Overton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 22,511. Its county seat is

Livingston Livingston may refer to: Businesses * Livingston Energy Flight, an Italian airline (2003–2010) * Livingston Compagnia Aerea, an Italian airline (2011–2014), also known as Livingston Airline * Livingston International, a North American custom ...

. Overton County is part of the

Cookeville Cookeville is the county seat and largest city of Putnam County, Tennessee, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, its population was reported to be 34,842. It is recognized as one of the country's micropolitan areas, or smaller ...

, TN Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

On May 10, 1933, a half-mile wide F4 tornado struck the small community of Beatty Swamps (also referred to as Bethsadia). The tornado destroyed every structure in the town and either killed or injured nearly every inhabitant, with 33 of the 35 deaths occurring in the area. Much of the area was swept clean of debris, a reaper-binder was thrown , and cars were moved hundreds of feet.Assorted Historical Events in Middle Tennessee
Archived June 6, 2011.Grazulis, ''Significant'', pp. 850-851

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. Overton County straddles the Eastern

Highland Rim The Highland Rim is a geographic term for the area in Tennessee surrounding the Central Basin. Nashville is largely surrounded by higher terrain in all directions. Geologically, the Central Basin is a dome. The Highland Rim is a cuesta surround ...

, and generally consists of low, rolling hills divided by narrow creek valleys. The backwaters of

Dale Hollow Lake The Dale Hollow Reservoir is a reservoir situated on the Kentucky/Tennessee border. The lake is formed by the damming of the Obey River, 7.3 miles (12 km) above its juncture with the Cumberland River at river mile 380. Portions of the lake a ...

, namely the Mitchell Creek and Big Eagle Creek sections, spill over into the northern part of the county. The County is located on the

Cumberland Plateau The Cumberland Plateau is the southern part of the Appalachian Plateau in the Appalachian Mountains of the United States. It includes much of eastern Kentucky and Tennessee, and portions of northern Alabama and northwest Georgia. The terms "Alle ...

Adjacent counties

* Pickett County (northeast) *

Fentress County Fentress County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 18,489. Its county seat is Jamestown. History Fentress County was formed on November 28, 1823, from portions of Morgan, Overton ...

(east) * Putnam County (south) * Jackson County (west) *

Clay County Clay County is the name of 18 counties in the United States. Most are named for Henry Clay, U.S. Senator and statesman: * Clay County, Alabama * Clay County, Arkansas (named for John Clayton, and originally named Clayton County) * Clay County, Flor ...

(northwest)

State protected areas

*Alpine Mountain Wildlife Management Area *Jackson Swamp Wildlife Management Area *

Standing Stone State Forest Standing Stone State Park is a state park in Overton County, Tennessee, in the southeastern United States. The park consists of along the shoreline of the man-made Standing Stone Lake. The Standing Stone State Forest surrounds the park. Th ...

(part) *

Standing Stone State Park Standing Stone State Park is a state park in Overton County, Tennessee, in the southeastern United States. The park consists of along the shoreline of the man-made Standing Stone Lake. The Standing Stone State Forest surrounds the park. The ...

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 22,511 people, 9,140 households, and 6,220 families residing in the county.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 20,118 people, 8,110 households, and 5,920 families residing in the county. The population density was 46 people per square mile (18/km²). There were 9,168 housing units at an average density of 21 per square mile (8/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.59% White, 0.28% Black or African American, 2.28% Native American, 0.09%

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 ...

, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.22% from other races, and 0.49% from two or more races. 2.69% of the population were Hispanic 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. There were 8,110 households, out of which 29.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.20% 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 t ...

living together, 9.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.00% were non-families. 24.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.90. In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.00% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 27.70% from 25 to 44, 25.90% from 45 to 64, and 15.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.10 males. The median income for a household in the county was $26,915, and the median income for a family was $32,156. Males had a median income of $25,287 versus $19,674 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,910. About 12.30% of families and 16.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.40% of those under age 18 and 20.50% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Town

(county seat)

Unincorporated communities

* Allons * Allred *

Alpine Alpine may refer to any mountainous region. It may also refer to: Places Europe * Alps, a European mountain range ** Alpine states, which overlap with the European range Australia * Alpine, New South Wales, a Northern Village * Alpine National Pa ...

Crawford Crawford may refer to: Places Canada * Crawford Bay Airport, British Columbia * Crawford Lake Conservation Area, Ontario United Kingdom * Crawford, Lancashire, a small village near Rainford, Merseyside, England * Crawford, South Lanarkshire, a ...

* Hardy's Chapel * Hilham * Mineral Springs * Monroe *

Rickman Rickman is both a surname and a given name. As a surname, one origin is as the English version of the German surname Ryckman. Notable people with the name include: People with the surname Rickman: *Alan Rickman (1946–2016), English film, televi ...

* Timothy

Notable people

Lester Flatt Lester Raymond Flatt (June 19, 1914 – May 11, 1979) was an American bluegrass guitarist and mandolinist, best known for his collaboration with banjo picker Earl Scruggs in the duo Flatt and Scruggs. Flatt's career spanned multiple decades, ...

, Bluegrass musician * Thomas D. Harp, California state senator born in Overton County *

Albert H. Roberts Albert Houston Roberts (July 4, 1868 – June 25, 1946) was an American politician, educator, and jurist. He served as the 33rd governor of Tennessee from 1919 to 1921, having previously served as a state court judge and as principal of the Alpin ...

, Governor of Tennessee *

Roy Roberts Roy Roberts (born Roy Barnes Jones, March 19, 1906 – May 28, 1975) was an American character actor. Over his more than 40-year career, he appeared in more than nine hundred productions on stage and screen. Life and career Born in Tampa ...

, Blues singer * Catherine "Bonny Kate" Sevier, widow of John Sevier *

Cordell Hull Cordell Hull (October 2, 1871July 23, 1955) was an American politician from Tennessee and the longest-serving U.S. Secretary of State, holding the position for 11 years (1933–1944) in the administration of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt ...

United States Secretary of State *

Josiah Gregg Josiah Gregg (19 July 1806 – 25 February 1850) was an American merchant, explorer, naturalist, and author of '' Commerce of the Prairies'', about the American Southwest and parts of northern Mexico. He collected many previously undescribed pla ...

merchant, explorer, naturalist, and author of Commerce of the Prairies * Benoni Strivson Medal of Honor Recipient Indian Wars

Politics

References

External links

*
Official site

Overton County, TNGenWeb
- free genealogy resources for the county * {{authority control 1806 establishments in Tennessee Populated places established in 1806 Cookeville, Tennessee micropolitan area Counties of Appalachia Middle Tennessee