Shelbyville, Tennessee
Encyclopedia
Shelbyville is a city in Bedford County, Tennessee
, United States
. It had a local population of 16,105 residents at the 2000 census. Shelbyville, the county seat
of Bedford County, was laid out in 1810 and incorporated in 1819. The town is a hub of the Tennessee Walking Horse industry.
at 35°29′20"N 86°27′8"W (35.488988, -86.452353), on a Highland Rim
limestone
bluff upon the banks
of Duck River
, which stream flows around the Southern and eastern sides of town.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 15.5 square miles (40.1 km²), all land.
of 2000, there were 16,105 people, 6,066 households, and 4,155 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,041.3 people per square mile (402.0/km²). There were 6,550 housing units at an average density of 423.5 per square mile (163.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 77.14% White, 14.98% African American, 0.70% Asian, 0.35% Native American, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 5.02% from other races
, and 1.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.55% of the population.
There were 6,066 households out of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.0% were married couples
living together, 16.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% were non-families. 26.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.2% under the age of 18, 11.9% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,593, and the median income for a family was $30,465. Males had a median income of $23,754 versus $16,065 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $11,260. About 14.4% of families and 25.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.4% of those under age 18 and 22.1% of those age 65 or over.
Shelbyville is known as "The Pencil City" because of its historical importance as a center of wood-cased pencil
manufacturing. It is still a site for manufacture of writing instruments. In 1982, National Pen Corporation purchased its largest competitor, U.S. Pencil and Stationery Company. Sanford Corporation
produces the Sharpie
, the world’s largest selling writing instrument, in the city. It was in Shelbyville in 1991 that the world's longest pencil was produced, a plastic-cased pencil 1091 feet (332.5 m) long, weighing 27 pounds (12.2 kg).
Other major business operations in Shelbyville include manufacturers Calsonic Kansei
, Bemis
Custom Products, Cebal America, and Jostens
; it is also home to a Tyson Foods
facility and a distribution center
for Wal-Mart
.
and U.S. Route 41
. It was the terminus of a branch line
(from Wartrace
), located along what is now known as Railroad Avenue, connecting with what was once known as the Saint Louis, Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad
.
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. More than 80 percent of all Tennessee students attending public institutions are enrolled in a Tennessee Board of Regents institution.
's video Famous in a Small Town
. The city was also profiled in the film Welcome to Shelbyville, as part of the PBS documentary film series Independent Lens
. The film spotlights recent demographic changes in the community, with a focus on the growing number immigrants from Latin America
and Somalia
(both Somalis
and people from the Bantu
minority ethnic group).
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...
. It had a local population of 16,105 residents at the 2000 census. Shelbyville, the 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....
of Bedford County, was laid out in 1810 and incorporated in 1819. The town is a hub of the Tennessee Walking Horse industry.
Geography
Shelbyville is in Middle TennesseeMiddle Tennessee
Middle Tennessee is a distinct portion of the state of Tennessee, delineated according to state law as the 41 counties in the Middle Grand Division of Tennessee....
at 35°29′20"N 86°27′8"W (35.488988, -86.452353), on a 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....
limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
bluff upon the banks
Bank (geography)
A geographic bank has four definitions and applications:# Limnology: The shoreline of a pond, swamp, estuary, reservoir, or lake. The grade can vary from vertical to a shallow slope....
of Duck River
Duck River (Tennessee)
The Duck River, long, is the longest river located entirely within the U.S. state of Tennessee. Free flowing for most of its length, the Duck River is home to over 50 species of freshwater mussels and 151 species of fish, making it one of the most biologically diverse rivers in North America.The...
, which stream flows around the Southern and eastern sides of town.
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 15.5 square miles (40.1 km²), all 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 16,105 people, 6,066 households, and 4,155 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 1,041.3 people per square mile (402.0/km²). There were 6,550 housing units at an average density of 423.5 per square mile (163.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 77.14% White, 14.98% African American, 0.70% Asian, 0.35% Native American, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 5.02% 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 1.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.55% of the population.
There were 6,066 households out of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.0% 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, 16.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% were non-families. 26.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.2% under the age of 18, 11.9% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,593, and the median income for a family was $30,465. Males had a median income of $23,754 versus $16,065 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 $11,260. About 14.4% of families and 25.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.4% of those under age 18 and 22.1% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Pencil
A pencil is a writing implement or art medium usually constructed of a narrow, solid pigment core inside a protective casing. The case prevents the core from breaking, and also from marking the user’s hand during use....
manufacturing. It is still a site for manufacture of writing instruments. In 1982, National Pen Corporation purchased its largest competitor, U.S. Pencil and Stationery Company. Sanford Corporation
Sanford (writing products)
Sanford L.P., is a Newell Rubbermaid company based in Oak Brook, Illinois, USA. Sanford is the largest writing products manufacturer in the world. It is primarily known for manufacturing Sharpie, Paper Mate, and Prismacolor products.-History:...
produces the Sharpie
Sharpie (marker)
Sharpie is a manufacturer of writing instruments whose products are sold in over 20 countries. Originally a name designating a single permanent marker, the Sharpie brand has been widely expanded and can now be found on a variety of previously unrelated permanent and non-permanent pens and markers...
, the world’s largest selling writing instrument, in the city. It was in Shelbyville in 1991 that the world's longest pencil was produced, a plastic-cased pencil 1091 feet (332.5 m) long, weighing 27 pounds (12.2 kg).
Other major business operations in Shelbyville include manufacturers Calsonic Kansei
Calsonic Kansei
is a large Japanese automotive company which has 50 manufacturing centers in USA, Poland, South Korea, Mexico, Romania, Thailand, UK, South Africa, India, Spain, China, France and Malaysia.-Sponsorship:...
, Bemis
Bemis Company
Bemis Company, Inc. is an American manufacturer of flexible packaging products and pressure-sensitive materials. Bemis divisions are located in 13 countries and its products are distributed worldwide. Bemis is part of the S&P 500 index.-History:Bemis Inc...
Custom Products, Cebal America, and Jostens
Jostens
Jostens is an American company providing yearbooks and class rings for various high schools and colleges as well as championship rings for sports, including the Super Bowl rings....
; it is also home to a Tyson Foods
Tyson Foods
Tyson Foods, Inc. is a multinational corporation based in Springdale, Arkansas, that operates in the food industry. The company is the world's second largest processor and marketer of chicken, beef, and pork only behind Brazilian JBS S.A., and annually exports the largest percentage of beef out of...
facility and a distribution center
Distribution center
A distribution center for a set of products is a warehouse or other specialized building, often with refrigeration or air conditioning, which is stocked with products to be redistributed to retailers, to wholesalers, or directly to consumers. A distribution center is a principal part, the order...
for Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
.
Transportation
Shelbyville is at the intersection of U.S. Route 231U.S. Route 231
U.S. Route 231 is a parallel route of U.S. Route 31. It currently runs for 912 miles from St. John, Indiana, at U.S. Route 41 to south of U.S. Route 98 in Downtown Panama City, Florida.One of its most notable landmarks is the William H...
and U.S. Route 41
U.S. Route 41
U.S. Route 41 is a north–south United States Highway that runs from Miami, Florida to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Until 1949, the part in southern Florida, from Naples to Miami, was U.S...
. It was the terminus of a branch line
Branch line
A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line...
(from Wartrace
Wartrace, Tennessee
Wartrace is a town in Bedford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 548 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Wartrace is located at ....
), located along what is now known as Railroad Avenue, connecting with what was once known as the Saint Louis, Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad
Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway
The Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway was a railway company operating in the southern United States in Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia...
.
The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration
The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration takes place each year during the 11 days and nights prior to Labor Day. It is the premier event for the Tennessee Walking Horse, during which the breed's World Grand Champion and some 20 World Champions are named. It is a festival event where more than $650,000 in prizes and awards are given. The event began in 1938.Higher education
The Tennessee Technology Center at ShelbyvilleTennessee Technology Center at Shelbyville
The Tennessee Technology Center at Shelbyville 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...
is one of 46 institutions in the Tennessee Board of Regents
Tennessee Board of Regents
The Tennessee Board of Regents is one of the two systems of public higher education in Tennessee. The TBR was authorized by an act of the Tennessee General Assembly passed in 1972...
System, the seventh largest system of higher education in the nation. This system comprises six universities, fourteen community colleges, and twenty-six technology centers. More than 80 percent of all Tennessee students attending public institutions are enrolled in a Tennessee Board of Regents institution.
In popular culture
Shelbyville was featured in Miranda LambertMiranda Lambert
Miranda Lambert is an American country music artist who gained fame as a finalist on the 2003 season of Nashville Star, where she finished in third place and later signed to Epic Records. Lambert made her debut with the release of "Me and Charlie Talking", the first single from her 2005 debut...
's video Famous in a Small Town
Famous in a Small Town
"Famous in a Small Town" is the title of a song written by Travis Howard and co-written and recorded by American country artist Miranda Lambert. It was released as the second single from her second studio album, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. It was Lambert's second Top 20 hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot...
. The city was also profiled in the film Welcome to Shelbyville, as part of the PBS documentary film series Independent Lens
Independent Lens
Airing weekly on PBS through ITVS, the Emmy Award-winning series Independent Lens introduces new drama and documentary films made by independent filmmakers. Past seasons of Independent Lens have been presented by hosts Angela Bassett, Don Cheadle, Susan Sarandon, Edie Falco, Terrence Howard, Maggie...
. The film spotlights recent demographic changes in the community, with a focus on the growing number immigrants from Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
and Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
(both Somalis
Somali people
Somalis are an ethnic group located in the Horn of Africa, also known as the Somali Peninsula. The overwhelming majority of Somalis speak the Somali language, which is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family...
and people from the Bantu
Somali Bantu
The Somali Bantu are a minority ethnic group in Somalia. They primarily reside in southern Somalia, near the Juba and Shabelle rivers, and are the descendants of people from various Bantu ethnic groups originating from what are modern-day Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique who were sold into Somalia...
minority ethnic group).