McMinnville, Tennessee
Encyclopedia
McMinnville is the largest city in and the county seat
of Warren County, Tennessee
, United States
. The population was 13,605 at the 2010 census. It was named after Joseph McMinn
, a governor of Tennessee, in 1810.
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 10 square miles (25.9 km²), all of it land. Elevation is 968 feet (295 m), as it sits near the foot of the Cumberland Plateau
and on the Highland Rim
.
of 2000, there were 12,749 people, 5,419 households and 3,332 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,273.4 per square mile (491.7/km²). There were 5,961 housing units at an average density of 595.4 per square mile (229.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 88.42% White, 4.15% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.93% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 5.00% from other races
, and 1.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.81% of the population.
There were 5,419 households of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.6% were married couples
living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.5% were non-families. 33.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 87.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $23,810, and the median income for a family was $32,759. Males had a median income of $28,474 versus $20,693 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,074. About 21.0% of families and 24.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.5% of those under age 18 and 19.1% of those age 65 or over.
. The nursery business generates over $300 million in revenue and has given the area the title of "Nursery Capital of the World". Every year the city hosts the Middle Tennessee Nursery Association Trade Show at the McMinnville Civic Center
. The city's industrial needs are served by the Caney Fork and Western Railroad
.
McMinnville, like many other American smaller cities and towns, has went through a revitalization of its downtown area. "Main Street McMinnville" serves as the city's non-profit revitalization organization funded by the National Trust for Historic Preservation
and Tennessee's own Main Street Program.
and a branch of the Tennessee Technology Center.
daily newspaper. The city also has access to five regional radio stations serving sports, country music, talk radio and religious enthusiasts.
" due to its innovations and grandeur. In the 1940s the home was made into a hospital and nursing home and was eventually renamed Faulkner Springs Hospital. In 1989 George McGlothin bought the house and renovated it to its former 1896 appearance. In 1982 the house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
. The renovations earned the house the National Trust for Historic Preservation
's Great American Home Award in 1997. The house is open to the public for tours, shopping, dining and special events. It also claims to be the home to a "friendly ghost
". The Black House is the oldest remaining residence in the city. Built in 1825 by Jesse Coffee, it was one of the first in the area to have a brick exterior. It's current name stems from former occupant Dr. Thomas Black and his family. Dr. Black practiced medicine at the house. In the 1980s it was deeded to his relative, Jean Leonard, who worked with the Eagle Club to begin restoration on the house. The house serves as a museum and provides tours to the public. In 1983 the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
The Park Theatre, in downtown McMinnville, was opened in 1939. The theater had 1000 seats and two restaurants. In 1947 a fire closed the theater and in 1948 it was reopened again after renovations. The theater closed in 1986 and the building has since been purchased by a private group. It's undergoing renovations and will re-open as an entertainment center and multi-use facility. The former McMinnville Opera House
, built in 1888 by African American entrepreneur William Hawchins, burnt down in 2008. The opera house held the city's first silent film
showing.
and Court Square Park. Cumberland Caverns is the largest show cave
in the state. At a total of 32 miles of underground caverns, Cumberland Caverns formally held the title of the 2nd largest cave in the United States. A notable feature of the caverns is the "Volcano Room", which is large enough to hold 500 people at once and features a chandelier
from the former Loews Metropolitan Theater of New York City. The McMinnville Parks & Recreation Department manages five city parks, the McMinnville Farmers Market, the Barren Forks Greenway, a playground, a fitness and wellness center, and local sports leagues. The parks department also manages the McMinnville Civic Center
which serves as a community center for sports and special events.
from around the world. The city also hosts the McMinnville City Triathlon in May. The event features a 200 meter swim, 11.5 mile bike ride and a 2 mile run.
, music computer, musician and musicologist of folk music was born on July 29, 1911, in McMinnville. He'd eventually leave to attend the Nashville Conservatory of Music. Country music
's Uncle Dave Macon
was born just outside of McMinnville. Macon would go on to move to Nashville in 1884. A memorial at the Warren County Courthouse memorializes his birth and is built out of brick from the home he was born in. Dinah Shore
grew up in McMinnville, where her family moved in 1924 and her father owned a department store. United States government official, journalist and author Carl Rowan
was raised in McMinnville. Born in Ravenscroft
in 1925, he worked in the nurseries of McMinnville hoeing bulbs as a teenager for 10 cents an hour. Country singer Dottie West
was born just outside of McMinnville in 1932.
Chicago Cubs
bullpen coach Lester Strode
was born and raised in McMinnville. Born in 1958, he was one of eight African Americans in a class of 500 at Warren County Senior High School. He credits his experience of being a minority and the relationship with his high school coach as shaping his decisions as an sports professional. In 2006 the high school retired his uniform number. A second pro baseball player, Jamie Walker
, was also born in McMinnville in 1971. McMinnville is also home to wrestler Mike Droese
.
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....
of Warren County, Tennessee
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 13,605 at the 2010 census. It was named after Joseph McMinn
Joseph McMinn
Joseph McMinn was governor of Tennessee from 1815 to 1821.-Biography:A native of Pennsylvania and a Quaker, he arrived in Tennessee in 1787. He was twice elected to serve in the legislature of the Territory of the United States South of the River Ohio , in 1794 and 1796...
, a governor of Tennessee, in 1810.
Geography
McMinnville is located at 35°41′12"N 85°46′46"W (35.686708, -85.779309), approximately 35 miles (56.3 km) south of Cookeville and 70 miles (112.7 km) northwest of ChattanoogaChattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
.
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 city has a total area of 10 square miles (25.9 km²), all of it land. Elevation is 968 feet (295 m), as it sits near the foot of the Cumberland Plateau
Cumberland Plateau
The Cumberland Plateau is the southern part of the Appalachian Plateau. It includes much of eastern Kentucky and western West Virginia, part of Tennessee, and a small portion of northern Alabama and northwest Georgia . The terms "Allegheny Plateau" and the "Cumberland Plateau" both refer to the...
and on the Highland Rim
Highland Rim
The Highland Rim is a geographic term for the area in Tennessee surrounding the Central Basin. Nashville is largely surrounded by higher terrain in all directions....
.
Nearby cities and towns
|
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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 12,749 people, 5,419 households and 3,332 families residing in the city. 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 1,273.4 per square mile (491.7/km²). There were 5,961 housing units at an average density of 595.4 per square mile (229.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 88.42% White, 4.15% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.93% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 5.00% 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 1.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.81% of the population.
There were 5,419 households of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.6% 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, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.5% were non-families. 33.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 87.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $23,810, and the median income for a family was $32,759. Males had a median income of $28,474 versus $20,693 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 city was $15,074. About 21.0% of families and 24.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.5% of those under age 18 and 19.1% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
The area in and around McMinnville includes over 50 business and manufacturing plants including Bridgestone-Firestone and over 450 nurseriesNursery (horticulture)
A nursery is a place where plants are propagated and grown to usable size. They include retail nurseries which sell to the general public, wholesale nurseries which sell only to businesses such as other nurseries and to commercial gardeners, and private nurseries which supply the needs of...
. The nursery business generates over $300 million in revenue and has given the area the title of "Nursery Capital of the World". Every year the city hosts the Middle Tennessee Nursery Association Trade Show at the McMinnville Civic Center
McMinnville Civic Center
McMinnville Civic Center is a 4,800-seat multi-purpose arena in McMinnville, Tennessee. It hosts various local concerts and sporting events for the area....
. The city's industrial needs are served by the Caney Fork and Western Railroad
Caney Fork and Western Railroad
The Caney Fork and Western Railroad is a shortline railroad operating since 1983 from a connection with CSX Transportation at Tullahoma to McMinnville, Tennessee, . Currently the railroad is a subsidiary of Ironhorse Resources....
.
McMinnville, like many other American smaller cities and towns, has went through a revitalization of its downtown area. "Main Street McMinnville" serves as the city's non-profit revitalization organization funded by the National Trust for Historic Preservation
National Trust for Historic Preservation
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is an American member-supported organization that was founded in 1949 by congressional charter to support preservation of historic buildings and neighborhoods through a range of programs and activities, including the publication of Preservation...
and Tennessee's own Main Street Program.
Education
McMinnville has eight elementary and middle schools, and 3 high schools, including private and public schools. The public school system is ran by the Warren Schools system. The city also is home to Motlow State Community CollegeMotlow State Community College
Motlow State Community College opened its doors in 1969. The College serves more than 540,000 residents in an 11-county service area including Bedford, Cannon, Coffee, DeKalb, Franklin, Lincoln, Moore, Rutherford, Van Buren, White, and Warren counties in southern middle Tennessee.Motlow College is...
and a branch of the Tennessee Technology Center.
Media
McMinnville has one media outlet the Southern StandardSouthern Standard
Southern Standard is a semi-daily newspaper based in McMinnville, Tennessee....
daily newspaper. The city also has access to five regional radio stations serving sports, country music, talk radio and religious enthusiasts.
Transportation
Six different state routes pass in or around McMinnville. The city is also served by the Warren County Memorial Airport.- U.S. 70SU.S. Route 70SU.S. Route 70s is an alternate to U.S. Route 70 between the western part of Nashville, TN and Sparta, Tennessee. It runs concurrent with US 70 for several blocks in downtown Nashville...
/State Route 1State Route 1 (Tennessee)State Route 1 , known as the Memphis to Bristol Highway, is a mostly-unsigned state highway in the U.S. state of Tennessee that is 538 miles long. It stretches all the way from Memphis in the southwest corner of the state to Bristol in the northeast corner. Most of the route is overlaid on U.S.... - State Route 56State Route 56 (Tennessee)State Route 56 is a 164-mile highway that runs south to north in Middle Tennessee.Starting at the northern border, TN-56 is considered a secondary road; at the Kentucky state line, it terminates with KY-63. From there it starts its southern journey through the small town of Red Boiling Springs...
- State Route 55
- State Route 380
- State Route 286
- State Route 108
Utilities
Electricity for the city is handled by McMinnville Electric System and the Caney Fork Electric Cooperative. The Warren County Utility District handles water needs with support from the city, who also handles sewage. The Middle Tennessee Gas Utility District manages gas distribution and landline telephone services are maintained by Ben Lomand Telephone and Frontier Communications.Annual cultural events
The city hosts a number of annual and frequent events. The non-profit downtown revitalization organization Main Street McMinnville hosts "Main Street LIVE!", a summer concert series that is held in June and July. In Autumn, the Chamber of Commerce hosts the Autumn Street Fair on one day in October. It features crafts, food, live music, and other activities in downtown McMinnville. Throughout spring, summer and winter the city hosts the Warren County Farmers Market.Museums and other points of interest
Falcon Rest, built in 1896, once served as the home of entrepreneur Clay Faulkner and his family. A large 10,000 square-foot mansion, at the time of it's completion it featured electric lights, indoor plumbing and central heat. PBS described the home as "Tennessee's BiltmoreBiltmore Estate
Biltmore House is a Châteauesque-styled mansion near Asheville, North Carolina, built by George Washington Vanderbilt II between 1889 and 1895. It is the largest privately-owned home in the United States, at and featuring 250 rooms...
" due to its innovations and grandeur. In the 1940s the home was made into a hospital and nursing home and was eventually renamed Faulkner Springs Hospital. In 1989 George McGlothin bought the house and renovated it to its former 1896 appearance. In 1982 the house was placed 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...
. The renovations earned the house the National Trust for Historic Preservation
National Trust for Historic Preservation
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is an American member-supported organization that was founded in 1949 by congressional charter to support preservation of historic buildings and neighborhoods through a range of programs and activities, including the publication of Preservation...
's Great American Home Award in 1997. The house is open to the public for tours, shopping, dining and special events. It also claims to be the home to a "friendly ghost
Ghost
In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to...
". The Black House is the oldest remaining residence in the city. Built in 1825 by Jesse Coffee, it was one of the first in the area to have a brick exterior. It's current name stems from former occupant Dr. Thomas Black and his family. Dr. Black practiced medicine at the house. In the 1980s it was deeded to his relative, Jean Leonard, who worked with the Eagle Club to begin restoration on the house. The house serves as a museum and provides tours to the public. In 1983 the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
The Park Theatre, in downtown McMinnville, was opened in 1939. The theater had 1000 seats and two restaurants. In 1947 a fire closed the theater and in 1948 it was reopened again after renovations. The theater closed in 1986 and the building has since been purchased by a private group. It's undergoing renovations and will re-open as an entertainment center and multi-use facility. The former McMinnville Opera House
McMinnville Opera House
The McMinnville Opera House, also known as Hawchins Opera House, was a landmark structure in McMinnville, Tennessee, that was destroyed by fire in 2008....
, built in 1888 by African American entrepreneur William Hawchins, burnt down in 2008. The opera house held the city's first silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
showing.
Parks & recreation
McMinnville has serves as home to Cumberland CavernsCumberland Caverns
Cumberland Caverns is the second to third longest cave in Tennessee, USA. It has a surveyed length of 27.616 miles , which makes it the 14th longest cave in the United States and the 64th longest cave in the World....
and Court Square Park. Cumberland Caverns is the largest show cave
Show cave
Show caves — also called tourist caves, public caves, and in the United States, commercial caves — are caves that are managed by a government or commercial organization and made accessible to the general public, usually for an entrance fee...
in the state. At a total of 32 miles of underground caverns, Cumberland Caverns formally held the title of the 2nd largest cave in the United States. A notable feature of the caverns is the "Volcano Room", which is large enough to hold 500 people at once and features a chandelier
Chandelier
A chandelier is a branched decorative ceiling-mounted light fixture with two or more arms bearing lights. Chandeliers are often ornate, containing dozens of lamps and complex arrays of glass or crystal prisms to illuminate a room with refracted light...
from the former Loews Metropolitan Theater of New York City. The McMinnville Parks & Recreation Department manages five city parks, the McMinnville Farmers Market, the Barren Forks Greenway, a playground, a fitness and wellness center, and local sports leagues. The parks department also manages the McMinnville Civic Center
McMinnville Civic Center
McMinnville Civic Center is a 4,800-seat multi-purpose arena in McMinnville, Tennessee. It hosts various local concerts and sporting events for the area....
which serves as a community center for sports and special events.
Sports
Each May McMinnville serves as the rallying point for the Highland Rim Cycling Classic. The event brings over 400 road cyclistsRoad cycling
Road cycling is the most widespread form of cycling. It includes recreational, racing, and utility cycling. Road cyclists are generally expected to obey the same rules and laws as other vehicle drivers or riders and may also be vehicular cyclists....
from around the world. The city also hosts the McMinnville City Triathlon in May. The event features a 200 meter swim, 11.5 mile bike ride and a 2 mile run.
Notable natives and residents
McMinnville has served as the birthplace or residency of a number of notable figures. Charles Faulkner BryanCharles Faulkner Bryan
Charles Faulkner Bryan was an American composer, musician, music educator and collector of folk music.-Biography:...
, music computer, musician and musicologist of folk music was born on July 29, 1911, in McMinnville. He'd eventually leave to attend the Nashville Conservatory of Music. Country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
's Uncle Dave Macon
Uncle Dave Macon
Uncle Dave Macon , born David Harrison Macon—also known as "The Dixie Dewdrop"—was an American banjo player, singer, songwriter, and comedian...
was born just outside of McMinnville. Macon would go on to move to Nashville in 1884. A memorial at the Warren County Courthouse memorializes his birth and is built out of brick from the home he was born in. Dinah Shore
Dinah Shore
Dinah Shore was an American singer, actress, and television personality...
grew up in McMinnville, where her family moved in 1924 and her father owned a department store. United States government official, journalist and author Carl Rowan
Carl Rowan
Carl Thomas Rowan , was an American government official, journalist and author. Rowan was a nationally-syndicated op-ed columnist for the Washington Post and the Chicago Sun-Times. He was one of the most prominent black journalists of the 20th century.-Background:Carl Rowan was born in...
was raised in McMinnville. Born in Ravenscroft
Ravenscroft, Tennessee
Ravenscroft is an unincorporated community in White County, Tennessee, United States. Ravenscroft is northwest of Sparta.Ravenscroft is the birthplace of journalist and author Carl T. Rowan, who served as United States Ambassador to Finland and director of the United States Information Agency....
in 1925, he worked in the nurseries of McMinnville hoeing bulbs as a teenager for 10 cents an hour. Country singer Dottie West
Dottie West
Dottie West was an American country music singer and songwriter. Along with her friends and co-recording artists Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn, she is considered one of the genre's most influential and groundbreaking female artists...
was born just outside of McMinnville in 1932.
Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
bullpen coach Lester Strode
Lester Strode
James Lester Strode is the bullpen coach for the Chicago Cubs.He was born and raised in McMinnville, Tennessee, often crediting McMinnville as his home...
was born and raised in McMinnville. Born in 1958, he was one of eight African Americans in a class of 500 at Warren County Senior High School. He credits his experience of being a minority and the relationship with his high school coach as shaping his decisions as an sports professional. In 2006 the high school retired his uniform number. A second pro baseball player, Jamie Walker
Jamie Walker
James Ross "Jamie the Cat" Walker is an American Major League Baseball relief pitcher who is currently a free agent. He previously pitched for the Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers, and Baltimore Orioles....
, was also born in McMinnville in 1971. McMinnville is also home to wrestler Mike Droese
Mike Droese
Michael "Mike" Droese is a retired American professional wrestler. He is perhaps best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation between 1994 and 1996 under the ring name Duke "The Dumpster" Droese.-Career:Droese was trained as a professional wrestler by Bobby Wales...
.
External links
- Main Street McMinnville official website