Editing Pickett County, Tennessee

{{short description|County in Tennessee, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Pickett County
 | state                = Tennessee
 | seal                 = 
 | founded              = 1879
 | named for            = Howard L. Pickett, state legislator<ref name=tehc>Anne-Leslie Owens, "[http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entry.php?rec=1056 Pickett County]," ''Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture''. Retrieved: March 18, 2013.</ref>
 | seat wl              = Byrdstown
 | largest city wl      = Byrdstown
 | city type            = town
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 174
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 163
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 12
 | area percentage      = 6.6%
 | census yr            = 2020
 | pop                  = 5001 {{decrease}}
 | density_sq_mi        = 31
 | web                  = 
 | ex image             = Pickett-county-courthouse-tn1.jpg 
 | ex image cap         = [[Pickett County Courthouse]] in Byrdstown
 | time zone            = Central
 | district             = 6th 
}}

'''Pickett 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 5,001, making it the least populous county in Tennessee.<ref name="2020 Census" /> Its [[county seat]] is [[Byrdstown, Tennessee|Byrdstown]].<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> The city of Byrdstown and the [[Kentucky]] town of [[Albany, Kentucky|Albany]], {{convert|11|mi|km}} to the northeast, are positioned between two [[United States Army Corps of Engineers|Army Corps of Engineers]] lakes: [[Dale Hollow Lake]], mainly in Tennessee, and [[Lake Cumberland]], in Kentucky. The area is known as "Twin Lakes" and Byrdstown is noted as "The Gateway To Dale Hollow Lake". Every year thousands of people vacation at the many resorts situated along the lakes.

==History==

Pickett County was created in 1879 from sections of [[Overton County, Tennessee|Overton]] and [[Fentress County, Tennessee|Fentress]] counties. It was named for Howell Lester Pickett (1847 - 1914), a member of the state legislature representing Wilson County who had been instrumental in the county's formation.<ref name=tehc /> [[Nobel Peace Prize]] winner [[Cordell Hull]] had been born in one of the parcels of land set aside to create the new county. Hull would be honored for his role in organizing the [[World War II]] diplomatic alliance that became the [[United Nations]].

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|174|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|163|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|12|sqmi}} (6.6%) 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 9, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}</ref> It is the fourth-smallest county in Tennessee by land area and third-smallest by total area. The eastern part of the county, much of which is part of Pickett State Forest, lies atop the [[Cumberland Plateau]], while the western, more populated half is located on the [[Highland Rim]]. The [[Wolf River (Middle Tennessee)|Wolf River]] and the [[Obey River]], the lower parts of which are part of Dale Hollow Lake, pass through the county. The rivers converge just west of the county's border with [[Clay County, Tennessee|Clay County]].

[[File:Pickett-hazard-cave-entrance-tn1.jpg|right|thumb|Hazard Cave at [[Pickett State Park]]]]

Streams in the far eastern section of the county are part of the watershed of the [[Big South Fork of the Cumberland River]].

===Adjacent counties===
*[[Wayne County, Kentucky]] (northeast/EST Border)
*[[Scott County, Tennessee|Scott County]] (east/EST Border)
*[[Fentress County, Tennessee|Fentress County]] (southeast)
*[[Overton County, Tennessee|Overton County]] (southwest)
*[[Clay County, Tennessee|Clay County]] (west)
*[[Clinton County, Kentucky]] (north)

===National protected area===
* [[Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area]] (very small part)

===State protected areas===
* [[Cordell Hull Birthplace State Park]]
* Honey Creek State Natural Area
* [[Pickett State Forest]] (part)
* [[Pickett CCC Memorial State Park]]
* Twin Arches State Natural Area (part)

===Highways===
*{{jct|state=TN|US|127}}
*{{jct|state=TN|SR|111}}
*{{jct|state=TN|Sec|154}}
*{{jct|state=TN|Sec|295}}
*{{jct|state=TN|Sec|325}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1890= 4736
|1900= 5366
|1910= 5087
|1920= 5205
|1930= 5615
|1940= 6213
|1950= 5093
|1960= 4431
|1970= 3774
|1980= 4358
|1990= 4548
|2000= 4945
|2010= 5077
|2020= 5001
|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 9, 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 9, 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 9, 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 9, 2015}}</ref> 2010-2020<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/47/47137.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=December 7, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607144335/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/47/47137.html|archive-date=June 7, 2011}}</ref> 2020<ref name="2020 Census">{{cite web |title=2020 Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US47137 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
}}
{{Stack|[[Image:USA Pickett County, Tennessee.csv age pyramid.svg|thumb|150px|left|Age pyramid Pickett County<ref>Based on 2000 [[census]] data</ref>]]}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
|+Pickett County racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US47137&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 26, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!scope="col"| Race
!scope="col"| Number
!scope="col"| Percentage
|-
!scope="row"| [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
| 4,811
| 96.2%
|-
!scope="row"| [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
| 8
| 0.16%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
| 8
| 0.16%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
| 15
| 0.3%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
| 1
| 0.02%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
| 75
| 1.5%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
| 83
| 1.66%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 5,001 people, 2,281 households, and 1,600 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 4,945 people, 2,091 households, and 1,461 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|30|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. There were 2,956 housing units at an average density of {{convert|18|/mi2|/km2|adj=pre|units&nbsp;}}. The racial makeup of the county was 99.15% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 0.10% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.16% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.04% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.10% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.44% from two or more races. 0.83% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 2,091 households, out of which 27.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.30% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.10% were non-families. 27.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.40% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 24.70% from 25 to 44, 27.70% from 45 to 64, and 17.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 96.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $24,673, and the median income for a family was $31,355. Males had a median income of $22,367 versus $17,173 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $14,681. About 12.00% of families and 15.60% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 19.40% of those under age 18 and 20.00% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
*[[Pickett County High School]] - High school
*[[Pickett County K-8]] - Elementary school/Junior high school

==Communities==
[[File:Byrdstown-Hwy-325-tn1.jpg|right|210px|thumb|Main Street in Byrdstown]]
[[File:Static-tn-ky-crossroads-tnky1.jpg|right|210px|thumb|Static, at the Tennessee-Kentucky state line]]

===Town===
*[[Byrdstown, Tennessee|Byrdstown]] (county seat)

===Unincorporated communities===
* [[Boom, Tennessee|Boom]]
*[[Cedar Grove, Pickett County, Tennessee|Cedar Grove]]
*[[Love Lady, Tennessee|Love Lady]]
*[[Midway, Pickett County, Tennessee|Midway]]
*[[Moodyville, Tennessee|Moodyville]]
*[[Static, Tennessee|Static]]

===Ghost town===
*[[Olympus, Tennessee|Olympus]]

==Politics==
Along with [[Macon County, Tennessee|Macon County]] and [[Fentress County, Tennessee|Fentress County]], Pickett County constitutes an outlier in Tennessee politics as it is a historically Republican county in a region ([[Middle Tennessee]]) that was overwhelmingly Democratic up until recent years. Since its founding, Republicans have carried the county in every presidential election, with the only exceptions being [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] in 1932, and [[Woodrow Wilson]] and [[Bill Clinton]] in the split 1912 and 1992 elections (with Tennessee son [[Al Gore]] on the Democratic ticket), respectively. 
{{PresHead|place=Pickett 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 12, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|2,441|487|26|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|2,381|525|25|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|2,021|536|58|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|1,712|712|29|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|1,786|854|31|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|1,600|1,033|12|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|1,281|939|19|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|1,046|901|124|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|1,094|1,144|130|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|1,118|634|4|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|1,246|706|5|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|1,319|758|25|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|986|948|10|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|957|357|11|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|884|405|199|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1964|Republican|935|728|0|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|1,154|567|0|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|985|560|11|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|1,003|547|0|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|849|566|22|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|761|416|21|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|830|652|10|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1936|Republican|651|454|15|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|681|712|23|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|745|382|7|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|676|643|5|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|896|607|0|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1916|Republican|501|418|0|Tennessee}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Democratic|355|411|134|Tennessee}}

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

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20190113171553/http://www.dalehollow.com/info-resources/government Pickett County Government] &mdash; DaleHollow.com
* [http://www.tngenweb.org/pickett Pickett County, TNGenWeb] - free genealogy resources for the county

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Pickett County, Tennessee
|North     =
|Northeast = [[Wayne County, Kentucky]] and [[Clinton County, Kentucky]]
|East      = [[Scott County, Tennessee|Scott County]]
|Southeast = [[Fentress County, Tennessee|Fentress County]]
|South     =
|Southwest = [[Overton County, Tennessee|Overton County]]
|West      = [[Clay County, Tennessee|Clay County]]
|Northwest =
}}

{{Pickett County, Tennessee}}
{{Tennessee}}

{{coord|36.56|-85.08|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-TN_source:UScensus1990}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Pickett County, Tennessee| ]]
[[Category:1879 establishments in Tennessee]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1879]]
[[Category:Middle Tennessee]]