Greene County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

located on the eastern border of the U.S. state of

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 36th-largest by ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 70,152. Its

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 ...

is Greeneville. Greene County comprises the Greeneville, TN Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Greene County developed from the "Nolichucky settlement," established by pioneer Jacob Brown on land leased in the early 1770s from the

Cherokee people The Cherokee (; chr, ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯᎢ, translit=Aniyvwiyaʔi or Anigiduwagi, or chr, ᏣᎳᎩ, links=no, translit=Tsalagi) are one of the indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, th ...

. The Nolichucky settlement was aligned with the Watauga settlement, centered in modern

Elizabethton Elizabethton is a city in, and the county seat of Carter County, Tennessee, United States. Elizabethton is the historical site of the first independent American government (known as the Watauga Association, created in 1772) located west of both t ...

. After the United States became independent, Greene County was formed in 1783 from the original Washington County, North Carolina, part of the former Washington District. The county is named for Major General

Nathanael Greene Nathanael Greene (June 19, 1786, sometimes misspelled Nathaniel) was a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. He emerged from the war with a reputation as General George Washington's most talented and dependab ...

(1742-1786), a major general in the

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...

from

Rhode Island Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...

. John Crockett, father of

Davy Crockett David Crockett (August 17, 1786 – March 6, 1836) was an American folk hero, frontiersman, soldier, and politician. He is often referred to in popular culture as the "King of the Wild Frontier". He represented Tennessee in the U.S. House of ...

, and his wife settled in the county near

Limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms w ...

. Davy Crockett was born there in 1786. At the time, the area was part of the extra-legal state Franklin. Greene County is the home of

Tusculum College Tusculum University is a private Presbyterian university with its main campus in Tusculum, Tennessee. It is Tennessee's first university and the 28th-oldest operating college in the United States. In addition to its main campus, the institution ...

, the oldest

college A college (Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate or federal university, an institution offerin ...

in Tennessee; the state's oldest

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's ...

congregation (the Ebenezer Methodist Church, near Chuckey), and the state's second oldest continuously cultivated farm (Elmwood Farm, part of the Earnest Farms Historic District). Revolutionary War veteran, and state legislator, Col. Joseph Hardin made Greene County his home for a period of time, serving as

justice of the peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or '' puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the s ...

and as one of the original trustees of Tusculum (then Greeneville) College. As with yeomen farmers in much of East Tennessee, those in Greene County were generally Unionist and opposed to secession on the eve of the Civil War. In Tennessee's Ordinance of Secession referendum on June 8, 1861, Greene Countians voted against secession by a vote of 2,691 to 744. Following the vote (the call for secession was passed statewide), the second session of the

East Tennessee Convention The East Tennessee Convention was an assembly of Southern Unionist delegates primarily from East Tennessee that met on three occasions during the Civil War. The Convention most notably declared the secessionist actions taken by the Tennessee st ...

convened in Greeneville. It called for a separate, Union-aligned state to be formed in East Tennessee. A railroad bridge near Mosheim was among those destroyed by the East Tennessee bridge-burning conspiracy in November 1861. Several of the conspirators who had taken part in the burning of this bridge were later captured and executed by Confederate supporters, including Jacob Hensie, Henry Fry, Jacob and Henry Harmon, and noted local potter Alex Haun.

Geography

According to the

U.S. 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 ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.3%) is water. Most of Greene County is located within the

Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians The Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, also called the Ridge and Valley Province or the Valley and Ridge Appalachians, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division and are also a belt within the Appalachian Mountains extending ...

, a range characterized by long, narrow ridges alternating with similarly shaped valleys. Bays Mountain, a prominent ridge in this range, forms much of Greene's northern border with

Hawkins County Hawkins County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 56,721. Its county seat is Rogersville, Hawkins County is part of the Kingsport–Bristol–Bristol, TN- VA Metropolitan S ...

. The extreme southeastern part of Greene County is located within the

Blue Ridge Mountains The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. The mountain range is located in the Eastern United States, and extends 550 miles southwest from southern Pennsylvania through Maryland, West Virg ...

, specifically a subrange of the Blue Ridge known as the Bald Mountains. This range straddles Greene's border with North Carolina, and includes the county's two highest points: Gravel Knob, which rises to over , and Camp Creek Bald (it's uncertain which is higher due to lack of an exact measurement for Gravel Knob's elevation). Greene County is drained by the Nolichucky River, which traverses the southern half of the county. This river is impounded by Nolichucky Dam south of Greeneville, creating Davy Crockett Lake.

Major highways

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Adjacent counties

(north) * Washington County (east) * Unicoi County (southeast) *

Madison County, North Carolina Madison County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 21,193. Its county seat is Marshall. Madison County is part of the Asheville, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area. History The ...

(south) * Cocke County (southwest) *

Hamblen County Hamblen County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 64,499. Its county seat and only incorporated city is Morristown. Hamblen County is the core county of the Morristown Metropolitan ...

(west)

National protected areas

* Andrew Johnson National Cemetery *

Andrew Johnson National Historic Site Andrew Johnson National Historic Site is a National Historic Site in Greeneville, Tennessee, maintained by the National Park Service. It was established to honor Andrew Johnson, the 17th president of the United States, who became president a ...

Appalachian Trail The Appalachian Trail (also called the A.T.), is a hiking trail in the Eastern United States, extending almost between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, and passing through 14 states.Gailey, Chris (2006)"Appalachian ...

(part) * Cherokee National Forest (part)

State protected areas

* Bible Covered Bridge State Historic Site * Joachim Bible Refuge *

David Crockett Birthplace State Park David Crockett Birthplace State Park (previously called Davy Crockett Birthplace State Historic Park) is a state park in Greene County, Tennessee, United States. Situated along the Nolichucky River, the park consists of centered on the tra ...

(part) * Lick Creek Bottoms Wildlife Management Area * Nolichucky Wildlife Management Area * Rocky Fork State Park (part)

Other historic sites

* Earnest Farms Historic District * Greeneville Historic District * Maden Hall Farm

Government

Elected Officials

County Mayor

Kevin Morrison was elected County Mayor in August 2018 and began as mayor on September 1, 2018.

County Commission

Members of the county commission are elected by geographic district. They are as follows: * District 1: Baileyton, Ottway, West Pines ** Charles Tim White ** Dale Tucker ** Kathy Crawford * District 2: Chuckey, Chuckey Doak ** Brad Peters ** Kaleb Powell ** Joshua Arrowood * District 3: Doak, Tusculum View ** Robin Quillen ** Jason Cobble ** Clifford "Doc" Bryant * District 4: Camp Creek, Courthouse ** George Clemmer ** Bill Dabbs ** Lyle Parton * District 5: Debusk, Nolachuckey, Middle School, South Greene ** Lloyd "Hoot" Bowers ** Pamela Carpenter ** Gary Shelton * District 6: McDonald, Mosheim ** Jeffrey Bible ** Josh Kesterson ** John Waddle * District 7: Glenwood, Greeneville High School ** Teddy Lawing ** Paul Burkey ** VACANT

Presidential elections

Like all of East Tennessee, Greene County is a Republican stronghold. The last Democratic presidential candidate to carry this county was Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936.

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 off ...

, there were 70,152 people, 28,323 households, and 18,481 families residing in the county.

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 inc ...

of 2000, there were 62,909 people, 25,756 households, and 18,132 families residing in the county. 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 RosenberPopu ...

was 101 people per square mile (39/km²). There were 28,116 housing units at an average density of 45 per square mile (17/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.42%

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 ...

, 2.11%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

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 ...

, 0.18% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.02%

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 ...

, 0.43% from other races, and 0.56% from two or more races. 1.02% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, 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 viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race. There were 25,756 households, out of which 29.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.70% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

living together, 10.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.60% were non-families. 25.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.84. In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.20% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 28.70% from 25 to 44, 26.10% from 45 to 64, and 14.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.40 males. The median income for a household in the county was $30,382, and the median income for a family was $36,889. Males had a median income of $26,331 versus $20,304 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 county was $15,746. About 11.20% of families and 14.50% 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 ...

, including 19.00% of those under age 18 and 16.70% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Public schools in Greene County school system include the following, with their enrollments for the 2007–2008 school year: *Baileyton Elementary - 365 students *Camp Creek Elementary - 315 students *Chuckey Elementary - 325 students *DeBusk Elementary - 340 students *Doak Elementary - 590 students *Glenwood Elementary - 255 students *McDonald Elementary - 410 students *Mosheim Elementary and Middle School - 960 students *Nolachuckey Elementary - 340 students *Ottway Elementary - 260 students *West Pines Elementary - 240 students *Chuckey-Doak Middle School - 495 students *

Chuckey-Doak High School Chuckey-Doak High School is located in Tusculum, Tennessee, United States, with an Afton address. It is one of four high schools in the Greene County, Tennessee Greene County is a county located on the eastern border of the U.S. state of ...

- 710 students * North Greene High School - 395 students * South Greene High School - 525 students * West Greene High School - 735 students Public schools that are within Greene County but are part of the Greeneville City School SystemSchools
Greeneville City Schools official website. Retrieved: 16 October 2013. include: *Eastview Elementary *Hal Henard Elementary *Highland Elementary *Tusculum View Elementary *Greeneville Middle School *

Greeneville High School Greeneville High School (GHS) is a high school in Greeneville, Tennessee, a town most known as the place in which U.S. President Andrew Johnson Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808July 31, 1875) was the 17th president of the United States, ser ...

*Greene Technology Center - 489 students

Hospitals

Two

hospital A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment with specialized health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically has an emergen ...

s are located in Greene County, Greeneville Community Hospital West campus and Greeneville Community East campus. These hospitals were formally Takoma Regional Hospital and Laughlin Memorial Hospital, respectively, after Ballad Health formed from the merger between Mountain States Health Alliance and Wellmont Health System.

Communities

City

Tusculum Tusculum is a ruined Classical Rome, Roman city in the Alban Hills, in the Latium region of Italy. Tusculum was most famous in Roman times for the many great and luxurious patrician country villas sited close to the city, yet a comfortable dist ...

Towns

* Baileyton * Greeneville (county seat) * Mosheim

Census-designated place

* Fall Branch (partial)

Unincorporated communities

* Afton * Camp Creek * Cedar Creek * Chuckey * Cross Anchor * DeBusk * Grandview * Horse Creek * Jearoldstown * Liberty Hill *

* Midway * Mohawk * Newmansville * Ottway * Rheatown *

Romeo Romeo Montague () is the male protagonist of William Shakespeare's tragedy ''Romeo and Juliet''. The son of Lord Montague and his wife, Lady Montague, he secretly loves and marries Juliet, a member of the rival House of Capulet, through a priest ...

* St. James * South Greene * Warrensburg

References

External links

Official site

''The Greeneville Sun'' newspaper
* {{coord, 36.17, -82.85, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-TN_source:UScensus1990 1783 establishments in North Carolina Populated places established in 1783 State of Franklin Counties of Appalachia Second Amendment sanctuaries in Tennessee East Tennessee