Savannah is a city in and the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
of
Hardin County,
Tennessee
Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
, United States.
The population was 7,213 at the 2020 census.
Savannah is located along the east side of the Tennessee River.
Savannah hosted the
NAIA college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States.
Unlike most ...
national championship game from 1996 to 2007, and is home to several places of historical significance, including the
Cherry Family Mansion.
History
The city's original name was "Rudd's Ferry", named for James Rudd, an early settler who established a ferry at the site in the early 1820s. Rudd's Ferry was later purchased by a wealthy landowner, David Robinson. The city was renamed "Savannah" after
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah ( ) is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia and is the county seat of Chatham County, Georgia, Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the Kingdom of Great Br ...
, the hometown of Rudd's wife, Elizabeth.
[The History of Cherry Mansion]
, 12 January 2011. Retrieved: 4 February 2013.
Battle of Shiloh
Hardin County was the site of the 1862
Battle of Shiloh (also known as the "Battle of Pittsburg Landing") during the
Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
. The battleground site is southwest of the city of Savannah.
Union
Union commonly refers to:
* Trade union, an organization of workers
* Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets
Union may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Music
* Union (band), an American rock group
** ''Un ...
General
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. As Commanding General, he led the Union Ar ...
commandeered the
Cherry Mansion
Cherry Mansion is a historic antebellum age, antebellum house in Savannah, Tennessee, located on a bluff overlooking the east bank of the Tennessee River. It has historical significance for its role as General Ulysses S. Grant's headquarters at ...
just off the city square for use as a headquarters during the battle.
Pickwick Landing State Park
Pickwick Landing State Park
Pickwick Landing State Park is a state park in Pickwick Dam, Hardin County, Tennessee, located in the southeastern United States. The park is situated around the Pickwick Lake impoundment of the Tennessee River, and is named for Pickwick Landi ...
is south of Savannah. Originally a steamboat stop, the
Tennessee Valley Authority
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is a federally owned electric utility corporation in the United States. TVA's service area covers all of Tennessee, portions of Alabama, Mississippi, and Kentucky, and small areas of Georgia, North Carolina ...
bought the site in the 1930s during the Great Depression and constructed a dam and
Pickwick Lake
Pickwick Lake is the reservoir created by Pickwick Landing Dam as part of the Tennessee Valley Authority. The lake stretches from Pickwick Landing Dam to Wilson Dam. It is one of the few lakes in the United States to be located in 3 different st ...
so electricity could be generated. In 1969, Tennessee bought from the TVA and made it a state park.
Geography
Savannah is located just west of the center of Hardin County at (35.223674, -88.237011),
on the east bank of the
Tennessee River
The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other name ...
.
U.S. Route 64
U.S. Route 64 (US 64) is an east–west United States highway that runs for 2,326 miles (3,743 km) from Nags Head in eastern North Carolina to just southwest of the Four Corners in northeast Arizona. The western terminus is at U.S. Route 1 ...
passes through the center of town on Bridge Avenue, Main Street, and Wayne Road. US 64 leads east to
Waynesboro and west to
Selmer.
Tennessee State Route 69
State Route 69 (SR 69) is a state highway in West and Middle Tennessee that runs parallel to the Tennessee River for the majority of its length. SR 69 carries both primary and secondary highway designations and is routed through rural areas.
R ...
leads southeast to the
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
border.
Florence, Alabama, is southeast of Savannah via SR 69 and
Alabama State Route 20
State Route 20 (SR 20) is a state highway in the northern part of the U.S. state of Alabama. It travels from the Tennessee state line, where it continues as Tennessee State Route 69, northwest of Florence, east to Interstate&nb ...
.
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, Savannah has a total area of , all of it recorded as land.
Climate
Demographics
2020 census
As of the
2020 United States census
The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
, there were 7,213 people, 2,658 households, and 1,622 families residing in the city.
2000 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2000, there were 6,917 people, 2,915 households, and 1,862 families residing in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 1,207.5 people per square mile (466.1/km
2). There were 3,206 housing units at an average density of 559.7 per square mile (216.0/km
2). The racial makeup of the city was 89.79%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...
, 8.56%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.22%
Native American, 0.29%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.01%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 0.35% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 0.78% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 1.13% of the population.
There were 2,915 households, out of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.3% were
married couples living together, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.1% were non-families. 32.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.4% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 20.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $22,779, and the median income for a family was $29,771. Males had a median income of $26,311 versus $20,219 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $15,101. About 20.7% of families and 23.9% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 28.4% of those under age 18 and 16.5% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Savannah is governed by a mayor and a four-member city commission. It uses the
city commission government system with the mayor being elected by the four commissioners. The city commission chooses among its members a vice mayor.
City Commission
Notable people
*
John Barnhill, football player, coach, and collegiate athletics administrator
*
Stubby Clapp, Major League baseball player and coach
*
Geron Davis
Geron Davis (born December 1, 1960) is a musician best known as a composer. He was first signed by Meadowgreen Music and best known for penning the song "Holy Ground". Davis married partner Becky Davis and have collectively written several songs ...
, musician and composer
*
Hank DeBerry
John Herman DeBerry (December 29, 1894 in Savannah, Tennessee – September 10, 1951), was an American professional baseball player, and scout. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball, most notably for the Brooklyn Robins during the 192 ...
, Major League baseball catcher in the early 20th century
*
Jim Hardin
James Warren Hardin (August 6, 1943 – March 9, 1991) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher from through , most notably as a member of the Baltimore Orioles dynasty that won ...
, Major League pitcher from 1967 to 1973, World Series champion in 1970
*
Tom Hampton
Tom Hampton (born July 25, 1965 in Savannah, Tennessee) is a multi-instrumentalist, sideman, session musician and singer/songwriter. In April 2020, he joined the country-rock band Poco as guitarist and vocalist.
Biography
Tom Hampton (born July ...
, Multi-instrumentalist, session musician, sideman, singer, and songwriter
*
Bolden Reush Harrison, naval officer and Medal of Honor recipient
*
Chad Harville
Chad Ashley Harville (born September 16, 1976) is an American former professional relief pitcher. Harville bats and throws right-handed. He is known for throwing in the high 90's with an outstanding sinker.
Career
A second-round pick of the Oak ...
, Major League pitcher
*
Granville Hinton
Isom Granville Hinton (February 10, 1929 – April 27, 1996) was an insurance agent from Savannah, Tennessee who served as a Republican member of the Tennessee House of Representatives from various districts including Hardin and McNairy countie ...
, politician
*
Myles Horton
]
Myles Falls Horton (July 9, 1905– January 19, 1990) was an American educator, socialist, and co-founder of the Highlander Folk School, famous for its role in the Civil Rights Movement (Movement leader James Bevel called Horton "The Father ...
, educator and civil rights activist
*
Elizabeth Patterson (actress), Elizabeth Patterson, actress in films and on ''I Love Lucy''
*
Randy Rinks
Randy S. Rinks, also known as Randy "Bear" Rinks (born January 1, 1954) is an American businessman (formerly a dealer in building materials, now a real estate agent) and politician from Savannah, Tennessee who served nine terms in the Tennessee Hou ...
, businessman and politician
*
Herman L. Wolfe, Sr.
Herman L. Wolfe Sr. (September 3, 1930 – February 3, 1989) was a businessman from Savannah, Tennessee, Savannah, Tennessee, who served seven terms as a Republican Party (United States), Republican member of the Tennessee House of Representat ...
, politician
*
Darryl Worley
Darryl Wade Worley (born October 31, 1964) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Signed to DreamWorks Records Nashville in 1999, Worley released four albums for the label: ''Hard Rain Don't Last'' (2000), '' I Miss My Friend'' (20 ...
, country music performer
References
External links
City of Savannah official website
{{authority control
Cities in Tennessee
Cities in Hardin County, Tennessee
County seats in Tennessee
Tennessee populated places on the Tennessee River
1833 establishments in Tennessee