Editing Niota, Tennessee

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name            = Niota, Tennessee
| settlement_type          = [[City]]
| nickname                 = socktown
| motto                    = <!-- Images -->
| image_skyline            = Niota-business-district-tn1.jpg
| imagesize                = 250px
| image_caption            = Niota
| image_flag               = 
| image_seal               = <!-- Maps -->
| image_map                = File:McMinn County Tennessee Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Niota Highlighted 4753380.svg
| mapsize                  = 250px
| map_caption              = Location of Niota in McMinn County, Tennessee.
| image_map1               = 
| mapsize1                 = 
| map_caption1             = <!-- 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        = [[McMinn County, Tennessee|McMinn]]

<!-- Government -->
| government_footnotes     = 
| government_type          = 
| leader_title             = 
| leader_name              = 
| leader_title1            = 
| leader_name1             = 
| established_title        = Settled
| established_date         = 1850s<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~tnmcmin2/GoodspeedsMcMinncounty.htm |title=Goodspeed's History of McMinn County |year=1887 |access-date=January 24, 2013}}</ref>
| established_title2       = Incorporated
| established_date2        = 1911<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.tn.us/sos/bluebook/05-06/48-data.pdf |title=Tennessee Blue Book |year=2005–2006 |pages=618–625}}</ref>
| named_for                = ''Ni-o-tah'', a fictional Indian chief<ref name=matheny />

<!-- 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           = 5.95
| area_land_km2            = 5.95
| area_water_km2           = 0.00
| area_total_sq_mi         = 2.30
| area_land_sq_mi          = 2.30
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->| population_as_of         = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_footnotes     = <ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly"/>
| population_total         = 772
| population_density_km2   = 129.69
| population_density_sq_mi = 335.94

<!-- General information -->| timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
| utc_offset               = -5
| timezone_DST             = EDT
| utc_offset_DST           = -4
| elevation_footnotes      = 
| elevation_m              = 307
| elevation_ft             = 1007
| coordinates              = {{coord|35|30|51|N|84|32|50|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code              = 37826
| area_code                = [[Area code 423|423]]
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info               = 47-53380<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              = 1648566<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://www.cityofniota.org/|City website}}
| footnotes                = 
| pop_est_as_of            = 
| pop_est_footnotes        = 
| population_est           = 
}}
'''Niota''' is a city in [[McMinn County, Tennessee|McMinn County]], [[Tennessee]], United States. The population was estimated at 772 in 2020 by the U.S. Census Bureau.<ref name="GR2"/>

==History==
The community was originally called "Mouse Creek," but was renamed in 1897 to avoid confusion with a railroad stop in [[Jefferson City, Tennessee|Jefferson City]] that was named "Mossy Creek." The name "Niota" was based on the name of a fictional character in a [[dime novel]], a [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native American]] chief named "Nee-o-tah."<ref name=matheny>{{cite news |first=Jim |last=Matheny |url=http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=133660 |series=Why do they call it that? |title=Niota in McMinn County |website=WBIR-TV |date=September 10, 2010 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130209170007/http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=133660 |archive-date=February 9, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

The Niota Depot, built in 1854 for the [[East Tennessee and Georgia Railroad]], is the oldest standing railroad depot in Tennessee. It currently serves as Niota City Hall.<ref>{{cite report |first1=Carroll |last1=van West |first2=Martin T. |last2=Gavin |display-authors=etal |date=December 2007 |title=Niota Train Depot Preservation Needs Report |page=4 |publisher=Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area |url=http://www.sitemason.com/files/iO9hv2/Niota%20Train%20Depot%20Preservation%20Needs%20Report%202007.pdf}}</ref>

In 1988, a group of women, later dubbed the “Golden Girls of Niota”, led a successful city council election campaign and became one of the first all-female city councils in the United States and the only one at the time. The group ran as the People’s Choice Party and was led by 78-year old Mayor Effie Lones, the oldest elected female official in the country at the time of her election. Every member of the Golden Girls was a grandmother. 4 of the candidates were elected via write-in votes, and they handed out sample ballots prior to Election Day to familiarize voters with the write-in process.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 19, 1989 |title=THE GOLDEN GIRLS SEIZE CONTROL OF TENNESSEE TOWN |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1989-03-19-8903270988-story.html |access-date=August 27, 2023 |website=Chicago Tribune}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Niota, Nigh Onto Heaven |url=https://wellholler.tripod.com/niota.htm |access-date=August 27, 2023 |website=wellholler.tripod.com}}</ref>

==Geography==
Niota is located at {{coord|35|30|51|N|84|32|50|W|type:city}} (35.514230, -84.547132).<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 city is situated along [[U.S. Route 11 in Tennessee|US Route 11]] between [[Sweetwater, Tennessee|Sweetwater]] and [[Athens, Tennessee|Athens]]. [[Tennessee State Route 309]] connects the city with [[Interstate 75 in Tennessee|Interstate&nbsp;75]] to the west.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|2.0|sqmi|km2}}, all land.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1920= 467
|1930= 443
|1940= 623
|1950= 956
|1960= 679
|1970= 629
|1980= 765
|1990= 745
|2000= 781
|2010= 719
|2020= 772
|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|work=Population Estimates|publisher=United States Department of Commerce|department=U.S. Census Bureau|url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/SUB-EST2012.html|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"
|+Niota racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US4753380&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)
| 677
| 87.69%
|-
!scope="row"| [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
| 8
| 1.04%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
| 3
| 0.39%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
| 16
| 2.07%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
| 1
| 0.13%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
| 42
| 5.44%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
| 25
| 3.24%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 772 people, 390 households, and 255 families residing in the city.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2"/> of 2000, there were 781&nbsp;people, 344&nbsp;households, and 231&nbsp;families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was 389.0&nbsp;people per square mile (150.0/km<sup>2</sup>). There were 382&nbsp;housing units at an average density of 190.3&nbsp;per square mile (73.4/km<sup>2</sup>). The racial makeup of the city was 91.1% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 2.04% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 1.02% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], and 2.34% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 3.16% of the population.

There were 344&nbsp;households, out of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.7% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were non-families. 29.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65&nbsp;years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.76&nbsp;.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.9% under age&nbsp;18, 7.6% from&nbsp;18 to 24, 28.7% from&nbsp;25 to 44, 25.6% from&nbsp;45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100&nbsp;females, there were 91.4&nbsp;males. For every 100&nbsp;females age&nbsp;18 and over, there were 88.3&nbsp;males.

The median income for a household in the city was $28,750, and the median income for a family was $36,136. Males had a median income of $30,119 versus $21,964 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $15,152. About 8.6% of families and 12.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 17.9% of those under age 18 and 10.3% of those age&nbsp;65 or over.

==Education==
[[McMinn County Schools]] operates public schools, including Niota Elementary School.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.niotaschool.com/o/ne|title=Home|publisher=Niota Elementary School|accessdate=January 28, 2022}}</ref>

==Notable people==
* [[Harry T. Burn]], member of the [[Tennessee General Assembly]], was born in Niota and lived in the community throughout his life. He is best remembered as the state legislator whose vote secured the ratification of the [[Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution]], giving U.S. women the right to vote.
* [[Alfred Cate]], Tennessee state senator and [[Southern Unionist]]

==References==
{{reflist|25em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Niota, Tennessee}}
* {{cite web |url=https://www.cityofniota.org/|title=City of Niota |series=Official website}}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.niotaschool.com/ |title=Niota Elementary School |series=Official website}}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.mtas.tennessee.edu/gml-mtas.nsf/Webstatecityinfo/D03C17B0E23D774A85256AF7005EDAD3?OpenDocument |publisher=Municipal Technical Advisory Service |website=mtas.Tennessee.edu |place=Tennessee |title=entry for Niota |series=State/city info}} — information on local government, elections, and link to charter

{{McMinn County, Tennessee}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Tennessee]]
[[Category:Cities in McMinn County, Tennessee]]