moore]] (1895–1967), commissioner of the [[Southeastern Conference]]
*[[Dinah Shore]] (1916–1994), singer, actress, and television celebrity
*[[John Templeton]] (1912–2008), investor and philanthropist
*[[Jauan Jennings]] (b. 1997), Wide Receiver for the [[San Francisco 49ers]]
*[[Shirley Majors]] (1913-1981), former head coach of The [[Sewanee Tigers football]] team

==Politics==
Franklin County has become a [[Republican Party (U.S.)|Republican]] stronghold in recent years. The last Democrat to carry this county was [[Al Gore]] in 2000. Prior to 2004, the only Republican to win the county in a 20th-century presidential election was [[Richard Nixon]] in 1972.
{{PresHead|place=Franklin 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=February 20, 2021}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|15,016|4,529|224|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|13,987|4,864|281|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|11,532|4,374|498|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|10,262|5,603|254|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|10,539|6,613|280|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|9,129|7,800|148|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|2000|Democratic|6,560|7,828|303|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|5,296|6,929|1,154|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|4,507|7,773|1,896|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|5,381|5,442|63|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1984|Democratic|5,705|5,846|70|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|3,995|6,760|335|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|2,619|6,788|117|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|4,136|2,896|160|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1968|American Independent|1,700|2,489|4,939|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|2,262|6,029|0|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|2,041|5,041|57|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|1,727|4,791|77|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|2,015|4,786|33|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|589|2,948|924|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|600|3,958|15|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|569|4,312|12|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|519|3,534|13|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|360|3,029|28|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|928|1,698|6|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|707|2,072|58|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|1,558|3,504|2|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|711|2,469|55|Tennessee}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Democratic|370|2,172|196|Tennessee}}

==See also==
{{Portal|United States}}
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Franklin County, Tennessee]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Franklin County, Tennessee}}
* [http://www.franklincotn.us/ Official site]
* [http://www.franklincountychamber.com Franklin County Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://fcstn.net/ Franklin County Schools]
* [http://www.tngenweb.org/franklin Franklin County, TNGenWeb] &ndash; genealogy resources
* [http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~pearidger/history/gdsfrkln.shtml History of Franklin County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041022145356/http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/%7Epearidger/history/gdsfrkln.shtml |date=October 22, 2004 }}, transcribed from ''Goodspeed's History of Tennessee'' (1886–1887)
* [http://tnlandforms.us/landforms/countylf.php?county=Franklin Franklin County Landforms]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Franklin County, Tennessee
|North     = [[Coffee County, Tennessee|Coffee County]]
|Northeast = [[Grundy County, Tennessee|Grundy County]]
|East      = [[Marion County, Tennessee|Marion County]]
|Southeast =
|South     = [[Jackson County, Alabama]]
|Southwest = [[Madison County, Alabama]]
|West      = [[Lincoln County, Tennessee|Lincoln County]]
|Northwest = [[Moore County, Tennessee|Moore County]]
}}

{{Franklin County, Tennessee}}
{{Tennessee}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|35|09|N|086|06|W|type:adm2nd_region:US-TN|display=title}}

[[Category:Franklin County, Tennessee| ]]
[[Category:1807 establishments in Tennessee]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1807]]
[[Category:Tullahoma, Tennessee micropolitan area]]
[[Category:Middle Tennessee]]