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 In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

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 ...

. 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 ...

Greeneville Greeneville is a town in and the county seat of Greene County, Tennessee, United States. The population as of the 2020 census was 15,479. The town was named in honor of Revolutionary War hero Nathanael Greene, and it is the second oldest town ...

. 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 th ...

. After the United States became independent, Greene County was formed in 1783 from the original

Washington County, North Carolina Washington County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 11,003. Its county seat is Plymouth. The county was formed in 1799 from the western third of Tyrrell County. It was named for ...

, 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 dependa ...

(1742-1786), a major general in the Continental Army from

Rhode Island Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area and the seventh-least populous, with slightly fewer than 1.1 million residents as of 2020, but i ...

. 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 wh ...

. 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 offering ...

in Tennessee; the state's oldest

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related Christian denomination, denominations of Protestantism, Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John W ...

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 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 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 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 extendin ...

, 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 (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 56,721. Its county seat is Rogersville, Tennessee, Rogersville, Hawkins County is par ...

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

Blue Ridge Mountains The Blue Ridge Mountains are a Physiographic regions of the world, 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 Pennsy ...

, specifically a subrange of the Blue Ridge known as the

Bald Mountains The Bald Mountains are a mountain range rising along the border between Tennessee and North Carolina in the southeastern United States. They are part of the Blue Ridge Mountain Province of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. The Bald Mount ...

. 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 Unicoi County () is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2010 census, the population was 18,313. Its county seat is Erwin. ''Unicoi'' is a Cherokee word meaning "white," "hazy," "fog-like," or "fog draped," and refer ...

(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 Cocke County is a county on the eastern border of the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2010 census, the population was 35,662. Its county seat is Newport. Cocke County comprises the Newport, TN Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part o ...

(southwest) * Hamblen County (west)

National protected areas

* Andrew Johnson National Cemetery * Andrew Johnson National Historic Site *

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 The Cherokee National Forest is a United States National Forest located in the U.S. states of Tennessee and North Carolina that was created on June 14, 1920. The forest is maintained and managed by the United States Forest Service. It encompasses ...

(part)

State protected areas

* Bible Covered Bridge State Historic Site * Joachim Bible Refuge * David Crockett Birthplace State Park (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 Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...

in 1936.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, 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 in ...

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: Stock (disambiguation), 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 ...

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 lightness, 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 diffuse reflection, reflect and scattering, scatter all the ...

, 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 Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...

, 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 Ocea ...

, 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 t ...

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 School System and serves the eastern part of the county, including the city of Tusc ...

- 710 students *

North Greene High School North Greene High School is a high school in Greene County located at 4675 Old Baileyton Road in Baileyton, Tennessee Baileyton is a town in northern Greene County, Tennessee, Greene County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 431 at th ...

- 395 students *

South Greene High School South Greene High School (SGHS) is a high school located south of Greeneville, Tennessee in the South Greene community. Established in 1965, it is part of the Greene County School System. South Greene High School's athletic teams are known as th ...

- 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 *Greene Technology Center - 489 students

Hospitals

Two hospitals 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 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 distance from Rome ...

Towns

* Baileyton *

(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 pries ...

* 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