Editing Hardeman County, Tennessee

{{short description|County in Tennessee, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Hardeman County
 | state                = Tennessee
 | seal                 = 
 | founded              = 1823
 | named for            = Thomas J. Hardeman<ref name=tehc>Faye Tennyson Davidson, [http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entry.php?rec=598 "Hardeman County"] ''[[Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture]]''; retrieved October 16, 2013.</ref>
 | seat wl              = Bolivar
 | largest city wl      = Bolivar
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 670
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 668
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 2.6
 | area percentage      = 0.4%
 | census yr            = 2020
 | pop                  = 25462 {{decrease}}
 | density_sq_mi        = 41
 | time zone            = Central
 | footnotes            = 
 | ex image             = Old Courthouse in Spring, Bolivar TN.JPG
 | ex image cap         = Hardeman County Courthouse in Bolivar
 | district             = 8th 
|website=https://hardemancounty.org/}}

'''Hardeman 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 25,462.<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/47/47069.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=December 2, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607142135/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/47/47069.html|archive-date=June 7, 2011}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Bolivar, Tennessee|Bolivar]].<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}}</ref>

==History==
Hardeman County was created by the [[Tennessee General Assembly]] in 1823 from parts of [[Hardin County, Tennessee|Hardin County]] and "Indian lands." It is named for Thomas J. Hardeman<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hairston.org/p4117.htm|title=HAIRSTON - (surname unknown) Mary Ophelia POLK|website=www.hairston.org|access-date=March 10, 2018}}</ref> (1788-1854), a veteran of the [[Creek War]] and the [[War of 1812]] and a prominent figure in the fight for [[Texas]] independence. He served as a congressman in the [[Republic of Texas]], and was also the father of [[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] brigadier general [[William Polk Hardeman]].<ref name=tehc />

Settlers began arriving in the area that is now Hardeman County in 1819, following a treaty with the [[Chickasaw]] allowing settlement in West Tennessee signed on October 19, 1818.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Hardeman County Tennessee |url=https://hardemancounty.org/about-us/county-history/ |access-date=2024-04-10 |website=hardemancounty.org}}</ref> Among these earliest settlers were the county's namesame Thomas Hardeman and [[Ezekiel Polk]], the paternal grandfather of president [[James K. Polk]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://www.hardemancountychamber.com/county-info/history/ |access-date=2024-04-10 |website=Hardeman County Tennessee |language=en-US}}</ref> Thereafter, further settlers arrived from Middle Tennessee, Alabama, North and South Carolina, and Virginia.<ref name=":0" />

The first permanent settlement was established in 1823 along the [[Hatchie River]], dubbed Hatchie Town. The town's location along the river led to recurrent flooding, and ultimately the decision was made to relocate the settlement approximately one mile south to what is now Bolivar.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

Hardeman County was the site of several battles and skirmishes in the [[American Civil War|Civil War]]. The largest of these was the [[Battle of Hatchie's Bridge]] which took place on October 5, 1862 and resulted in 900 total casualties. Much of downtown Bolivar was also burned down during the war.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> The town of [[Grand Junction, Tennessee|Grand Junction]] was the site of the first [[Contraband (American Civil War)|contraband camp]], organized by John Eaton to shelter and employ enslaved individuals captured by the Union.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Chaplain John Eaton, Jr. · Finding Freedom at Grand Junction, Tennessee · Contraband Camps of the Mississippi Valley |url=https://gjcontrabandcamp.omeka.net/exhibits/show/grand-junction/establishing-the-camp/eaton |access-date=2024-08-26 |website=gjcontrabandcamp.omeka.net}}</ref>

The county is the location of two of Tennessee's four private prisons, the [[Whiteville Correctional Facility]] and the [[Hardeman County Correctional Center]]. Both are medium-security facilities for men, operated by the [[Corrections Corporation of America]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.tn.gov/correction/institutions/hccf.html |title=Tennessee Department of Correction - Hardeman County Correctional Facility |access-date=March 21, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140412190831/http://www.tn.gov/correction/institutions/hccf.html |archive-date=April 12, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.tn.gov/correction/institutions/wcfa.html |title=Tennessee Department of Correction - Whiteville Correctional Facility |access-date=March 21, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140412190859/http://www.tn.gov/correction/institutions/wcfa.html |archive-date=April 12, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|670|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|668|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|2.6|sqmi}} (0.4%) 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 5, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}</ref> It is the fifth-largest county in Tennessee by area.

===Adjacent counties===
{{div col}}
*[[Madison County, Tennessee|Madison County]] (north)
*[[Chester County, Tennessee|Chester County]] (northeast)
*[[McNairy County, Tennessee|McNairy County]] (east)
*[[Alcorn County, Mississippi]] (southeast)
*[[Tippah County, Mississippi]] (south)
*[[Benton County, Mississippi]] (southwest)
*[[Fayette County, Tennessee|Fayette County]] (west)
*[[Haywood County, Tennessee|Haywood County]] (northwest)
{{div col end}}

===National protected areas===
*[[Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge]]

===State protected areas===
*[[Chickasaw State Park (Tennessee)|Chickasaw State Park]] (part)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1830= 11655
|1840= 14563
|1850= 17456
|1860= 17769
|1870= 18074
|1880= 22921
|1890= 21029
|1900= 22976
|1910= 23011
|1920= 22278
|1930= 22193
|1940= 23590
|1950= 23311
|1960= 21517
|1970= 22435
|1980= 23873
|1990= 23377
|2000= 28105
|2010= 27253
|2020= 25462
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2018">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.2018.html|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates|access-date=July 20, 2019}}</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 5, 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 5, 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 5, 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 5, 2015}}</ref> 2010-2014<ref name="QF"/>
}}
{{Stack|[[Image:USA Hardeman County, Tennessee.csv age pyramid.svg|thumb|left|150px|Age pyramid Hardeman County<ref>Based on [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]] data</ref>]]}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Hardeman County, Tennessee – Racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Hardeman County, Tennessee|url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALSF12000.P004?g=050XX00US47069|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Hardeman County, Tennessee|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US47069&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Hardeman County, Tennessee|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US47069&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|15,994
|15,197
|style='background: #ffffe6; |13,970
|56.91%
|55.76%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |54.87%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|11,474
|11,228
|style='background: #ffffe6; |10,150
|40.83%
|41.20%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |39.86%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|66
|56
|style='background: #ffffe6; |46
|0.23%
|0.21%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.18%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|78
|145
|style='background: #ffffe6; |162
|0.28%
|0.53%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.64%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|5
|0
|style='background: #ffffe6; |6
|0.02%
|0.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.02%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|13
|18
|style='background: #ffffe6; |68
|0.05%
|0.07%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.27%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|202
|233
|style='background: #ffffe6; |566
|0.72%
|0.85%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.22%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|273
|376
|style='background: #ffffe6; |494
|0.97%
|1.38%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.94%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''28,105'''
|'''27,253'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''25,462'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 25,462 people, 8,891 households, and 5,816 families residing in the county.

===2010 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 2010 the racial makeup of the county was 56.1% [[Race (United States Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic) or [[Race (United States Census)|European American]], 41.01% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.24% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.29% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.01% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.2% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.79% from two or more races. 0.96% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR8" /> of 2000, there were 28,105 people, 9,412 households, and 6,767 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|42|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. There were 10,694 housing units at an average density of {{convert|16|/mi2|/km2|adj=pre|units&nbsp;}}. The racial makeup of the county was 57.34% [[Race (United States Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic) or [[Race (United States Census)|European American]], 40.97% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.26% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.31% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.02% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.30% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.79% from two or more races. 0.97% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 9,412 households, out of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.00% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 17.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.10% were non-families. 25.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.90% under the age of 18, 9.80% from 18 to 24, 31.30% from 25 to 44, 22.40% from 45 to 64, and 12.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 116.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 121.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $29,111, and the median income for a family was $34,746. Males had a median income of $27,828 versus $20,759 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $13,349. About 16.90% of families and 19.70% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 24.40% of those under age 18 and 20.80% of those age 65 or over.

==Schools==
*Bolivar Central High School
*Bolivar Middle School
*Bolivar Elementary School
*Whiteville Elementary School
*Middleton High School
*Middleton Elementary School
*Toone Elementary School
*Grand Junction Elementary School
*Hornsby Elementary School

==Communities==
===Cities===
*[[Bolivar, Tennessee|Bolivar]] (county seat and largest city)
*[[Grand Junction, Tennessee|Grand Junction]] (partial)
*[[Middleton, Tennessee|Middleton]]
*[[Medon, Tennessee|Medon]] (mostly in [[Madison County, Tennessee|Madison County]])

===Towns===
{{div col}}
*[[Hickory Valley, Tennessee|Hickory Valley]]
*[[Hornsby, Tennessee|Hornsby]] (partially in [[McNairy County, Tennessee|Mcnairy County]])
*[[Saulsbury, Tennessee|Saulsbury]]
*[[Silerton, Tennessee|Silerton]] (partial)
*[[Toone, Tennessee|Toone]]
*[[Whiteville, Tennessee|Whiteville]]
{{div col end}}

=== Census-designated places ===

* [[Essary Springs, Tennessee|Essary Springs]]
* [[Pocahontas, Tennessee|Pocahontas]]

===Unincorporated and historic communities===
*Cloverport
*Middleburg
*New Castle
*Piney Grove
*Porters Creek
*Rogers Springs
*Serles
*[[Van Buren, Tennessee|Van Buren]]
*Vildo

==Politics==
{{Unreferenced section|date=October 2021}}
Apart from its powerful vote against [[Hubert Humphrey]] in 1968 and [[George McGovern]] in 1972 as well as [[George H. W. Bush]]'s 21-vote plurality in 1988, Hardeman County was a solidly Democratic county up until it flipped to [[Donald Trump]] in 2016.
{{PresHead|place=Hardeman 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|5,793|3,527|79|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|5,760|4,180|123|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|4,919|4,185|169|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|4,865|5,482|92|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|5,225|5,919|93|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|2004|Democratic|4,704|5,685|77|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|2000|Democratic|3,729|4,953|121|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|2,961|4,859|411|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|3,122|4,832|673|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|3,547|3,526|65|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1984|Democratic|3,712|3,797|117|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|2,931|4,153|121|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|2,254|3,934|82|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|3,494|1,550|250|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1968|American Independent|1,171|1,709|2,924|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|2,450|2,675|0|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|1,601|1,711|292|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|818|1,754|781|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|1,256|2,747|26|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|317|1,609|1,374|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|444|1,949|7|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|319|2,549|7|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|157|1,869|3|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|281|2,377|22|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|491|1,453|17|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|254|1,586|57|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|895|2,212|23|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|485|1,724|7|Tennessee}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Democratic|320|1,323|272|Tennessee}}

==See also==
*[[National Register of Historic Places listings in Hardeman County, Tennessee]]
*[[John Chisum]]
*[[Bailey Hardeman]], brother of Thomas J. Hardeman
*[[Hardeman County, Texas]]
*[[Bolivar Female Academy]]

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://hardemancountytn.com/ Chamber of Commerce site] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190501015845/http://hardemancountytn.com/ |date=May 1, 2019 }}
*[https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entry.php?rec=598 Hardeman County] at ''[[Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture]]''

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Hardeman County, Tennessee
|North     = [[Madison County, Tennessee|Madison County]]
|Northeast = [[Chester County, Tennessee|Chester County]]
|East      = [[McNairy County, Tennessee|McNairy County]]
|Southeast = [[Alcorn County, Mississippi]]
|South     = [[Tippah County, Mississippi]]
|Southwest = [[Benton County, Mississippi]]
|West      = [[Fayette County, Tennessee|Fayette County]]
|Northwest = [[Haywood County, Tennessee|Haywood County]]
}}

{{Hardeman County, Tennessee}}
{{Tennessee}}

{{coord|35.20|-89.00|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-TN_source:UScensus1990}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Hardeman County, Tennessee| ]]
[[Category:1823 establishments in Tennessee]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1823]]
[[Category:West Tennessee]]