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Bradley County, Tennessee

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Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox U.S. county

Bradley County is a county located in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 108,620,<ref name="QF">Template:Cite web</ref> making it the thirteenth most populous county in Tennessee. Its county seat is Cleveland.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> It is named for Colonel Edward Bradley of Shelby County, Tennessee, who was colonel of Hale's Regiment in the American Revolution and the 15th Regiment of the Tennessee Volunteers in the War of 1812.<ref name=tehc/> Bradley County is included in the Cleveland, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Chattanooga-Cleveland-Dalton, TN-GA-AL Combined Statistical Area.

History

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File:Cleveland-tennessee-meleeny-bell1.jpg
Meeleny Bell, located on the former Bradley County Courthouse from 1893 to 1963.

Template:See also Indigenous peoples occupied this territory, especially along the waterways, for thousands of years before European contact. The first Europeans to see this area were likely Hernando De Soto and his expedition on June 2, 1540, while traveling through the Southeast interior of the North American continent.Template:Sfn They encountered peoples of the South Appalachian Mississippian culture.

The historic Muscogee Creek and Yuchi occupied areas of what became Tennessee. The Yuchi town of Chestowee was located on the south bank of the lower Hiwassee River. They later moved from Tennessee into Georgia and South Carolina under pressure from the Cherokee, who were rising to power in the region. Cherokee warriors from the Middle Towns destroyed Chestowee in 1714, encouraged by English fur traders from South Carolina. Archeological surveys suggest that Chestowee was located at what is known as the Rymer archeological site, identified in later studies as within the European-American J.P. Rymer farm.Template:Sfn

The Cherokee became predominant in this area and referred to a large region in present-day Bradley County as Chatata, meaning "clear water".Template:Sfn The Yuchi, while speaking a different language, allied with the Muscogee Creek when moving into their territory in Georgia and Alabama.

In anticipation of forced removal of the Cherokee by treaty cession in this area north of the Hiwassee River, white settlers began to move here. In 1821, the Cherokee Agency, the official liaison between the U.S. Government and the Cherokee Nation, was moved to present-day Charleston, Tennessee.Template:Sfn Between 1832 and 1838, the Cherokee moved their capital to the Red Clay Council Grounds, on the southern border of Bradley County with Georgia; it served as the Cherokee capital and the last council grounds of the Cherokee Nation-East.Template:Sfn This property is now a state park, Red Clay State Park.

The Cherokee Removal began after some of their leaders signed the Treaty of New Echota, signed on December 29, 1835. The government had earlier tried to persuade them to move to Indian Territory; these leaders signed the treaty while trying to gain the best conditions for their people, as they believed it was inevitable.Template:Sfn

General Winfield Scott was directed to remove the Cherokee from the Southeast, and set up the headquarters at Fort Cass in Charleston.Template:Sfn Several internment camps were established in Bradley County in the valleys between Charleston and Cleveland, Tennessee, where the Cherokee were held in preparation for the journey westward. This became known as the Trail of Tears.Template:Sfn Two of the largest internment camps were located at Rattlesnake Springs.<ref name=tfp>Template:Cite news</ref>

European-American development of Bradley County

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Bradley County was established by the legislature on February 10, 1836.<ref name="goodspeed"/> It was named to honor Colonel Edward Bradley who served in the War of 1812.Template:Sfn The first election in Bradley County took place on April 2, 1836.<ref name=hometown16>Template:Cite news</ref> On May 2, 1836, the location for the county seat of Cleveland was chosen.<ref name=goodspeed>" Goodspeed's History of Bradley County, Tennessee," published in 1887. Transcribed for web content and maintained by TNGenWeb - Bradley County. Retrieved: December 30, 2007.</ref> On January 20, 1838, Cleveland, which had a population of 400, was formally recognized by the state legislature as the seat of Bradley County.<ref name=snell>William Snell, "Cleveland," An Encyclopedia of East Tennessee (Children's Museum of Oak Ridge, 1981), pp. 108-111.</ref> Cleveland was incorporated on February 2, 1842.<ref name=snell/>

Like most East Tennessee counties, the voters of Bradley County were largely opposed to secession on the eve of the Civil War. In Tennessee's Ordinance of Secession referendum on June 8, 1861, the county's residents voted against secession - 1,382 to 507.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> No major battles were fought in Bradley County, but several major skirmishes between Union and Confederate troops took place there. In 1864, Confederate soldiers failed in an attempt to destroy a Union train near the Tasso community, an effort that resulted in destroying a Confederate train instead.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

The bridge over the Hiwassee River was burned on November 8, 1861, by members of the East Tennessee bridge-burning conspiracy led by Alfred Cate.<ref>Temple, East Tennessee and the Civil War, pp. 370-406.</ref> On November 4, 1862, a train accident south of Cleveland near the Black Fox community killed 17 members of the 33rd Regiment Alabama Infantry, who were being transported to Chattanooga.<ref>W.E. Mathews Preston Diary and Regimental History, SPR393, Alabama Dept. of Archives and History, page 14. Template:Webarchive</ref> Union soldiers under the command of William Tecumseh Sherman camped at Cleveland, Tasso, and Blue Springs on multiple occasions during the latter half of the war.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The city of Cleveland was occupied by the Confederate Army from 1861 to 1863.<ref>"Tennessee Civil War Trails Program," June 9, 2011, pp. 1-2. Accessed: March 12, 2015.</ref>

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (0.8%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref> The county is situated on a series of paralleling ridges running north-northeasterly which are part of the Ridge and Valley Appalachians. The highest of these, Candies Creek Ridge, runs through the center of Cleveland.<ref name=USGS1>Template:Cite map</ref> Located in between these ridges are creeks, and there are several springs in the county, which made the area favorable to early settlers. The highest point in the county is located on the Hamilton County line along White Oak Mountain. The county is bordered on the north by the Hiwassee River.<ref>Template:Cite map</ref> The majority of the county is located in the Tennessee Valley drainage basin, except for approximately the southeastern third, which is located in the Mobile Bay Watershed and contains the Conasauga River.<ref>Template:Cite map</ref> This river is the only river in Tennessee that is not part of the Mississippi River Watershed.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Adjacent counties

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State protected areas

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  • Chickamauga Wildlife Management Area (part)
  • Charlotte Anne Finnell Neal Wildlife Management Area
  • Red Clay State Park

Demographics

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Template:US Census population

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2020 census

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Bradley County racial composition<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 87,830 80.86%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 5,105 4.7%
Native American 271 0.25%
Asian 1,188 1.09%
Pacific Islander 117 0.11%
Other/Mixed 5,648 5.2%
Hispanic or Latino 8,461 7.79%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 108,620 people, 39,992 households, and 26,516 families residing in the county.

2010 census

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As of the census of 2010,<ref name=data>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> there were 98,963 people, 37,947 households, and 26,867 families residing in the county. The population density was 298.98 persons per square mile. There were 41,395 housing units at an average density of 125.06 per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 92.10% White, 4.27% Black or African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.86% Asian, 0.06% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and 1.45% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos (of any race) were 4.71% of the population. The largest ancestral groups were Irish 14.27%, German 12.62%, English 8.91%, Italian 2.39%, and Dutch 2.18%. An estimated 3.90% of the population was foreign-born, and an estimated 7.54% were veterans.

Of all of the households, 29.07% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 53.58% were married couples living together, 4.78% had a male householder with no wife present, 12.44% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.2% were non-family households, with 23.8% of householders living alone. 33.27% of all households had individuals under the age of 18 living in them, and 26.36% had individuals aged 65 and older living in them. The average household size was 2.54 persons, and the average family size was 2.98 persons.

The population was spread out, with 22.97% under the age of 18, 62.88% ages 18 to 64, and 14.15% over the age of 65. The median age was 37.9 years. 51.32% of the population was female and 48.68% was male.

The median household income was $40,032, and the average per capita income was approximately $21,444. Males had a median income of $37,735 versus $28,585 for females. Approximately 11.6% of families and 16.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.2% of those under the age of 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

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With thirteen Fortune 500 manufacturers, Cleveland has the fifth largest industrial economy in Tennessee.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Cleveland is home to a variety of industries, including household cooking equipment, foodstuff, textiles, furniture, storage batteries, pharmaceuticals, industrial cleaning products, photographic processing, industrial and domestic chemicals, and automotive parts.<ref name="Archived copy">Template:Cite web Cleveland Chamber of Commerce</ref> Major employers include Whirlpool, Johnston Coca-Cola, Mars, Incorporated, Procter & Gamble, Duracell, Hardwick Clothes, and Cleveland Chair Company.<ref name="Archived copy"/> Wacker Polysilicon, Olin Corporation, Amazon, and Arch Chemicals have factories and distribution centers in Charleston.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Resolute Forest Products, formerly Bowater, has a plant across the river from Charleston in Calhoun.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Agriculture in Bradley County has an annual market value of over $105 million.<ref name=nass17/> Bradley County ranks second in the state for the production of poultry and broilers, most of which is raised in the southern half of the county.<ref name=nass17>Template:Cite web</ref> Bradley County is also home to farms which raise beef cattle, dairy, and crops, such as corn, soybeans, and fruits and vegetables.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Government

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Bradley County has a 14-member county commission form of government, with two commissioners from each of seven districts.<ref name=comm>County Commission - County Commissioners bradleycountytn.gov</ref> The commission is headed by a chairman and vice chairman, who are chosen by fellow commissioners. The current chairman is Tom Crye from District 2 and the current vice chairman is Bill Winters from District 7.<ref name=comm/> Each district is also assigned a constable, also elected.<ref>Constables by District bradleycountytn.gov</ref> The county executive (or "county mayor") separately elected, is Republican D. Gary Davis.<ref>County Mayor, Gary Davis bradleycountytn.gov</ref> Other elected officials include county clerk, circuit and criminal court clerk, register of deeds, assessor of property, trustee, and road superintendent. Elections take place every even year, with primaries in the first week of May and general elections in the first week of August, along with the state primary.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

District<ref name=comm/> Seat A<ref name=comm/> Seat B<ref name=comm/>
District 1 Daniel Beaty Mike Hughes
District 2 Louie Alford Tom Crye
District 3 Milan Blake Denny Collins
District 4 Scott Gilbert Howard Thompson
District 5 Bobby Goins Cindy Slater
District 6 Tim Mason Tommy Ledford
District 7 Josh Rogers Bill Winters

Bradley County is located in Tennessee's 3rd congressional district, represented by Republican Chuck Fleischmann.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> For the Tennessee House of Representatives, Bradley County is part of both District 22, represented by Republican Dan Howell,<ref>Template:Cite map</ref> and District 24, represented by Republican Kevin Raper.<ref>Template:Cite map</ref> Bradley County is represented in the Tennessee Senate, by Republican J. Adam Lowe

Cleveland and Bradley County have always been majority-Republican, as has most of East Tennessee, even when Tennessee was part of the Solid South. Since the Republican Party's founding, only two Democratic Presidential Candidates have won Bradley County; Woodrow Wilson in 1912 and Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1936.<ref name=bc>Template:Cite book</ref> In both the 2000 and 2004 Presidential elections, the Republican candidate received the highest percentage of the popular vote in Bradley County out of all of Tennessee's counties.<ref name=leip /> Template:Clear

Infrastructure

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Transportation

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Air

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Hardwick Field, also known as Cleveland Municipal Airport, was the county's principal airport from 1955 to 2013.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Cleveland Regional Jetport, located approximately two miles east of Hardwick Field opened on January 25, 2013, replacing Hardwick Field.<ref name=airnav/> It consists of a Template:Convert runway.<ref name=airnav>Template:Cite web</ref>

Rail

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The county is served by the Norfolk Southern Railway, which forks in Cleveland and provides logistics for industries.<ref name=TDOT/>

Highways

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Interstate 75 traverses the county from the southwest to the north, passing through the western edge of Cleveland. There are four exits on I-75 in Bradley County: three in Cleveland and one in Charleston. U.S. Route 11 and U.S. Route 64 intersect in downtown Cleveland. U.S. 11 connects to Chattanooga to the southwest and Athens to the north. U.S. 64 connects to Murphy, North Carolina to the east. S.R. 60 connects Cleveland to Dayton to the northwest and Dalton, Georgia to the south. APD-40, made up of the U.S. 64 Bypass and a section of S.R. 60 forms a beltway and bypass route around the business district of Cleveland. The U.S. 11 Bypass bypasses downtown Cleveland to the west.<ref name=TDOT>Template:Cite map</ref>

Principal highways
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File:Cleveland to Charleston Concrete Highway Bradley County Tennessee.jpg
Historic U.S. Route 11 in Charleston.
File:APD-40cloverleaf.jpg
Aerial view of the cloverleaf interchange of APD-40 (U.S. 64 Byp./S.R. 60) and U.S. Route 64 (Inman Street/Waterlevel Highway).
Secondary highways
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Utilities

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Cleveland Utilities is a city-owned corporation which provides electricity, water, and sewer service to the city of Cleveland and surrounding areas.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Calhoun-Charleston Utilities District provides water to Charleston.<ref name=plan/> Volunteer Electric Cooperative (VEC) provides electricity to Charleston and the rest of Bradley County, except for a small portion in the southwestern part of the county along U.S. 11/64, including McDonald, which receives its electricity from Chattanooga-based EPB.<ref name=plan>Template:Cite web</ref> The rest of the county is provided water by the Hiwassee Utilities Commission, Ocoee Utility District, Eastside Utility District, and Savannah Valley Utility District.<ref name=plan/> Cleveland Utilities, VEC, and EPB all purchase their power from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), which also provides power directly to heavy industries Olin, United Hydrogen, and Wacker. Chattanooga Gas, a subsidiary of Southern Company, provides natural gas to Cleveland and surrounding areas.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Healthcare

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Prior to 2008, the county's two main hospitals were Bradley Memorial Hospital and Cleveland Community Hospital. They ran independently until 2008 when they were both purchased by SkyRidge Medical Center.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2015, the two hospitals were purchased by Tennova Healthcare.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Bradley Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center is a nursing home that serves the county. Bradley County Emergency Medical Services is an emergency medical service (EMS) agency of the county government that was established in 1972 and consists of six stations, eight ambulances, and two ancillary vehicles, along with more than 60 full-time employees and more than 25 part-time employees.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Education

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Cleveland State Community College and Lee University are located in Bradley County. Public schools in the county are managed by the Bradley County Schools school district or the Cleveland City Schools school district. The county district has four public high schools: Bradley Central High School, Walker Valley High School, GOAL Academy, and REACH Adult High school. Cleveland High School is operated by the city school district. There is one State-accredited private Christian college preparatory school: Tennessee Christian Preparatory School.

Private schools

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Higher education

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Media

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Newspapers

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The Cleveland Daily Banner is the county's primary newspaper. The paper was first published in 1854, making it one of the oldest in the state.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Additionally, the Chattanooga Times Free Press, a paper based in Chattanooga, also serves as a primary source of news for Bradley County residents.

Radio

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Several radio stations located within Chattanooga and neighboring cities serve Bradley County, along with others licensed to Cleveland, which are listed below:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Call sign Frequency Format
W207C1 (WAYW) 89.3 FM Contemporary Christian
WSAA 93.1 FM Air 1, Contemporary Christian
WALI 97.1 Lite rock
WOOP-LP 99.9 FM Country
WUSY 100.7 FM Country
W267BI 101.3 FM Talk
WCLE-FM 104.1 FM Adult contemporary
W290CA (WTSE) 105.9 FM Contemporary Christian
WBAC 1340 AM News/Talk
WCLE-AM 1570 AM Talk

Television

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Bradley County is served by several TV stations licensed both in the county and in neighboring counties. Stations licensed in Cleveland include:

Call sign<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Channel Network
WPDP-CD 25 ABC, Fox, My Network TV
WTNB-CD 27 Heartland
WFLI-TV 42, 53 The CW, Me-TV

Communities

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File:Craigmiles Hall in autumn.jpg
Cleveland
File:Charleston-Post-Office-tn1.jpg
Charleston

Cities

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Census-designated places

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Unincorporated communities

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See also

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References

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Notes

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