Sequatchie County, Tennessee | |
|---|---|
 Sequatchie County Courthouse in Dunlap | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofTennessee | |
 Tennessee's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:35°22′N85°25′W / 35.37°N 85.41°W /35.37; -85.41 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Tennessee |
| Founded | December 9, 1857[1] |
| Named after | Cherokee chief[2] |
| Seat | Dunlap |
| Largest city | Dunlap |
| Area | |
• Total | 266 sq mi (690 km2) |
| • Land | 266 sq mi (690 km2) |
| • Water | 0.2 sq mi (0.52 km2) 0.07% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 15,826 |
| • Density | 53/sq mi (20/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 4th |
| Website | sequatchiecounty-tn |
Sequatchie County is acounty located in theU.S. state ofTennessee. As of the2020 census, the population was 15,826.[3] Itscounty seat isDunlap.[4] Sequatchie County is part of theChattanooga metropolitan area.
Sequatchie County was created in 1857 from two districts of Marion County and one district of Bledsoe County. It was named for the Sequatchie Valley, which in turn had been named for a Cherokee chief. The wordsequachee fromᏏᏆ ᎤᏤᏥᏍᏘsiqua utsedsdi inCherokee means 'opossum' or 'he grins.'[5] Settlers began arriving in what is now Sequatchie by the early 19th century, drawn to the area by the fertile land in the valley.[1]
At the outset of the Civil War, Sequatchie was divided over the issue of secession. On June 8, 1861, Sequatchie Countians voted in favor of Tennessee's Ordinance of Secession by a vote 153 to 100.[6] In October 1863, Confederate GeneralJoseph Wheeler led a raid into Sequatchie, burning nearly a thousand wagons and capturing livestock.[1]
During the late 19th century, the Douglas Coal and Coke Company (later the Chattanooga Iron and Coal Corporation) conducted extensive mining activities in the Dunlap area. The company constructed 268beehive ovens, now known as theDunlap Coke Ovens, to convert coal intocoke. The ovens are now the focus of a local park.[1]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 266 square miles (690 km2), of which 266 square miles (690 km2) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) (0.07%) is water.[7]
Sequatchie is one of three counties (along withBledsoe andMarion) situated in theSequatchie Valley, a long, narrow valley running northeast-to-southwest across the eastern portion of theCumberland Plateau. The county is flanked by the Plateau'sWalden Ridge escarpment on the east. TheSequatchie River, which spans the valley, passes through the county.
Two major highways,U.S. Route 127 andTennessee State Route 111, intersect in Dunlap.
While the two other counties in the Sequatchie Valley, Bledsoe and Marion, are grouped with theEast Tennessee grand division, Sequatchie is grouped withMiddle Tennessee.[8]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 2,120 | — | |
| 1870 | 2,335 | 10.1% | |
| 1880 | 2,565 | 9.9% | |
| 1890 | 3,027 | 18.0% | |
| 1900 | 3,326 | 9.9% | |
| 1910 | 4,202 | 26.3% | |
| 1920 | 3,632 | −13.6% | |
| 1930 | 4,047 | 11.4% | |
| 1940 | 5,038 | 24.5% | |
| 1950 | 5,685 | 12.8% | |
| 1960 | 5,915 | 4.0% | |
| 1970 | 6,331 | 7.0% | |
| 1980 | 8,605 | 35.9% | |
| 1990 | 8,863 | 3.0% | |
| 2000 | 11,370 | 28.3% | |
| 2010 | 14,112 | 24.1% | |
| 2020 | 15,826 | 12.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[9] 1790-1960[10] 1900-1990[11] 1990-2000[12] 2010-2014[13] Itscounty seat isDunlap.[4] | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 14,409 | 91.05% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 72 | 0.45% |
| Native American | 49 | 0.31% |
| Asian | 65 | 0.41% |
| Pacific Islander | 4 | 0.03% |
| Other/Mixed | 606 | 3.83% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 621 | 3.92% |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 15,826 people, 5,528 households, and 4,192 families residing in the county.
As of thecensus[16] of 2010, there were 14,112 people, 4,463 households, and 3,311 families residing in the county. The population density was 43 inhabitants per square mile (17/km2). There were 4,916 housing units at an average density of 18 units per square mile (6.9/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.66%White, 0.19%Black orAfrican American, 0.33%Native American, 0.13%Asian, 0.03%Pacific Islander, 0.17% fromother races, and 0.48% from two or more races. 0.82% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race. Sequatchie County was mentioned as an "Extreme Whitopia" inRich Benjamin's book,Searching for Whitopia.[17]
There were 4,463 households, out of which 33.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.80% weremarried couples living together, 11.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.80% were non-families. 22.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.60% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 30.00% from 25 to 44, 24.80% from 45 to 64, and 12.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 98.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,959, and the median income for a family was $36,435. Males had a median income of $27,535 versus $20,422 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $16,468. About 13.50% of families and 16.50% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 21.50% of those under age 18 and 20.30% of those age 65 or over.
Sequatchie County has a consolidated school system which is located in Dunlap. The system operates with a superintendent and an elected school board.
The Sequatchie County school system has three schools:
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Sequatchie County is known as "The Hang Gliding Capital of the East", due in part to the presence of an activehang gliding association, the Tennessee Tree Toppers. This group maintains a hang gliding ramp at Henson's Gap, along the eastern wall of the Sequatchie Valley, where favorable flying conditions allow these unpowered aircraft to fly well into northwestern Georgia and northeastern Alabama after launch.[18] The gap is the site of numerous hang gliding competitions, and is a popular tourist attraction for aficionados of the sport from all over the world.
Sequatchie County is served by numerous local, regional and national media outlets which reach approximately one million people in four states including:Tennessee,Alabama,Georgia andNorth Carolina.
Sequatchie County is part of the ChattanoogaArbitron radio market. The following radio stations are licensed to cities within Sequatchie County:
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1912 | 139 | 22.60% | 354 | 57.56% | 122 | 19.84% |
| 1916 | 238 | 41.11% | 335 | 57.86% | 6 | 1.04% |
| 1920 | 509 | 48.16% | 545 | 51.56% | 3 | 0.28% |
| 1924 | 247 | 39.46% | 374 | 59.74% | 5 | 0.80% |
| 1928 | 298 | 43.76% | 383 | 56.24% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 289 | 26.86% | 777 | 72.21% | 10 | 0.93% |
| 1936 | 353 | 29.47% | 840 | 70.12% | 5 | 0.42% |
| 1940 | 401 | 28.48% | 1,003 | 71.24% | 4 | 0.28% |
| 1944 | 417 | 32.89% | 851 | 67.11% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 420 | 30.59% | 907 | 66.06% | 46 | 3.35% |
| 1952 | 535 | 37.57% | 882 | 61.94% | 7 | 0.49% |
| 1956 | 683 | 43.89% | 859 | 55.21% | 14 | 0.90% |
| 1960 | 703 | 42.48% | 930 | 56.19% | 22 | 1.33% |
| 1964 | 804 | 40.90% | 1,162 | 59.10% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 663 | 29.82% | 549 | 24.70% | 1,011 | 45.48% |
| 1972 | 1,298 | 64.58% | 629 | 31.29% | 83 | 4.13% |
| 1976 | 1,065 | 37.47% | 1,733 | 60.98% | 44 | 1.55% |
| 1980 | 1,512 | 49.54% | 1,509 | 49.44% | 31 | 1.02% |
| 1984 | 1,785 | 58.68% | 1,238 | 40.70% | 19 | 0.62% |
| 1988 | 1,659 | 57.83% | 1,196 | 41.69% | 14 | 0.49% |
| 1992 | 1,381 | 38.80% | 1,754 | 49.28% | 424 | 11.91% |
| 1996 | 1,391 | 42.18% | 1,598 | 48.45% | 309 | 9.37% |
| 2000 | 2,169 | 55.80% | 1,648 | 42.40% | 70 | 1.80% |
| 2004 | 2,951 | 59.22% | 1,986 | 39.86% | 46 | 0.92% |
| 2008 | 3,610 | 66.40% | 1,717 | 31.58% | 110 | 2.02% |
| 2012 | 3,541 | 68.72% | 1,489 | 28.90% | 123 | 2.39% |
| 2016 | 4,441 | 77.99% | 1,053 | 18.49% | 200 | 3.51% |
| 2020 | 5,855 | 80.74% | 1,298 | 17.90% | 99 | 1.37% |
| 2024 | 6,522 | 82.66% | 1,292 | 16.38% | 76 | 0.96% |
Places adjacent to Sequatchie County, Tennessee | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofSequatchie County, Tennessee,United States | ||
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| CDP | ||
| Other communities | ||
35°22′N85°25′W / 35.37°N 85.41°W /35.37; -85.41
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