Putnam County, Tennessee
Encyclopedia
Putnam County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Tennessee
. As of 2000, the population was 62,315, a 21 percent increase from 1990. The 2010 Census population was 72,321, an increase of 16.1% since 2000. Its county seat
is Cookeville
.
Putnam County is part of the Cookeville, Tennessee, Micropolitan Statistical Area
.
After its original formation in 1842 was declared unconstitutional, Putnam County was firmly established 11 February 1854 when Richard Fielding Cooke's bill, with amendments, cleared the Tennessee House. Putnam County was again a reality. The name is in honor of Israel Putnam.
, the county has a total area of 403 square miles (1,043.8 km²), of which 401 square miles (1,038.6 km²) is land and 2 square miles (5.2 km²) (0.37%) is water.
of 2010, there were 72,321 people, 28,930 households, and 18,489 families residing in the county. The population density
was 181 people per square mile (70/km²). There were 31,882 housing units at an average density of 80 per square mile (31/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 92.0% White
, 2.0% Black
or African American
, 0.4% Native American
, 1.2% Asian
, 0.1% Pacific Islander
, 2.8% from other races
, and 1.5% from two or more races. 5.3% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 28,930 households out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.70% were married couples
living together, 9.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.00% were non-families. 27.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the county, the population was spread out with 22.30% under the age of 18, 14.70% from 18 to 24, 27.90% from 25 to 44, 21.90% from 45 to 64, and 13.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 98.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $33,092, and the median income for a family was $39,553. Males had a median income of $29,243 versus $21,001 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $18,892. About 10.30% of families and 16.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.90% of those under age 18 and 16.10% of those age 65 or over.
, who was a hero in the French and Indian War
and a general in the American Revolutionary War
.
Putnam County was first established on 2 February 1842 when the Twenty-fourth Tennessee General Assembly
enacted a measure creating Putnam County from portions of Jackson, Overton, Fentress, and White Counties. Isaac Buck, Burton Marchbanks, Henry L. McDaniel, Lawson Clark, Carr Terry, Richard F. Cooke, H. D. Marchbanks, Craven Maddox, and Elijah Con, all of Jackson County, were named by the Act to superintend the surveying of the new county.
Surveying was done by Mounce Gore, also of Jackson County, and the Assembly instructed them to locate the county seat, to be called "Monticello," near the center of the county. However contending that the formation of Putnam was illegal because it reduced their areas below constitutional limits, Overton and Jackson counties secured an injunction against its continued operation. Putnam officials failed to reply to the complaint, and in the March, 1845 term of the Chancery Court at Livingston, Chancellor Bromfield L. Ridley declared Putnam unconstitutionally established and therefore dissolved. The 1854 act reestablishing Putnam was passed after Representative Henderson M. Clements of Jackson County assured his colleagues that a new survey showed that there was sufficient area to form the county. White Plains, near modern Algood, acted as a temporary county seat.
The act specified the "county town" be named "Cookeville" in honor of Richard F. Cooke, who served in the Tennessee Senate from 1851–1854, representing at various times Jackson, Fentress, Macon, Overton and White Counties. The act authorized Joshua R. Stone and Green Baker from White County, William Davis and Isaiah Warton from Overton County, John Brown and Austin Morgan from Jackson County, William B. Stokes and Bird S. Rhea from DeKalb County, and Benjamin A. Vaden and Nathan Ward from Smith County to study the Conner survey and select a spot, not more than two and one-half miles from the center of the county, for the courthouse. The first County Court chose a hilly tract of land then owned by Charles Crook for the site.
Putnam County was the site of several saltpeter mines. Saltpeter is the main ingredient of gunpowder and was obtained by leaching the earth from several local caves. Calfkiller Saltpeter Cave, located in the Calfkiller Valley, was a major mining operation as was Johnson Cave, which is also located in the Calfkiller Valley. Both caves still contain significant remnants of the mining activity. Several other caves in the county were the site of smaller operations. Most saltpeter mining in Middle Tennessee occurred during the War of 1812 and the Civil War. (Thomas C. Barr, Jr., "Caves of Tennessee", Bulletin 64 of the Tennessee Division of Geology, 1961, 568 pages.)
Cookeville, the largest town in Putnam County, is the home of Tennessee Technological University
, which is known for its engineering programs, its school of education, its business school and its center for rural health. The largest college at Tennessee Tech is its College of Arts and Sciences. The university student population of 11,800 comprises a third of the resident population of Cookeville.
The Putnam County school system http://www.putnamcountyschools.com enrolls 11,000 students in 18 schools spread throughout the county. All its schools are accredited. The largest, Cookeville High School
http://www.cookevillecavaliers.com, is the largest non-metropolitan school in the state and is one of only eight high schools in the state to offer the International Baccalaureate program.
sings a song about life in Putnam County on the 1975 album, "Nighthawks at the Diner".
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. As of 2000, the population was 62,315, a 21 percent increase from 1990. The 2010 Census population was 72,321, an increase of 16.1% since 2000. Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Cookeville
Cookeville, Tennessee
Cookeville is a city in Putnam County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 23,923 at the 2000 census. of Cookeville's population was 30,435, and the combined total of those living in Cookeville's in 2010 was 65,014. It is the county seat of Putnam County and home to Tennessee...
.
Putnam County is part of the Cookeville, Tennessee, Micropolitan Statistical Area
Cookeville micropolitan area
The Cookeville Micropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of three counties in central Tennessee, anchored by the city of Cookeville....
.
After its original formation in 1842 was declared unconstitutional, Putnam County was firmly established 11 February 1854 when Richard Fielding Cooke's bill, with amendments, cleared the Tennessee House. Putnam County was again a reality. The name is in honor of Israel Putnam.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the county has a total area of 403 square miles (1,043.8 km²), of which 401 square miles (1,038.6 km²) is land and 2 square miles (5.2 km²) (0.37%) is water.
Adjacent counties
- Overton County (northeast)
- Fentress County (northeast)
- Cumberland County (east)
- White CountyWhite County, TennesseeWhite County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2000, the population was 23,102. Its county seat is Sparta.-History:...
(south) - DeKalb County (southwest)
- Smith County (west)
- Jackson County (northwest)
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2010, there were 72,321 people, 28,930 households, and 18,489 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 181 people per square mile (70/km²). There were 31,882 housing units at an average density of 80 per square mile (31/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 92.0% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 2.0% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.4% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.2% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.1% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 2.8% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.5% from two or more races. 5.3% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.00% were non-families. 27.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the county, the population was spread out with 22.30% under the age of 18, 14.70% from 18 to 24, 27.90% from 25 to 44, 21.90% from 45 to 64, and 13.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 98.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $33,092, and the median income for a family was $39,553. Males had a median income of $29,243 versus $21,001 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $18,892. About 10.30% of families and 16.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.90% of those under age 18 and 16.10% of those age 65 or over.
History
Putnam County is named in honor of Israel PutnamIsrael Putnam
Israel Putnam was an American army general and Freemason who fought with distinction at the Battle of Bunker Hill during the American Revolutionary War...
, who was a hero in the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
and a general in the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
.
Putnam County was first established on 2 February 1842 when the Twenty-fourth Tennessee General Assembly
Tennessee General Assembly
The Tennessee General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee.-Constitutional structure:According to the Tennessee State Constitution of 1870, the General Assembly is a bicameral legislature and consists of a Senate of thirty-three members and a House of Representatives of...
enacted a measure creating Putnam County from portions of Jackson, Overton, Fentress, and White Counties. Isaac Buck, Burton Marchbanks, Henry L. McDaniel, Lawson Clark, Carr Terry, Richard F. Cooke, H. D. Marchbanks, Craven Maddox, and Elijah Con, all of Jackson County, were named by the Act to superintend the surveying of the new county.
Surveying was done by Mounce Gore, also of Jackson County, and the Assembly instructed them to locate the county seat, to be called "Monticello," near the center of the county. However contending that the formation of Putnam was illegal because it reduced their areas below constitutional limits, Overton and Jackson counties secured an injunction against its continued operation. Putnam officials failed to reply to the complaint, and in the March, 1845 term of the Chancery Court at Livingston, Chancellor Bromfield L. Ridley declared Putnam unconstitutionally established and therefore dissolved. The 1854 act reestablishing Putnam was passed after Representative Henderson M. Clements of Jackson County assured his colleagues that a new survey showed that there was sufficient area to form the county. White Plains, near modern Algood, acted as a temporary county seat.
The act specified the "county town" be named "Cookeville" in honor of Richard F. Cooke, who served in the Tennessee Senate from 1851–1854, representing at various times Jackson, Fentress, Macon, Overton and White Counties. The act authorized Joshua R. Stone and Green Baker from White County, William Davis and Isaiah Warton from Overton County, John Brown and Austin Morgan from Jackson County, William B. Stokes and Bird S. Rhea from DeKalb County, and Benjamin A. Vaden and Nathan Ward from Smith County to study the Conner survey and select a spot, not more than two and one-half miles from the center of the county, for the courthouse. The first County Court chose a hilly tract of land then owned by Charles Crook for the site.
Putnam County was the site of several saltpeter mines. Saltpeter is the main ingredient of gunpowder and was obtained by leaching the earth from several local caves. Calfkiller Saltpeter Cave, located in the Calfkiller Valley, was a major mining operation as was Johnson Cave, which is also located in the Calfkiller Valley. Both caves still contain significant remnants of the mining activity. Several other caves in the county were the site of smaller operations. Most saltpeter mining in Middle Tennessee occurred during the War of 1812 and the Civil War. (Thomas C. Barr, Jr., "Caves of Tennessee", Bulletin 64 of the Tennessee Division of Geology, 1961, 568 pages.)
Education
Tennessee Technological University
Tennessee Technological University, popularly known as Tennessee Tech, is an accredited public university located in Cookeville, Tennessee, US, a city approximately seventy miles east of Nashville. It was formerly known as Tennessee Polytechnic Institute , and before that as Dixie College, the...
, which is known for its engineering programs, its school of education, its business school and its center for rural health. The largest college at Tennessee Tech is its College of Arts and Sciences. The university student population of 11,800 comprises a third of the resident population of Cookeville.
The Putnam County school system http://www.putnamcountyschools.com enrolls 11,000 students in 18 schools spread throughout the county. All its schools are accredited. The largest, Cookeville High School
Cookeville High School
Cookeville High School is located in Cookeville, Tennessee, in Putnam County, Tennessee, USA. The head principal of Cookeville High School is Wayne Shanks, while there are several assistant principals for the school . It is the largest non-metropolitan school in the state and is one of the schools...
http://www.cookevillecavaliers.com, is the largest non-metropolitan school in the state and is one of only eight high schools in the state to offer the International Baccalaureate program.
Putnam County ZIP codes and their 2010 populations
- Algood is included in Cookeville's 38506 ZIP code
- Baxter 38544 (6,543)
- Bloomington Springs 38545 (1,474)
- Buffalo Valley 38548 (731)
- Cookeville 38501 (36,687), 38502, 38503, 38505 (1,806), 38506 (26,521)
- Monterey 38574 (8,413)
- Silver Point 38582 (1,426)
- Tennessee Tech University 38505 (1,806 in TTU dorms)
Cities and towns
- AlgoodAlgood, TennesseeAlgood is a town in Putnam County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 2,942 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Cookeville, Tennessee Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
- BaxterBaxter, TennesseeBaxter is a town in Putnam County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,279 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Cookeville, Tennessee Micropolitan Statistical Area.Though this is a small town it had its few minutes of fame when the little family store was featured in "Coal Miner's...
- CookevilleCookeville, TennesseeCookeville is a city in Putnam County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 23,923 at the 2000 census. of Cookeville's population was 30,435, and the combined total of those living in Cookeville's in 2010 was 65,014. It is the county seat of Putnam County and home to Tennessee...
- MontereyMonterey, TennesseeMonterey is a town in Putnam County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 2,717 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Cookeville, Tennessee Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Monterey is located at ....
Unincorporated communities
- Bloomington Springs
- Buffalo Valley
- Silver PointSilver Point, TennesseeSilver Point, Tennessee is an unincorporated rural settlement in Putnam County, Tennessee, scattered around the intersection of State Highway 141, State Highway 56, and Interstate 40, about halfway between Cookeville and Smithville.-Landmarks:...
Popular culture
Tom WaitsTom Waits
Thomas Alan "Tom" Waits is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car."...
sings a song about life in Putnam County on the 1975 album, "Nighthawks at the Diner".