Polk County, TN
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Polk County is a county located in the southeastern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee. 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 ...
, its population was 17,544. Its county seat is
Benton Benton may refer to: Places Canada *Benton, a local service district south of Woodstock, New Brunswick *Benton, Newfoundland and Labrador United Kingdom * Benton, Devon, near Bratton Fleming * Benton, Tyne and Wear United States *Benton, Alabam ...
. The county was created on November 28, 1839, from parts of Bradley and McMinn counties, after final removal of most Cherokee from the region that year. The county was named after then-governor (and future president) James K. Polk. Polk County is included in the Cleveland, Tennessee Metropolitan Area Statistical Area, which is also included in the Chattanooga–Cleveland–Dalton, TN–GA–AL Combined Statistical Area.


History

Prior to the settlement of the Europeans, Polk County was inhabited by the Cherokee, and before them, thousands of years of indigenous cultures. The portion of Polk County north of the Hiwassee River was ceded by the
Cherokee Nation The Cherokee Nation (Cherokee: ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ ''Tsalagihi Ayeli'' or ᏣᎳᎩᏰᎵ ''Tsalagiyehli''), also known as the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, is the largest of three Cherokee federally recognized tribes in the United States. It ...
to the US in the Calhoun Treaty of 1819. The rest of the county was part of the Ocoee District. The Cherokee were forcibly removed from here in 1838-1839 and taken to Indian Territory, in a passage that became known as the Trail of Tears. Polk County was created by an act of the
Tennessee General Assembly The Tennessee General Assembly (TNGA) is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is a part-time bicameral legislature consisting of a Senate and a House of Representatives. The Speaker of the Senate carries the additional title ...
on November 23, 1839. The location for the county seat of Benton was chosen by an election held on February 4, 1840. Copper was discovered in Ducktown in 1843. By the 1850s, a large mining operation was underway in southeastern Polk County; the area became known as the Copper Basin. This operation continued until 1987, when the last mine closed. During the Civil War, Polk County was one of only six counties in
East Tennessee East Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee defined in state law. Geographically and socioculturally distinct, it comprises approximately the eastern third of the U.S. state of Tennessee. East Tennessee consists of 33 count ...
to support the
Confederacy Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between ...
, voting in favor of Tennessee's ordinance of secession in June 1861. During the war, the copper mines supplied about 90% of the Confederacy's copper; their capture by Union forces after the Confederate defeat at the Battles for Chattanooga in November 1863 proved a major blow to the Confederacy. On November 29, 1864, a series of raids by Confederate bushwhacker John P. Gatewood in Polk County resulted in at least 16 deaths. The East Tennessee Power Company, later the Tennessee Electric Power Company (TEPCO), constructed two hydroelectric dams on the Ocoee River, Ocoee Dams 1 and 2, which were completed in 1911 and 1913, respectively. TEPCO was later purchased by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), founded in the late 190s. It constructed an additional dam on this river,
Ocoee Dam No. 3 Ocoee Dam No. 3 is a hydroelectric dam on the Ocoee River in Polk County, in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is one of four dams on the Toccoa/Ocoee River owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority, which built the dam in the early 1940s ...
, completed in 1943, as well as the powerhouse for
Apalachia Dam Apalachia Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Hiwassee River in Cherokee County, in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The dam is the lowermost of three dams on the river owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority, which built the dam in th ...
on the Hiwassee River in northern Polk County, which was also completed in 1943. In 1973, a large music festival known as the "Midwest Monster Peace Jubilee and Music Festival", commonly known as the "Monster Peace Jubilee", was planned by Indiana-based promoter C.F. Manifest Inc. to take place on a 1,300-acre farm north of Benton on Labor Day of that year. The farm was owned by the county executive. (It has been redeveloped as the
Chilhowee Gliderport Chilhowee Gliderport is a privately owned public-use glider airport located four nautical miles (5 mi, 7 km) northeast of the central business district of Benton, in Polk County, Tennessee, United States. Historical The land that the glid ...
.) Nicknamed "Polkstock" due to its resemblance to 1969's Woodstock in Bethel, New York, the event was expected to attract approximately 500,000 people. Locals strongly opposed it, especially members of the religious communities, who believed the festival would bring much of the perceived rock music culture. The festival was eventually halted by the state circuit court, on the request of the district attorney, who said that the festival would constitute a public nuisance, due to drug, health, and traffic problems. On May 27, 1983, a massive explosion at a secret illegal fireworks factory killed eleven workers. The operation, located on a bait farm a few miles south of Benton, was unlicensed. It produced
M-80 M80 or M-80 may refer to: Military * BVP M-80, a Yugoslav military vehicle * M80, a U.S. military type of the 7.62×51mm NATO rifle cartridge * M80, training version of the M19 mine * M80 Stiletto, a 2006 prototype naval vessel * M80 Zolja, a Yu ...
and M-100 fireworks, both illegal, and was the largest illegal fireworks operation in the United States to date. The
Ocoee Whitewater Center The Ocoee Whitewater Center, near Ducktown, Tennessee, United States, was the canoe slalom venue for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, and is the only in-river course to be used for Olympic slalom competition. A 1,640 foot (500 m) stretch of t ...
was the site of the canoe slalom events for the
1996 Summer Olympics The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta, ...
, based in Atlanta, Georgia. In April 2019, Polk County was the first county in Tennessee to become a "gun sanctuary", or Second Amendment sanctuary.


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 (1.7%) is water. As the most southeastern county in Tennessee, it is the state's only county to share borders with both Georgia and North Carolina. Most of the terrain of Polk County is mountainous, constituting part of the southern Blue Ridge Mountains, among the southern Appalachian Mountains. The western edge of the county is part of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, which comprise about one-sixth of the county's land area. The Copper Basin is located in the extreme southeastern part of Polk County.
Big Frog Mountain Big Frog Mountain is a mountain located primarily in southeastern Tennessee in the Big Frog Wilderness, within the Cherokee National Forest. It is located within the Blue Ridge Mountains, part of the Appalachian Mountains. At an elevation of , the ...
, at an elevation of , is the county's highest point; west of Big Frog Mountain there is no higher point until the Black Hills of South Dakota or the Guadalupe Mountains of Texas. About 80% of the land area of Polk County is now part of the Cherokee National Forest, covering most of the Blue Ridge portion of the county except for the Copper Basin and other small tracts. Most of the Ridge-and-Valley portion of the county is privately owned. The Ocoee River, site of whitewater slalom events in the Atlanta
1996 Summer Olympic Games The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta, ...
, runs through Polk County and is vital to one of the county's major industries, whitewater rafting. The calmer Hiwassee River, a tributary of the Tennessee River which flows through northern Polk County, is also used for rafting and tubing. The
Conasauga River The Conasauga River is a river that runs through southeast Tennessee and northwest Georgia. The Conasauga River is longU.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 27, 2011 an ...
, the only river in Tennessee that is not part of the Mississippi River Basin, is located in southwestern Polk County. Most of the population of Polk County lives in the Ridge-and-Valley western portion of the county and the Copper Basin.


Adjacent counties

*
Monroe County Monroe County may refer to seventeen counties in the United States, all named for James Monroe: * Monroe County, Alabama *Monroe County, Arkansas * Monroe County, Florida * Monroe County, Georgia *Monroe County, Illinois *Monroe County, Indian ...
(northeast) * Cherokee County, North Carolina (east) * Fannin County, Georgia (southeast) * Murray County, Georgia (southwest) * Bradley County (west) *
McMinn County McMinn County is a county in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is located in East Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 53,794. The county has a total area of . Most of the county is within the Ridge and Valley province of the Ap ...
(northwest)


National protected areas

*
Big Frog Wilderness The Big Frog Wilderness was designated in 1984 and currently consists of . Approximately are located in Georgia in the Chattahoochee National Forest and approximately are located in Tennessee in the Cherokee National Forest. The Wilderness is ma ...
(part) * Cherokee National Forest (part)


State protected areas

*William L. Davenport Refuge *
Ducktown Basin Museum Ducktown may refer to: * Ducktown, Georgia, an unincorporated community *Ducktown, Tennessee, a city *Ducktown, Atlantic City Ducktown is a historically Italian-American district of Atlantic City, New Jersey, Atlantic City, in the U.S. state of ...
and Burra Burra Mine (state historic site) *
Fourth Fractional Township Fourth or the fourth may refer to: * the ordinal form of the number 4 * ''Fourth'' (album), by Soft Machine, 1971 * Fourth (angle), an ancient astronomical subdivision * Fourth (music), a musical interval * ''The Fourth'' (1972 film), a Sovie ...
Wildlife Management Area *
Hiwassee/Ocoee Scenic River State Park The Hiwassee/Ocoee Scenic River State Park is a Tennessee state park in Polk County, Tennessee, United States, that provides access to the Hiwassee and Ocoee rivers. A stretch of the Hiwassee River, extending from the North Carolina state li ...


Demographics


2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 16,825 people, 6,653 households, and 4,755 families residing in the county. The population density was 38.7 people per square mile. There were 7,991 housing units at an average density of 18.4 per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 97.53% White, 0.38% Native American, 0.30% African American, 0.14%
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 ...
, 0.02% Pacific Islander, and 1.21% from
two or more races 2 (two) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 1 and preceding 3. It is the smallest and only even prime number. Because it forms the basis of a duality, it has religious and spiritual significance in many culture ...
. Those of Hispanic or Latino origins, regardless of race, constituted 1.38% of the population. There were 6,653 households, out of which 26.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.60% 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, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.30% were non-families. 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.96. In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.14% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 20 to 24, 10.20% from 25 to 34, 21.60% from 35 to 49, 21.70% from 50 to 64, and 17.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.5 years. In 2000, the median income for a household in the county was $29,643, and the median income for a family was $36,370. Males had a median income of $27,703 versus $21,010 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,025. About 9.70% of families and 13.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.80% of those under age 18 and 18.40% of those age 65 or over.


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 17,544 people, 7,383 households, and 5,239 families residing in the county.


Economy

For most of its history, the mines in the Copper Basin were the largest source of employment in Polk County. As the copper mining industry began to decline, tourism associated with the Ocoee and Hiwassee Rivers began to overtake the copper mines as the largest industry in the county. The first rafting company on the Hiwassee was established in 1969. The shutdown of Ocoee Dam No. 2 to repair the flume line in September 1976 first made possible the rafting of the river's rapids, and several rafting companies were established during this time up until 1983, when the reconstruction was complete. Before the reconstruction project was complete, a struggle ensued between TVA and the rafting companies over usage of the river, which culminated in a 1984 agreement with TVA to schedule periodic releases of water through the dam at certain times of the year to allow for whitewater rafting. This agreement, set to expire in 2019, was renewed in 2017. During the same time, commercial rafting of the Hiwassee also greatly increased. Today, tourism associated with rafting, kayaking, and canoeing the Hiwassee and Ocoee Rivers is the largest sector of Polk County's economy, drawing more than 250,000 people to the area annually. The Ocoee River is now the most rafted river in the United States, with about 250,000 visitors annually, and more than 100,000 people raft the Hiwaseee River each year. Both rivers are ranked as two of the most visited tourist attractions in Tennessee.


Education

Public schools in Polk County are operated by the Polk County Schools district. High Schools include Copper Basin High School and Polk County High School. The district has one middle school, Chilhowee Middle. The district also has three elementary schools, Benton Elementary, South Polk Elementary and Copper Basin Elementary.


Communities


Cities

* Copperhill * Ducktown


Town

*
Benton Benton may refer to: Places Canada *Benton, a local service district south of Woodstock, New Brunswick *Benton, Newfoundland and Labrador United Kingdom * Benton, Devon, near Bratton Fleming * Benton, Tyne and Wear United States *Benton, Alabam ...
(county seat)


Unincorporated Communities

* Ball Play * Belltown * Benton Springs * Benton Station * Conasauga * Delano * Farner * Harbuck * Ocoee * Oldfort * Parksville * Reliance * Turtletown


Politics

Like East Tennessee, Polk has always leaned Republican, though to a lesser extent than most counties in the region. However, during the
Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
and World War II, this changed drastically, with Polk County giving 92.7% of the vote to Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944 (it swung hard to the right between 1944 and 1948). Today, Polk County is very conservative, giving nearly 80% of its popular vote to Donald Trump in 2016- although it did support Bill Clinton (D-AR) twice.


Transportation


Highways

* US-64 * US-74 * US-411 * SR-40 * SR-30 * SR-68 * SR-74 * SR-123 * SR-163 * SR-313 * SR-314 * SR-315


Air

Polk County is served by Martin Campbell Field, a general aviation airport. The
Chilhowee Gliderport Chilhowee Gliderport is a privately owned public-use glider airport located four nautical miles (5 mi, 7 km) northeast of the central business district of Benton, in Polk County, Tennessee, United States. Historical The land that the glid ...
is an FAA-licensed gliderport located near Benton.


Notable people

*
Stan Beaver Stan or STAN may refer to: People * Stan (given name), a list of people with the given name ** Stan Laurel (1890–1965), English comic actor, part of duo Laurel and Hardy * Stan (surname), a Romanian surname * Stan! (born 1964), American author, ...
, musician. * Landrum Bolling, journalist. *
Randy Buehler Randolph E. "Randy" Buehler Jr. is an American game developer. He was the Vice President of Digital Gaming at Wizards of the Coast, Inc., now a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., as well as the commentator for the ''Magic'' Pro Tour. He was formerly a w ...
, game developer. *
Joel Eaves Joel Harry Eaves (June 3, 1914 – July 18, 1991) was an American college football and basketball player, coach, and athletic director. He is perhaps most known for coaching basketball at his alma mater, the Auburn Tigers of Auburn University. He ...
, basketball coach. *
G. Earl Guinn George Earl Guinn, known as G. Earl Guinn (August 21, 1912 – June 7, 2004), was from 1951 to 1975 the fifth president of Southern Baptist-affiliated Louisiana Christian University in Pineville, Louisiana. Background Guinn was the youngest ...
, university president. * Elizabeth Hamer Kegan, librarian. *
John E. Hutton John Edward Hutton (March 28, 1828 – December 28, 1893) was a United States House of Representatives, U.S. Representative from Missouri. Born in Polk County, Tennessee, Hutton moved with his parents to Troy, Missouri, in 1831. He attended the ...
, U.S. representative. * J. Chris Newton, politician.


See also

*
National Register of Historic Places listings in Polk County, Tennessee __NOTOC__ This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Polk County, Tennessee. This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Polk County, Tennes ...


References


External links


Official site

Polk County/Copper Basin Chamber of Commerce

Polk County, TNGenWeb
- free genealogy resources for the county * {{Coord, 35.13, -84.52, type:adm2nd_region:US-TN_source:UScensus1990, display=title 1839 establishments in Tennessee Populated places established in 1839 Cleveland metropolitan area, Tennessee Counties of Appalachia Second Amendment sanctuaries in Tennessee East Tennessee