Hickory Valley, Tennessee
Encyclopedia
Hickory Valley is a town in Hardeman County, Tennessee
, United States
. The population was 99 at the 2010 census. Hickory Valley's origin dates back to the blending of three independent pioneer settlements in the area that were founded by three men: William Shinault in 1820, Drury Wood in 1826 and William Barnett in 1827.
trail and the historical Boliver-LaGrange Road are still visible in some places south of Hickory Valley. In 1826 Drury Wood migrated to the area and founded the Hickory Valley settlement; a cemetery
for the Wood family is still located in the area and marks the original site of the settlement. William Barnett would move into the area in 1827 and would establish Mt. Comfort Church and a campground about two miles west of the present town. The Chickasaw
also resided in the area.
The building of the railroad into the area in the 1850's brought a growth in population. A railroad levee that runs through the town is still visible, and is believed to have been built by slaves from a plantation
owned by Darius Robinson. Railroad engineer Casey Jones
was a frequenter of the town during his travels.
Hickory Valley was deeply affected by the American Civil War
. The railroad fell under the control of the Union Army
after being abandoned by the Confederate Army. Skirmishes were fought in the area as well. In 1873 the city was laid out again and the city began to regrow until the yellow fever
epidemic of 1878. The town's population was described by the Bolivar Bulletin as "fleeing from the scourge". The town was also quarantined in 1882 due to a smallpox
outbreak.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 136 people, 59 households and 35 families residing in the town. The population density
was 418.7 people per square mile (164.1/km²). There were 65 housing units at an average density of 200.1 per square mile (78.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 83.09% White and 16.91% African American.
Of the 59 households 23.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 47.5% were married couples
living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39% were non-families. 35.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 22% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 22.1% from 25 to 44, 30.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 100 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 89.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $15,313, and the median income for a family was $22,500. Males had a median income of $21,875 versus $14,688 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $8,935. There were 18.4% of families and 16.2% of the population living below the poverty line, including 16.3% of under eighteens and 16.7% of those over 64.
Two churches are located in Hickory Valley with over 30-year histories: Hickory Valley Methodist Church and Hickory Valley Baptist
Church.
period. The town maintains a historic working cotton gin
and a small business district, which is a memory of the former railroad town. Hickory Valley has the only remaining sassafras
mill in the United States, which sits in front of City Hall. The mill was built and owned by locals in the 1920's and the oil it produced was distributed throughout the country. Hickory Valley is home to the James Monroe Avent House which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 2001.
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 99 at the 2010 census. Hickory Valley's origin dates back to the blending of three independent pioneer settlements in the area that were founded by three men: William Shinault in 1820, Drury Wood in 1826 and William Barnett in 1827.
History
Hickory Valley's origin dates back to the blending of three independent pioneer settlements in the area that were founded by three men: William Shinault in 1820, Drury Wood in 1826 and William Barnett in 1827. The Shinault Settlement formed before Hardemen County was organized and featured the first school in Hardemen County, which operated as early as 1823. The main buildings of the settlement were located one mile southwest of the present town and a former IndianIndigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
trail and the historical Boliver-LaGrange Road are still visible in some places south of Hickory Valley. In 1826 Drury Wood migrated to the area and founded the Hickory Valley settlement; a cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
for the Wood family is still located in the area and marks the original site of the settlement. William Barnett would move into the area in 1827 and would establish Mt. Comfort Church and a campground about two miles west of the present town. The Chickasaw
Chickasaw
The Chickasaw are Native American people originally from the region that would become the Southeastern United States...
also resided in the area.
The building of the railroad into the area in the 1850's brought a growth in population. A railroad levee that runs through the town is still visible, and is believed to have been built by slaves from a plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
owned by Darius Robinson. Railroad engineer Casey Jones
Casey Jones
John Luther Jones was an American railroad engineer from Jackson, Tennessee, who worked for the Illinois Central Railroad...
was a frequenter of the town during his travels.
Hickory Valley was deeply affected by the American 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...
. The railroad fell under the control of the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
after being abandoned by the Confederate Army. Skirmishes were fought in the area as well. In 1873 the city was laid out again and the city began to regrow until the yellow fever
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
epidemic of 1878. The town's population was described by the Bolivar Bulletin as "fleeing from the scourge". The town was also quarantined in 1882 due to a smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
outbreak.
Geography
Hickory Valley is located at 35°9′18"N 89°7′36"W (35.154873, -89.126577).According to the United States Census Bureau
United 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 town has a total area of 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²), all of it land.
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 136 people, 59 households and 35 families residing in the town. 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 418.7 people per square mile (164.1/km²). There were 65 housing units at an average density of 200.1 per square mile (78.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 83.09% White and 16.91% African American.
Of the 59 households 23.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 47.5% 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, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39% were non-families. 35.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 22% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 22.1% from 25 to 44, 30.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 100 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 89.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $15,313, and the median income for a family was $22,500. Males had a median income of $21,875 versus $14,688 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 town was $8,935. There were 18.4% of families and 16.2% of the population living below the poverty line, including 16.3% of under eighteens and 16.7% of those over 64.
Two churches are located in Hickory Valley with over 30-year histories: Hickory Valley Methodist Church and Hickory Valley Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
Church.
Arts and culture
Hickory Valley's architecture dates back to the AntebellumAntebellum architecture
Antebellum architecture is a term used to describe the characteristic neoclassical architectural style of the Southern United States, especially the Old South, from after the birth of the United States in the American Revolution, to the start of the American Civil War...
period. The town maintains a historic working cotton gin
Cotton gin
A cotton gin is a machine that quickly and easily separates cotton fibers from their seeds, a job formerly performed painstakingly by hand...
and a small business district, which is a memory of the former railroad town. Hickory Valley has the only remaining sassafras
Sassafras
Sassafras is a genus of three extant and one extinct species of deciduous trees in the family Lauraceae, native to eastern North America and eastern Asia.-Overview:...
mill in the United States, which sits in front of City Hall. The mill was built and owned by locals in the 1920's and the oil it produced was distributed throughout the country. Hickory Valley is home to the James Monroe Avent House which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 2001.