Tipton County, Tennessee | |
|---|---|
 Tipton County Courthouse in Covington, Tennessee | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofTennessee | |
| Coordinates:35°29′N89°46′W / 35.49°N 89.76°W /35.49; -89.76 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Tennessee |
| Founded | October 29, 1823 |
| Named after | Jacob Tipton, 18th-century soldier[1] |
| Seat | Covington |
| Largest city | Atoka |
| Area | |
• Total | 473 sq mi (1,230 km2) |
| • Land | 458 sq mi (1,190 km2) |
| • Water | 15 sq mi (39 km2) 3.2% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 60,970 |
| • Density | 133/sq mi (51/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional districts | 8th,9th |
| Website | www |
Tipton County is acounty located on the western end of theU.S. state ofTennessee, in theMississippi Delta region. As of the2020 census, the population was 60,970.[2] Itscounty seat isCovington.[3] Tipton County, founded in 1823, is part of theMemphis, TN-MS-AR Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From about 10,000BCE,Paleo-Indians and laterArchaic-Indians lived as communities ofhunter-gatherers in the area that covers the modern daysouthern United States.[4][5] From approximately 800CE to 1600 CE, theMississippi Delta was populated by tribes of theMississippian culture, amound-buildingNative American people who had developed in the lateWoodland Indian period.[5][6] While there were chiefdoms and centers along the Mississippi and its tributaries, their major center was atCahokia, in present-day Illinois east ofSt. Louis, Missouri.
TheTipton phase people were a local expression of the Mississippian culture. They still inhabited the region of modern-day Tipton County during the time of first contact with Europeans, at the arrival of the SpanishHernando de Soto Expedition. By the end of the Mississippian period, the land was claimed and populated by theChickasaw tribe.[7] The exact origins of the Chickasaw are uncertain.[8]
In about 1800,Europeans began settling the Chickasaw-inhabited lands east of the Mississippi River. Chickasaw land in what became known asWest Tennessee and southwesternKentucky was ceded in theJackson Purchase. Both states grew considerably as a result of this purchase.[9] In 1818, both sides agreed to the transfer by signing theTreaty of Tuscaloosa.[10] The Chickasaw were to be paid annuities for 15 years, but the United States was often late with payment, or forced the people to take the value in goods. These were often delayed or were of poor quality.
Due totopographic changes caused by the1811–12 New Madrid earthquakes, part of what is now Tipton County was cut off from the state of Tennessee by a change in the course of theMississippi River. The earthquake changed the course of the river near the settlement ofReverie, Tennessee. The old riverbed is west of Reverie. The river now runs east of Reverie, putting Reverie on theArkansas side, while most of the area of Tipton County is located east of the river, on the Tennessee side.[11]
Tipton County attracted American settlers who established cotton plantations on its fertile soils and either brought or purchased enslavedAfrican Americans as field laborers and house servants. There are also many records of indentured Irish [Caucasian] servants. This area was part of the cotton culture associated with the Mississippi Delta, which extended down to theYazoo River in Mississippi. With the increase in population, the county was established on October 29, 1823, from parts ofShelby County, which borders Tipton County in the south. The land was formerChickasaw Indian territory. The county was named forJacob Tipton (1765–1791). Jacob's father, who was from Armistead Blevins, supervised the organization of Shelby County. Jacob Tipton was killed byNative Americans in 1791 during the conflict over theNorthwest Territory.[1] Jacob Tipton was the son ofJohn Tipton, a rival ofJohn Sevier during Tennessee'sState of Franklin period.[12]
Early Mississippi Riversteamboat commerce flourished in Tipton County. In 1830, the community ofRandolph, one of the earliest settlements in Tipton County, was the most important shipping point in Tennessee and an early rival ofMemphis for commercial supremacy. But its fortunes declined in later years.[13] Riverboat traffic gradually yielded to freight being shipped by railroad. The first rail service in Tipton County was established in December 1855, when the Memphis and Ohio Railroad completed the route fromMemphis toNashville, running through what is nowMason.
TwoCivil War forts,Fort Randolph andFort Wright, were built near the settlement because of its strategic location on the secondChickasaw Bluff of the Mississippi River.[14][15] Following the Civil War, investment in infrastructure was renewed, and the Memphis and Paducah Railroad completed the tracks to Covington in July 1873. Atelegraph line between Memphis and Covington was opened in 1882. In 1894, Covington was connected to electricity. Forcedwater mains have provided residents of Covington with water since 1898. In 1922, street paving began in the county seat. Since 1929, residents of Covington have had access tonatural gas.[16] In the South Main Historic District in Covington, about 50 residences from the late 19th century and the early 20th century are still intact.[16] The district is listed on theNational Register of Historic Places.
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 473 square miles (1,230 km2), of which 458 square miles (1,190 km2) is land and 15 square miles (39 km2) (3.2%) is water.[17] The major north–south route,U.S. Highway 51, bisects Tipton County and passes through Covington. The western boundary of Tipton County is the Mississippi River, separating Tennessee andArkansas. As the river's course was altered in several places by the1812 New Madrid earthquake, the official boundary still follows the old alignment of the river. As a result, a few of Tipton County's communities — includingReverie andCorona — became stranded on the Arkansas mainland side of the river, rather than the Tennessee side. Tipton County is situated on the southeastern edge of theNew Madrid Seismic Zone, an area with a highearthquake risk.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1830 | 5,317 | — | |
| 1840 | 6,800 | 27.9% | |
| 1850 | 8,887 | 30.7% | |
| 1860 | 10,705 | 20.5% | |
| 1870 | 14,884 | 39.0% | |
| 1880 | 21,033 | 41.3% | |
| 1890 | 24,271 | 15.4% | |
| 1900 | 29,273 | 20.6% | |
| 1910 | 29,459 | 0.6% | |
| 1920 | 30,258 | 2.7% | |
| 1930 | 27,498 | −9.1% | |
| 1940 | 28,036 | 2.0% | |
| 1950 | 29,782 | 6.2% | |
| 1960 | 28,564 | −4.1% | |
| 1970 | 28,001 | −2.0% | |
| 1980 | 32,930 | 17.6% | |
| 1990 | 37,568 | 14.1% | |
| 2000 | 51,271 | 36.5% | |
| 2010 | 61,081 | 19.1% | |
| 2020 | 60,970 | −0.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[18] 1790-1960[19] 1900-1990[20] 1990-2000[21] 2010-2014[2] | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 44,925 | 73.68% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 10,760 | 17.65% |
| Native American | 180 | 0.3% |
| Asian | 393 | 0.64% |
| Pacific Islander | 39 | 0.06% |
| Other/Mixed | 2,987 | 4.9% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 1,686 | 2.77% |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 60,970 people, 21,452 households, and 16,419 families residing in the county.
As of the2010 United States census,[25] there were 61,081 people, 21,617 households, and 16,562 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 133.36 persons per square mile (51.49 persons/km2) and the housing unit density was 47.20 units per square mile (18.22 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 77.77%White, 18.74%Black orAfrican American, 0.60%Asian, 0.41%Native American, 0.09%Pacific Islander, 0.75% from other races, and 1.64% fromtwo or more races. Those ofHispanic or Latino origins were 2.08% of the population.
As of thecensus[26] of 2000, there were 51,271 people, 18,106 households, and 14,176 families residing in the county. The population density was 112 inhabitants per square mile (43/km2). There were 19,064 housing units at an average density of 42 units per square mile (16/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 77.86%White, 19.90%Black orAfrican American, 0.38%Native American, 0.37%Asian, 0.06%Pacific Islander, 0.38% fromother races, and 1.04% from two or more races. 1.21% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 18,106 households, out of which 39.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.20% weremarried couples living together, 13.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.70% were non-families. 18.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.17. In the county, the population was spread out, with 29.30% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 30.40% from 25 to 44, 21.80% from 45 to 64, and 9.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 97.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.20 males. The median income for a household in the county was $41,856, and the median income for a family was $46,807. Males had a median income of $35,611 versus $23,559 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $17,952. About 10.30% of families and 12.10% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 16.30% of those under age 18 and 17.70% of those age 65 or over. In 2006, according to theU.S. Census Bureau population estimate, 57,380 people resided in 22,551 housing units in Tipton County. In comparison to a population of 51,271 in the year 2000, the county population increased by 11.9% in six years. 50.7% of the population in 2006 was female, 49.3% was male. Of the population in 2006, 79.2% were White, 18.8% were Black, .4% were of Native American or Alaska Native race and 1.6% were of another ethnicity.[27]
The Tipton County Museum is located in Covington. The museum houses various history exhibits featuring artifacts from Tipton County's rich heritage and a nature center depicting the unique ecosystem of West Tennessee. Taxidermies of local species andmastodon bone fragments give insight into the natural history. Adjacent to the museum, a 20-acre (8.1 ha) park with a1⁄2-mile (800 m) walking trail can be found. Natural woodland and man-made wetlands are the sites for a few smaller local species, such as turtles and birds. The Veterans Memorial in front of the museum commemorates the soldiers from the county who lost their lives in wars.[16][28]
The county's parks include:[16]
Munford
Atoka
Covington
Tipton county is composed of 12 communities, four of which areunincorporated communities.[32]
Tipton County was historically Democratic, consistent with much of West Tennessee, but like many rural Southern counties it began shifting toward the Republican Party in the late 20th century. Since then, it has become reliably Republican in national and statewide elections. The last Democratic presidential candidate to carry the county wasJimmy Carter in 1980.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| № | % | № | % | № | % | |
| 1912 | 564 | 31.60% | 987 | 55.29% | 234 | 13.11% |
| 1916 | 281 | 11.80% | 2,035 | 85.47% | 65 | 2.73% |
| 1920 | 906 | 23.99% | 2,816 | 74.58% | 54 | 1.43% |
| 1924 | 218 | 10.01% | 1,917 | 88.06% | 42 | 1.93% |
| 1928 | 425 | 18.25% | 1,889 | 81.11% | 15 | 0.64% |
| 1932 | 154 | 5.02% | 2,892 | 94.23% | 23 | 0.75% |
| 1936 | 116 | 2.42% | 4,683 | 97.58% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 288 | 4.71% | 5,815 | 95.13% | 10 | 0.16% |
| 1944 | 310 | 7.11% | 4,046 | 92.80% | 4 | 0.09% |
| 1948 | 209 | 4.46% | 3,066 | 65.50% | 1,406 | 30.04% |
| 1952 | 1,312 | 19.54% | 5,351 | 79.68% | 53 | 0.79% |
| 1956 | 983 | 16.26% | 4,828 | 79.87% | 234 | 3.87% |
| 1960 | 1,829 | 30.91% | 3,853 | 65.12% | 235 | 3.97% |
| 1964 | 3,073 | 44.57% | 3,821 | 55.43% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 1,422 | 16.86% | 2,071 | 24.55% | 4,943 | 58.59% |
| 1972 | 5,542 | 71.52% | 1,853 | 23.91% | 354 | 4.57% |
| 1976 | 3,329 | 36.70% | 5,667 | 62.47% | 76 | 0.84% |
| 1980 | 4,339 | 46.15% | 4,934 | 52.48% | 128 | 1.36% |
| 1984 | 5,945 | 60.21% | 3,895 | 39.45% | 34 | 0.34% |
| 1988 | 6,052 | 61.02% | 3,824 | 38.56% | 42 | 0.42% |
| 1992 | 6,757 | 49.26% | 5,652 | 41.20% | 1,308 | 9.54% |
| 1996 | 7,585 | 50.40% | 6,596 | 43.82% | 870 | 5.78% |
| 2000 | 10,070 | 60.84% | 6,300 | 38.06% | 182 | 1.10% |
| 2004 | 14,178 | 65.41% | 7,379 | 34.04% | 120 | 0.55% |
| 2008 | 17,165 | 67.80% | 7,931 | 31.33% | 220 | 0.87% |
| 2012 | 16,672 | 69.23% | 7,133 | 29.62% | 276 | 1.15% |
| 2016 | 16,910 | 72.02% | 5,785 | 24.64% | 786 | 3.35% |
| 2020 | 20,070 | 73.49% | 6,837 | 25.04% | 401 | 1.47% |
| 2024 | 20,303 | 75.95% | 6,178 | 23.11% | 252 | 0.94% |
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Places adjacent to Tipton County, Tennessee | |
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Municipalities and communities ofTipton County, Tennessee,United States | ||
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| Other communities | ||
Nashville (capital) | |
| Topics | |
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| Grand Divisions | |
| Regions | |
| Largest cities | |
| Metropolitan areas | |
| Combined statistical areas | |
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| Counties |
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35°29′N89°46′W / 35.49°N 89.76°W /35.49; -89.76
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