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Sumner County is a
county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...
located on the central northern border 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. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...
in the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 196,281. Its
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
is Gallatin, and its most populous city is Hendersonville. The county is named after an
American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
hero, General Jethro Sumner. Sumner County is part of the Nashville-DavidsonMurfreesboroFranklin, TN Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county is made up of eight cities, including Gallatin, Goodlettsville, Hendersonville, Millersville, Mitchellville, Portland, Westmoreland, and White House. Sumner County is northeast of
Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...
.


History

Prior to the European colonization of North America, the county had been inhabited by various cultures of Native Americans for several thousand years. Nomadic Paleo and Archaic hunter-gatherer campsites, as well as substantial Woodland and Mississippian-period occupation sites and burial grounds, can be found scattered throughout the county. The majority of these sites exist along natural waterways, with the highest concentration occurring along what is now known as the
Cumberland River The Cumberland River is a major waterway of the Southern United States. The U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed June 8, 2011 river drains almost of southern Kentucky and ...
. Mississippian period earthwork
mound A mound is a wikt:heaped, heaped pile of soil, earth, gravel, sand, rock (geology), rocks, or debris. Most commonly, mounds are earthen formations such as hills and mountains, particularly if they appear artificial. A mound may be any rounded ...
s can still be seen in Hendersonville, and most notably, at Castalian Springs. Long before Europeans entered the area, Native Americans made use of the natural springs for their medicinal and healing properties. Longhunters traveled into the area as early as the 1760s, following existing Indian and buffalo trails. By the early 1780s, they had erected several trading posts in the region. The most prominent was Mansker's Station, which was built by Kasper Mansker near a salt lick (where modern Goodlettsville would later develop). Another was Bledsoe's Station, built by Isaac Bledsoe at Castilian Springs. Sumner County was organized in 1786, just 3 years after the end of the
American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
, when Tennessee was still the western part of
North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
. During the 19th century, the county was developed for agriculture: tobacco and hemp, and blooded livestock. Numerous settlers came from central Kentucky's
Bluegrass Region The Bluegrass region is a geographic region in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It makes up the central and northern part of the state, roughly bounded by the cities of Frankfort, Kentucky, Frankfort, Paris, Kentucky, Paris, Richmond, Kentucky, Ric ...
, where these were the most important products. Middle Tennessee had fertile lands that could be used for similar crops and supported high-quality livestock as well. The larger planters depended on the labor of enslaved African Americans. Infrastructure built to support the housing of slaves during this time still exists in Gallatin. During the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
, most of Tennessee was occupied by Union troops from 1862. This led to a breakdown in civil order in many areas.Durham, Walter T. ''Rebellion Revisited: A History of Sumner County, Tennessee from 1861 to 1870 ''(Franklin, Tennessee: Hillsboro Press, 1999, 2nd edition) The Union commander, Eleazer A. Paine, was based at Gallatin, the county seat. He was notoriously cruel and had suspected spies publicly executed without trial in the town square. He was eventually replaced because of his mistreatment of the people. In 1873, the county was hit hard by the fourth cholera pandemic of the century, which had begun about 1863 in Asia. It eventually reached North America and was spread by steamboat passengers who traveled throughout the waterways, especially in the South on the Mississippi River and its tributaries. An estimated 120 persons died of cholera in Sumner County in 1873, mostly during the summer. The disease was spread mainly through contaminated water, due to the lack of sanitation. About four-fifths of the county's victims were African Americans. Many families, both black and white, lost multiple members. In the United States overall, about 50,000 persons died of cholera in the 1870s. On April 17 and 27, 2019, eight bodies were discovered at multiple locations in Sumner County. The sole survivor, left in critical condition, died in 2022 due to major health problems after the injuries. A suspect, identified as Michael Cummins, was arrested for all nine attacks. The case was the worst mass murder in Tennessee in 20 years.


Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (2.5%) is water. Sumner County is located in
Middle Tennessee Middle Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee that composes roughly the central portion of the state. It is delineated according to state law as 41 of the state's 95 counties. Middle Tennessee contains the state's capital an ...
on the state's northern border with
Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...
. The
Cumberland River The Cumberland River is a major waterway of the Southern United States. The U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed June 8, 2011 river drains almost of southern Kentucky and ...
was important in early trade and transportation for this area, as it flows into the
Ohio River The Ohio River () is a river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing in a southwesterly direction from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to its river mouth, mouth on the Mississippi Riv ...
to the west. That leads to the Mississippi River, and downriver to the major port of New Orleans. Sumner County is in the Greater
Nashville Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...
metropolitan area.


Adjacent counties

* Davidson County (southwest) * Macon County (east) * Robertson County (west) * Trousdale County (southeast) * Wilson County (south) * Allen County, Kentucky (northeast) *
Simpson County, Kentucky Simpson County is a county located in the south central portion of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the total population was 19,594. Its county seat is Franklin. History Simpson County was established in 1819 from Allen, L ...
(northwest)


State protected areas

* Bledsoe Creek State Park * Cragfont State Historic Site * Gallatin Steam Plant Wildlife Management Area * Old Hickory Lock and Dam Wildlife Management Area (part) * Rock Castle State Historic Site * Taylor Hollow State Natural Area * Wynnewood State Historic Site


Highways

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


Demographics


2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 196,281 people, 70,098 households, and 51,272 families residing in the county.


2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 160,645 people, 60,975 households, and 44,593 families living in the county. The population density was . The housing unit density was . The racial makeup of the county was 89.67%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 6.42%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 1.02% Asian, 0.29% Native American, 0.07%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, and 1.45% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origins constituted 3.93% of the population. Out of all of the households, 26.08% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 57.05% were married couples, 4.37% had a male householder with no wife present, 11.72% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.87% were non-families. 22.07% of all householders were made up of individuals, and 8.29% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.05. The age distribution was 25.29% under the age of 18, 62.10% ages 18 to 64, and 12.61% ages 65 and over. The median age was 38.6 years. 51.20% of the population were females, and 48.80% were males. The
median household income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways of und ...
in the county was $54,916, and the median family income was $65,313. Males had a median income of $46,606, versus $35,256 for females. The per capita income was $26,014. About 7.3% of families and 10.1% 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 13.9% of those under the age of 18 and 9.4% of those age 65 and over.


2000 census

At the 2000 census there were 130,449 people, 48,941 households, and 37,048 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 51,657 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 91.49% White, 5.78% Black or African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.66% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.80% from other races, and 0.96% from two or more races. 1.76% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. In 2000 Of the 48,941 households 36.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.10% were married couples living together, 10.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.30% were non-families. 20.30% of households were one person and 7.20% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.04. The age distribution was 26.30% under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 30.70% from 25 to 44, 24.30% from 45 to 64, and 10.70% 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.30 males. The median household income was $46,030 and the median family income was $52,125. Males had a median income of $36,875 versus $25,720 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,164. About 6.20% of families and 8.10% 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 10.50% of those under age 18 and 10.00% of those age 65 or over.


Government and politics


Government

In 2023, the Sumner County Commission had a majority of pro-religious politicians. A member of a more moderate right wing faction, Baker Ring, stated of the largest faction in government: "They're opposed to government. But now they are the government."


Politics

Though part of historically Democratic
Middle Tennessee Middle Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee that composes roughly the central portion of the state. It is delineated according to state law as 41 of the state's 95 counties. Middle Tennessee contains the state's capital an ...
, Sumner County was one of the first counties in the region to switch to the Republican Party. It has voted for the GOP solidly in every election back to 1984, with the sole exception being
Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...
's victory in the county in 1992.


Education


Public schools

Schools in the county are governed by the Sumner County Board of Education. The twelve-member group consists of eleven elected representatives from each of the eleven educational districts in the county, as well as the Director of Schools. The members serve staggered four-year terms; the Director serves under contract with the Board of Education. The board conducts monthly meetings that are open to the public.


Private schools

* Saint John Vianney Catholic Elementary School (K–8) * Sumner Academy (K–8) * John Paul II High School * Aaron Academy (K-12) * Hendersonville Christian Academy (PK-12) * Restoring Hope Christian Academy (PK-12)


Colleges

*
Volunteer State Community College Volunteer State Community College (Vol State) is a public community college in Gallatin, Tennessee. It is part of the Tennessee Board of Regents. Vol State serves the suburban Nashville community. The main campus of the college is 30 miles (48 ...
* Union University (Hendersonville Campus) * Welch College


Communities


Cities

* Gallatin (county seat) * Goodlettsville (partly in Davidson County) * Hendersonville * Millersville (partly in Robertson County) * Mitchellville * Portland (partly in Robertson County) *
White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...
(small part in Robertson County)


Town

* Westmoreland


Census-designated places

* Bethpage * Bransford * Castalian Springs * Cottontown * Fairfield * Graball *
New Deal The New Deal was a series of wide-reaching economic, social, and political reforms enacted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the United States between 1933 and 1938, in response to the Great Depression in the United States, Great Depressi ...
* Oak Grove * Shackle Island * Walnut Grove


Unincorporated communities

* Bon Air * Brackentown *
Cairo Cairo ( ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, L ...
*
Corinth Corinth ( ; , ) is a municipality in Corinthia in Greece. The successor to the ancient Corinth, ancient city of Corinth, it is a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese (region), Peloponnese, which is located in south-central Greece. Sin ...


Notable people

Submarine innovator Horace Lawson Hunley was born in Sumner County on June 20, 1823. On October 15, 1863, Hunley, along with seven other crewmen, drowned while making a test dive in
Charleston Harbor The Charleston Harbor is an inlet (8 sq mi/20.7 km2) of the Atlantic Ocean at Charleston, South Carolina. The inlet is formed by the junction of Ashley River (South Carolina), Ashley and Cooper River (South Carolina), Cooper rivers at . Morr ...
near Fort Pinckney. Following his death, the submarine, unofficially known as the "Fish Boat," was renamed the '' H.L. Hunley'' in his honor. On the night of February 17, 1864, the Hunley sank the , making it the first submarine to sink an enemy vessel.
Watergate The Watergate scandal was a major political scandal in the United States involving the administration of President Richard Nixon. The scandal began in 1972 and ultimately led to Nixon's resignation in 1974, in August of that year. It revol ...
prosecutor and criminal defense trial lawyer
James F. Neal James Foster Neal (September 7, 1928 – October 21, 2010) was an American trial lawyer who was best known for prosecuting organized labor, labor leader Jimmy Hoffa and later top Nixon administration officials in connection with the Watergate scand ...
was born and raised in Oak Grove and graduated from Sumner High School in Portland in 1947. R&B National Recording Artist Nacole Rice was born in Sumner County.Biography
Nacole Rice official site; retrieved April 7, 2013.
Newspaper editor Lafayette Washington Groves was born here other people include Jonathan Browning, a gun smith


See also

* National Register of Historic Places listings in Sumner County, Tennessee


References


Further reading

*


External links


Official site

Sumner County Schools

TNGenWeb

Tennessee Central Economic Alliance for Sumner County
{{Coord, 36.47, -86.46, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-TN_source:UScensus1990 1786 establishments in North Carolina Nashville metropolitan area Populated places established in 1786 Middle Tennessee