Hardin County, Tennessee
Encyclopedia
Hardin County is a county located in the U.S. State of Tennessee. As of 2010, the population was 26,026. The Hardin County seat
is Savannah
. The county was named posthumously for Col. Joseph Hardin, a Revolutionary War soldier and a legislative representative for the Province of North Carolina
and the Southwest Territory
. The county was founded in November 1819. Hardin County was the site of the Battle of Shiloh
(also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing) during the Civil War
.
Hardin County is located in central southern Tennessee (in the 'Middle District'). The county is divided into two nearly equal divisions by the Tennessee River
, which enters about midway on the south side and passes out near the northeast corner, flowing northwards. The length of the county from north to south is about 30 miles, and its greatest width, from east to west, about 21.
in late spring of 1816 bound for the general area which would eventually become Savannah, Tennessee
. The first party came by boat by way of the Tennessee River
, landing in May at "the easteward curve of the Tennessee" at Cerro Gordo
. The second, and larger, party had traversed overland and suffered from many delays. Upon the arrival of the second group, the parties finally rejoined at Johnson Creek, near present day Savannah. It was now July, and the pioneers set about the laying down of the first permanent settlement by non-Native Americans in the area.
This second party was led by Joseph Hardin, Jr., son of Col. Joseph Hardin who had, before his death, accumulated several land grant
s to the area as rewards for his Revolutionary War
service. Joseph, Jr. was accompanied on the trip by his brother, James Hardin. James was the founder of what would become the first county seat
, Hardinville
. The settlement was created in 1817 on nearby Hardin’s Creek —on the site of what was later renamed Old Town, Tennessee
.< Both men executed land grants in the area. They had fought alongside their father in the war and had been likewise rewarded with their own land patents, as well as inheriting some of their father's unclaimed grants.
Other settlers in the expedition established another community further down river at Saltillo
in 1817.
. The establishment of then neighboring Shelby County
and others continued to diminish the size of Hardin until it reached its present boundaries. The county was named for Revolutionary War veteran, Joseph Hardin, a former colonial assemblyman
for the Province of North Carolina, Speaker of the House for the unrecognized State of Franklin
and a territorial legislator of the Southwest Territory.
.
, the county has a total area of 596 square miles (1,543.6 km²), of which 578 square miles (1,497 km²) is land and 18 square miles (46.6 km²) (3.09%) is water.
of 2000, there were 25,578 people, 10,426 households, and 7,444 families residing in the county. The population density
was 44 people per square mile (17/km²). There were 12,807 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile (9/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.91% White
, 3.69% Black
or African American
, 0.20% Native American
, 0.16% Asian
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
, 0.30% from other races
, and 0.72% from two or more races. 1.02% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race. 45.1% were of American
, 9.8% Irish
, 9.7% English
and 9.5% German
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 10,426 households out of which 29.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.30% were married couples
living together, 10.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.60% were non-families. 25.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the county, the population was spread out with 23.10% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 26.60% from 25 to 44, 26.40% from 45 to 64, and 16.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 96.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $27,819, and the median income for a family was $34,157. Males had a median income of $28,357 versus $18,806 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $15,598. About 14.60% of families and 18.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.80% of those under age 18 and 17.80% of those age 65 or over.
s, and also has a middle school
. The county has one high school
, Hardin County High School
, whose sports teams are nicknamed "The Tigers". The Savannah-Hardin County Center, a branch campus of Jackson State Community College
, has operated in the City of Savannah
, offering an Associate of Science degree in General Studies, since 1998. The University of Memphis
has occasionally offered classes at the Center in the past, but there were no classes scheduled there in the summer or fall of 2009. There is also the Tennessee Technology Center at Crump
.
have begun establishing large stores in the town. The County contains its own airport, which is notable for having the world's first thin-white top coating over its runway, allowing much heavier aircraft to land.
or Memphis
, which reduces insurance rates for property substantially.
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Savannah
Savannah, Tennessee
Savannah is a city in Hardin County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 6,917 at the 2000 census and the 2007 population estimate was 7,262. It is the county seat of Hardin County. Savannah hosted the NAIA college football national championship game from 1996-2007. Savannah is home to...
. The county was named posthumously for Col. Joseph Hardin, a Revolutionary War soldier and a legislative representative for the Province of North Carolina
Province of North Carolina
The Province of North Carolina was originally part of the Province of Carolina in British America, which was chartered by eight Lords Proprietor. The province later became the U.S. states of North Carolina and Tennessee....
and the Southwest Territory
Southwest Territory
The Territory South of the River Ohio, more commonly known as the Southwest Territory, was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 26, 1790, until June 1, 1796, when it was admitted to the United States as the State of Tennessee.The Southwest Territory was...
. The county was founded in November 1819. Hardin County was the site of the Battle of Shiloh
Battle of Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh, also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, was a major battle in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, fought April 6–7, 1862, in southwestern Tennessee. A Union army under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant had moved via the Tennessee River deep into Tennessee and...
(also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing) during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Hardin County is located in central southern Tennessee (in the 'Middle District'). The county is divided into two nearly equal divisions by the Tennessee River
Tennessee River
The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately 652 miles long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other names...
, which enters about midway on the south side and passes out near the northeast corner, flowing northwards. The length of the county from north to south is about 30 miles, and its greatest width, from east to west, about 21.
History
The Hardin Expedition
Two parties of settlers (totaling 26) struck out of Knoxville, TennesseeKnoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
in late spring of 1816 bound for the general area which would eventually become Savannah, Tennessee
Savannah, Tennessee
Savannah is a city in Hardin County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 6,917 at the 2000 census and the 2007 population estimate was 7,262. It is the county seat of Hardin County. Savannah hosted the NAIA college football national championship game from 1996-2007. Savannah is home to...
. The first party came by boat by way of the Tennessee River
Tennessee River
The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately 652 miles long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other names...
, landing in May at "the easteward curve of the Tennessee" at Cerro Gordo
Cerro Gordo, Tennessee
Cerro Gordo is an unincorporated community in Hardin County, Tennessee, United States. Cerro Gordo is located on the east bank of the Tennessee River north of Savannah...
. The second, and larger, party had traversed overland and suffered from many delays. Upon the arrival of the second group, the parties finally rejoined at Johnson Creek, near present day Savannah. It was now July, and the pioneers set about the laying down of the first permanent settlement by non-Native Americans in the area.
This second party was led by Joseph Hardin, Jr., son of Col. Joseph Hardin who had, before his death, accumulated several land grant
Land grant
A land grant is a gift of real estate – land or its privileges – made by a government or other authority as a reward for services to an individual, especially in return for military service...
s to the area as rewards for his Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
service. Joseph, Jr. was accompanied on the trip by his brother, James Hardin. James was the founder of what would become the first county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
, Hardinville
Hardinville, Tennessee
Hardinville or Hardinsville was a hamlet founded in 1817 "near the confluence of Turkey and Boone's Creeks" in Hardin County, Tennessee east of the Tennessee River. It was incorporated by the state legislature on October 24, 1824...
. The settlement was created in 1817 on nearby Hardin’s Creek —on the site of what was later renamed Old Town, Tennessee
Hardinville, Tennessee
Hardinville or Hardinsville was a hamlet founded in 1817 "near the confluence of Turkey and Boone's Creeks" in Hardin County, Tennessee east of the Tennessee River. It was incorporated by the state legislature on October 24, 1824...
.< Both men executed land grants in the area. They had fought alongside their father in the war and had been likewise rewarded with their own land patents, as well as inheriting some of their father's unclaimed grants.
Other settlers in the expedition established another community further down river at Saltillo
Saltillo, Tennessee
Saltillo is a town in Hardin County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 303 at the 2010 census. Saltillo is located on the left bank of the Tennessee River, about 12 miles north of Savannah, Tennessee.-History:...
in 1817.
County Creation
For eleven days after its initial establishment (in November 1819), the boundaries of Hardin County reached from Wayne County west to the Mississippi RiverMississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. The establishment of then neighboring Shelby County
Shelby County, Tennessee
Shelby County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the state's largest both in terms of population and geographic area, with a population of 927,644 at the 2010 census...
and others continued to diminish the size of Hardin until it reached its present boundaries. The county was named for Revolutionary War veteran, Joseph Hardin, a former colonial assemblyman
House of Assembly
House of Assembly is a name given to the legislature or lower house of a bicameral parliament. In some countries this may be at a subnational level....
for the Province of North Carolina, Speaker of the House for the unrecognized State of Franklin
State of Franklin
The State of Franklin, known also as the Free Republic of Franklin or the State of Frankland , was an unrecognized autonomous United States territory created in 1784 from part of the territory west of the Appalachian Mountains that had been offered,...
and a territorial legislator of the Southwest Territory.
Battle of Shiloh
Hardin County was the site of the 1862 Battle of Shiloh (also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing) during the Civil War. The battleground is several miles south of Savannah, and extends into Tishomingo County, MississippiTishomingo County, Mississippi
As of the census of 2000 there were 19,163 people, 7,917 households, and 5,573 families residing in the county. The population density was 45 people per square mile . There were 9,553 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile...
.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the county has a total area of 596 square miles (1,543.6 km²), of which 578 square miles (1,497 km²) is land and 18 square miles (46.6 km²) (3.09%) is water.
Parks and recreation
- Shiloh National Military ParkShiloh National Military ParkShiloh National Military Park preserves the American Civil War Shiloh and Corinth battlefields. The main section of the park is in the unincorporated town of Shiloh, about nine miles south of Savannah, Tennessee, with an additional area located in the city of Corinth, Mississippi, 23 miles ...
- Pickwick Landing State ParkPickwick Landing State ParkPickwick Landing State Park is a state park in Hardin County, Tennessee, located in the Southeastern United States. The park is situated around the Pickwick Lake impoundment of the Tennessee River, and is named for Pickwick Landing, a 19th-century riverboat stop.-External links:* — official...
- Ross Creek Landing State ParkRoss Creek Landing State ParkRoss Creek Landing is a golf course in middle Tennessee, located in rolling countryside in Wayne County along the banks of the Tennessee River.-Golf course:...
Adjacent counties
- Decatur County (north)
- Wayne CountyWayne County, TennesseeAs of the census of 2010, there were 17,021 people, 5,822 households, and 4,321 families residing in the county. The population density was 23 people per square mile . There were 6,701 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile...
(east) - Lauderdale County, AlabamaLauderdale County, Alabama-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*86.4% White*10.0% Black*0.4% Native American*0.7% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.4% Two or more races*2.2% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
(southeast) - Tishomingo County, MississippiTishomingo County, MississippiAs of the census of 2000 there were 19,163 people, 7,917 households, and 5,573 families residing in the county. The population density was 45 people per square mile . There were 9,553 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile...
(south) - McNairy County (west)
- Chester County (northwest)
- Henderson County (north-northwest)
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 25,578 people, 10,426 households, and 7,444 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 44 people per square mile (17/km²). There were 12,807 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile (9/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.91% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 3.69% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.20% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.16% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.30% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.72% from two or more races. 1.02% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race. 45.1% were of American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 9.8% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, 9.7% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
and 9.5% German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 10,426 households out of which 29.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.30% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.60% were non-families. 25.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the county, the population was spread out with 23.10% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 26.60% from 25 to 44, 26.40% from 45 to 64, and 16.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 96.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $27,819, and the median income for a family was $34,157. Males had a median income of $28,357 versus $18,806 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $15,598. About 14.60% of families and 18.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.80% of those under age 18 and 17.80% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Hardin County has several community and city elementary schoolElementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
s, and also has a middle school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
. The county has one high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, Hardin County High School
Hardin County High School
Hardin County High School is an American high school located in the city of Savannah, Tennessee.- External links :*...
, whose sports teams are nicknamed "The Tigers". The Savannah-Hardin County Center, a branch campus of Jackson State Community College
Jackson State Community College
Jackson State Community College is a publicly-supported community college located in Jackson, Tennessee and operated under the auspices of the Tennessee Board of Regents. The college offers a range of two-year associate degrees in arts, science and applied-science programs...
, has operated in the City of Savannah
Savannah, Tennessee
Savannah is a city in Hardin County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 6,917 at the 2000 census and the 2007 population estimate was 7,262. It is the county seat of Hardin County. Savannah hosted the NAIA college football national championship game from 1996-2007. Savannah is home to...
, offering an Associate of Science degree in General Studies, since 1998. The University of Memphis
University of Memphis
The University of Memphis is an American public research university located in the Normal Station neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee and is the flagship public research university of the Tennessee Board of Regents system....
has occasionally offered classes at the Center in the past, but there were no classes scheduled there in the summer or fall of 2009. There is also the Tennessee Technology Center at Crump
Tennessee Technology Center at Crump
The Tennessee Technology Center at Crump is one of 46 institutions in the Tennessee Board of Regents System, the seventh largest system of higher education in the nation. This system comprises six universities, fourteen community colleges, and twenty-six technology centers...
.
Recent development and economy
As of December, 2006, the county had experienced rapid growth in industry and commerce. With most of its economy based on tourism, Hardin County has attempted to market itself as an attractive place for riverside developers to establish large-scale upper-class communities. These tend to be clustered along Pyburn Drive, and Highway 57 adjacent to the Tennessee River. Recently, national businesses such as Lowes and PeeblesPeebles
Peebles is a burgh in the committee area of Tweeddale, in the Scottish Borders, lying on the River Tweed. According to the 2001 Census, the population was 8,159.-History:...
have begun establishing large stores in the town. The County contains its own airport, which is notable for having the world's first thin-white top coating over its runway, allowing much heavier aircraft to land.
Towns
- AdamsvilleAdamsville, TennesseeAdamsville is a town in Hardin and McNairy counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The population was 2,207 at the 2010 census. Adamsville is named after George D. Adams, who operated an inn and stagecoach stop in the 1840s...
- MilledgevilleMilledgeville, TennesseeMilledgeville is a town in Chester, Hardin, and McNairy counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The population was 265 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
- SaltilloSaltillo, TennesseeSaltillo is a town in Hardin County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 303 at the 2010 census. Saltillo is located on the left bank of the Tennessee River, about 12 miles north of Savannah, Tennessee.-History:...
Unincorporated Communities
See List of unincorporated communities in Hardin County, TennesseeFire and medical protection
Hardin County maintains its own Level 4 Trauma Center out of Hardin County Medical Center in Savannah. Emergency Medical Services to Savannah and the surrounding county are provided by a paid 24/7 ambulance service based out of this hospital. Fire protection to the city of Savannah is provided by a 24-hour paid Fire Department based out of two stations, with five pieces of apparatus. The County of Hardin is protected by a combination of paid and volunteer Firefighter/First Responder and Firefighter/EMT-IV level engine companies, based out of 15 Fire Districts and with approximately 60 pieces of apparatus. The county also maintains a disaster/mass casualty team and a HAZMAT Team. An interesting note is that Hardin County has one of the lowest ISO Safety Ratings for its Fire Services outside of JacksonJackson, Tennessee
Jackson is a city in Madison County, Tennessee, United States. The total population was 65,211 at the 2010 census. Jackson is the primary city of the Jackson, Tennessee metropolitan area, which is included in the Jackson-Humboldt, Tennessee Combined Statistical Area...
or Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, which reduces insurance rates for property substantially.
See also
- Albert Sidney JohnstonAlbert Sidney JohnstonAlbert Sidney Johnston served as a general in three different armies: the Texas Army, the United States Army, and the Confederate States Army...
, Confederate general who took the offensive in the Battle of Shiloh. - National Register of Historic Places listings in Hardin County, Tennessee
- P.G.T. Beauregard, Confederate general who took the offensive in the Battle of Shiloh.
- People from Hardin County
- Ulysses S. GrantUlysses S. GrantUlysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
, Union general who had commandeered Cherry Mansion for use as a headquarters (still standing as of 2008).
Further reading
- Hardin County, Tennessee: A Pictorial History. Nashville: Turner Publishing (1994). ISBN 1563111632
- Brazelton, B.G. A History of Hardin County, Tennessee. Charleston: Bibliolife (2008). ISBN 0559890176
- Hays, Tony. On the banks of the river: A history of Hardin County, Tennessee. Savannah: Tennessee River Museum (1996). ISBN 096542670X