McNairy County, Tennessee | |
|---|---|
 McNairy County Courthouse in Selmer | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofTennessee | |
| Coordinates:35°11′N88°34′W / 35.18°N 88.56°W /35.18; -88.56 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Tennessee |
| Founded | October 8, 1823 |
| Named after | John McNairy[2] |
| Seat | Selmer |
| Largest city | Selmer |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Larry Smith[1] |
| Area | |
• Total | 564 sq mi (1,460 km2) |
| • Land | 563 sq mi (1,460 km2) |
| • Water | 0.8 sq mi (2.1 km2) 0.1% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 25,866 |
| • Density | 46/sq mi (18/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 8th |
| Website | www |
McNairy County is acounty located in theU.S. state ofTennessee. As of the2020 census, the population was 25,866.[3] Thecounty seat and largest city isSelmer.[4] McNairy County is located along Tennessee's border with the state ofMississippi.
SheriffBuford Pusser, whose story was told in theWalking Tall series of movies, was the sheriff of McNairy County from 1964 to 1970.[5]
McNairy County is the location of theCoon Creek Science Center, a notablefossil site that preservesLate Cretaceous marine shells andvertebrate remains (such asmosasaurs).
The postwar musical environment of the county played a pivotal role in the development of popular music. Influential disc jockeyDewey Phillips hailed from Adamsville, Tennessee.Carl Perkins made the first recordings of his career in the home studio of Stanton Littlejohn atEastview, Tennessee.[6] Perkins andElvis Presley had their first meeting at one of Presley's earliest road performances inBethel Springs, Tennessee.
McNairy County was formed in 1823 from parts ofHardin County, and was named for JudgeJohn McNairy.[2]
Purdy was the county seat of McNairy County until 1890.[7] Since then,Selmer has been the county seat.
Duringthe Civil War, McNairy County was among the most divided counties in Tennessee. In Tennessee's Ordinance of Secession referendum on June 8, 1861, McNairy County voted to secede by a margin of 1,318 to 586.[8] However, earlier on February 9, 1861, McNairy County voters had voted against holding a secession convention by a margin of 916 to 811.[9] Despite the strong overall support for secession, there was a strongUnionist minority in the northern half adjacent to solidly pro-UnionHenderson County.[10]
The history of McNairy County also includes a very small, almost-unheard-of school. The Trantham School, listed on the 1940 census, operated from 1922 through 1948, with a single teacher serving grades 1 through 8.
Buford Pusser served as the sheriff of McNairy County from 1964 to 1970. The courthouse and jail in Selmer were his base of operations. He gained prominence for his fight againstillegal distilleries, bootleggers, gambling establishments, and corruption in the county. His story has been made famous in theWalking Tall series of movies starringJoe Don Baker,Bo Svenson,Brian Dennehy, andDwayne Johnson, and in numerous documentaries and books.[5][11] However, in August 2025, following a three-year investigation conducted together with theTennessee Bureau of Investigation, the local district attorney's office concluded that Pusser killed his wife, Pauline Mullins Pusser, in 1967.[12]
The oldest existing business in McNairy County is its newspaper, theIndependent Appeal, which was founded as theMcNairy County Independent in 1902.[13][14][15] It is located in Selmer.[14][15]
In 2008, Tom Evans, a former reporter and photographer for theIndependent Appeal, formed his own weekly newspaper,The McNairy County News.[16]
The schools fall under the McNairy County School District. The superintendent is Greg Martin[17] The district is apublicschool district, serving students inkindergarten throughtwelfth grade. It serves over 4,000 student with 8 schools.[18]
The district'sboard of education has 7 members elected from each of the 7 districts that make up McNairy County.[27]
The Selmer Elementary School principal failed to report abuse claims after evidence revealed Principal Simon was notified of abuse allegations on numerous occasions between October 2021 and December 2021. The report states that Simon did not notify the Department of Children Services of these claims, which as a school employee is a violation of Tennessee law as amandatory reporter.[28][29]
A McNairy County school board member was charged with choking his teen co-worker in May 2023.[30]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 564 square miles (1,460 km2), of which 563 square miles (1,460 km2) is land and 0.8 square miles (2.1 km2) (0.1%) is water.[31]
The major highwaysU.S. Route 64 (east-west) andU.S. Route 45 (north-south) pass through McNairy County and intersect in Selmer. Between the late 1990s and mid 2010s, both highways were upgraded to four lane divided highways, giving the county quicker access to the surrounding areas. McNairy County's position on Route 64 places it on the historicLee Highway, which stretches from New York to San Francisco.
State Highways22 and57 also pass through the county. SR 22 along the eastern portion intersecting with US 64 in Adamsville, and SR 57 through the southern portion intersecting with US 45 in Eastview. Highways 22 and 57 intersect as well in Michie.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1830 | 5,697 | — | |
| 1840 | 9,385 | 64.7% | |
| 1850 | 12,864 | 37.1% | |
| 1860 | 14,732 | 14.5% | |
| 1870 | 12,726 | −13.6% | |
| 1880 | 17,271 | 35.7% | |
| 1890 | 15,510 | −10.2% | |
| 1900 | 17,760 | 14.5% | |
| 1910 | 16,536 | −6.9% | |
| 1920 | 18,350 | 11.0% | |
| 1930 | 19,901 | 8.5% | |
| 1940 | 20,424 | 2.6% | |
| 1950 | 20,390 | −0.2% | |
| 1960 | 18,085 | −11.3% | |
| 1970 | 18,369 | 1.6% | |
| 1980 | 22,525 | 22.6% | |
| 1990 | 22,422 | −0.5% | |
| 2000 | 24,653 | 10.0% | |
| 2010 | 26,075 | 5.8% | |
| 2020 | 25,866 | −0.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[32] 1790-1960[33] 1900-1990[34] 1990-2000[35] 2010-2014[36] | |||
As of the2020 census, there were 25,866 people, 10,716 households, and 6,724 families residing in the county.[37]
The median age was 44.5 years, with 21.1% of residents under the age of 18 and 22.1% aged 65 years or older; for every 100 females there were 96.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.8 males.[37]
Less than 0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[38]
There were 10,716 households in the county, of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 48.2% were married-couple households, 19.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 27.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[37]
There were 12,268 housing units, of which 12.7% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 75.7% were owner-occupied and 24.3% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.7%.[37]
The racial makeup of the county was 88.9%White, 6.0%Black or African American, 0.3%American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%Asian, <0.1%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 0.7% from some other race, and 3.9% fromtwo or more races;Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.7% of the population.[39]
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 22,847 | 88.33% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 1,545 | 5.97% |
| Native American | 55 | 0.21% |
| Asian | 78 | 0.3% |
| Other/Mixed | 903 | 3.49% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 438 | 1.69% |
As of thecensus[41] of 2000, there were 24,653 people, 9,980 households, and 7,135 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 44 people per square mile (17 people/km2). There were 11,219 housing units at an average density of 20 units per square mile (7.7/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 92.22%White, 6.23%Black orAfrican American, 0.20%Native American, 0.13%Asian, 0.24% fromother races, and 0.98% from two or more races. 0.93% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 9,980 households, out of which 29.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.00% weremarried couples living together, 9.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.50% were non-families. 25.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.60% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 26.70% from 25 to 44, 25.60% from 45 to 64, and 15.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 94.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,154, and the median income for a family was $36,045. Males had a median income of $30,028 versus $21,450 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $16,385. About 11.80% of families and 15.90% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 19.00% of those under age 18 and 20.80% of those age 65 or over.
McNairy County is the site of 5,000-acre (20 km2)Big Hill Pond State Park, which is forested with timberland and hardwood bottomland. The county is also the location of theCoon Creek Science Center,[42] a notablefossil site, located in Leapwood over theCoon Creek Formation, which preservesLate Cretaceous marine shells andvertebrate remains (such asmosasaurs) left there 70 million years ago.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1912 | 616 | 22.22% | 1,155 | 41.67% | 1,001 | 36.11% |
| 1916 | 1,616 | 52.50% | 1,461 | 47.47% | 1 | 0.03% |
| 1920 | 3,212 | 63.29% | 1,863 | 36.71% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 1,625 | 58.54% | 1,125 | 40.53% | 26 | 0.94% |
| 1928 | 2,326 | 65.80% | 1,209 | 34.20% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 1,350 | 40.63% | 1,961 | 59.01% | 12 | 0.36% |
| 1936 | 1,613 | 47.40% | 1,742 | 51.19% | 48 | 1.41% |
| 1940 | 2,550 | 50.66% | 2,484 | 49.34% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 2,697 | 61.17% | 1,712 | 38.83% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 2,390 | 48.10% | 2,267 | 45.62% | 312 | 6.28% |
| 1952 | 3,426 | 55.94% | 2,698 | 44.06% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 3,349 | 57.37% | 2,403 | 41.16% | 86 | 1.47% |
| 1960 | 3,310 | 59.15% | 2,173 | 38.83% | 113 | 2.02% |
| 1964 | 3,109 | 50.94% | 2,994 | 49.06% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 2,979 | 41.21% | 1,377 | 19.05% | 2,872 | 39.73% |
| 1972 | 4,774 | 73.23% | 1,610 | 24.70% | 135 | 2.07% |
| 1976 | 3,388 | 43.80% | 4,293 | 55.49% | 55 | 0.71% |
| 1980 | 4,603 | 54.06% | 3,801 | 44.64% | 110 | 1.29% |
| 1984 | 4,776 | 55.34% | 3,825 | 44.32% | 30 | 0.35% |
| 1988 | 4,625 | 56.46% | 3,510 | 42.85% | 56 | 0.68% |
| 1992 | 4,093 | 42.66% | 4,691 | 48.89% | 811 | 8.45% |
| 1996 | 3,960 | 46.18% | 4,050 | 47.22% | 566 | 6.60% |
| 2000 | 4,897 | 54.48% | 4,003 | 44.53% | 89 | 0.99% |
| 2004 | 5,787 | 58.31% | 4,101 | 41.32% | 36 | 0.36% |
| 2008 | 7,135 | 68.46% | 3,131 | 30.04% | 156 | 1.50% |
| 2012 | 7,015 | 71.57% | 2,645 | 26.98% | 142 | 1.45% |
| 2016 | 7,841 | 78.11% | 1,848 | 18.41% | 349 | 3.48% |
| 2020 | 9,093 | 80.65% | 1,943 | 17.23% | 239 | 2.12% |
| 2024 | 9,437 | 83.76% | 1,727 | 15.33% | 103 | 0.91% |
McNairy County is currently overwhelmingly Republican. Even before the rapid trend of the upland South away from the Democratic Party, McNairy County – though not to the same extent as nearbyWayne,Henderson andHardin Counties – was aUnionist Republican enclave in historically DemocraticWest Tennessee. Research in the 1910s suggested that Republicanism in Southern states tended to be associated with areas having less productive soils.[44]: 672 In west central Tennessee, which includes McNairy County, soils are shallow, humus-poor and easily erodibleHighland Rim soils, which were much less suitable for plantation farming than the rest ofMiddle and West Tennessee.[44]
38. The Trantham SchoolREFLECTIONS: A History of McNairy County, Tennessee, 1823-1996.
Places adjacent to McNairy County, Tennessee | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofMcNairy County, Tennessee,United States | ||
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| Other communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
35°11′N88°34′W / 35.18°N 88.56°W /35.18; -88.56
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