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Dyer County, Tennessee facts for kids

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Dyer County
Dyer County Courthouse in Dyersburg in 2022
Dyer County Courthouse in Dyersburg in 2022
Map of Tennessee highlighting Dyer County
Location within the U.S. state of Tennessee
Map of the United States highlighting Tennessee
Tennessee's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Tennessee
Founded 1823
Named for Robert Henry Dyer, state legislator
Seat Dyersburg
Largest city Dyersburg
Area
 • Total 527 sq mi (1,360 km2)
 • Land 512 sq mi (1,330 km2)
 • Water 14 sq mi (40 km2)  2.7%%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 36,801 Decrease
 • Density 75/sq mi (29/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 8th

Dyer County is a county located in the westernmost part of the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 36,801. The county seat is Dyersburg. Dyer County comprises the Dyersburg, TN Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Dyer County was founded by a Private Act of Tennessee, passed on October 16, 1823. The area was part of the territory in Tennessee that was previously legally occupied by Chickasaw Native American people ("Indian Lands").

The county was named for Robert Henry Dyer (circa 1774—1826). Dyer had been an army officer in the Creek War and War of 1812, and a cavalry colonel in the First Seminole War of 1818 before becoming a state senator. He was instrumental in the formation of the counties of Dyer and Madison County, Tennessee.

On April 2, 2006 a severe weather system passed through Dyer County, producing tornadoes that killed 16 in the county and 24 in Tennessee.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 527 square miles (1,360 km2), of which 512 square miles (1,330 km2) is land and 14 square miles (36 km2) (2.7%) is water.

The county is drained by the Mississippi River, which forms its western boundary. It is in the part of Tennessee called the "Mississippi bottomland".

Dyer County is bisected by U.S. Route 51, the older major highway connecting Memphis with Chicago from south to north. When upgraded to interstate standards, this road will become Interstate 69. To the west, Dyer County is connected to Missouri by Interstate 155 over the Mississippi River, providing the only highway connection, other than those at Memphis, between Tennessee and the states to the west of the river.

Adjacent counties

State protected areas

  • Bogota Wildlife Management Area
  • Moss Island Wildlife Management Area
  • Ernest Rice Wildlife Management Area
  • Thorny Cypress Wildlife Management Area
  • Tigrett Wildlife Management Area (part)
  • Tumbleweed Wildlife Management Area (part)
  • White Lake Refuge

Major Highways

  • I-155
  • US 51
  • US 412
  • SR 78
  • SR 104
  • SR 210
  • SR 211

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1830 1,904
1840 4,484 135.5%
1850 6,361 41.9%
1860 10,536 65.6%
1870 13,706 30.1%
1880 15,118 10.3%
1890 19,878 31.5%
1900 23,776 19.6%
1910 27,721 16.6%
1920 29,983 8.2%
1930 31,405 4.7%
1940 34,920 11.2%
1950 33,473 −4.1%
1960 29,537 −11.8%
1970 30,427 3.0%
1980 34,663 13.9%
1990 34,854 0.6%
2000 37,279 7.0%
2010 38,335 2.8%
2020 36,801 −4.0%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960 1900–1990
1990–2000 2010–2014
USA Dyer County, Tennessee.csv age pyramid
Age pyramid Dyer County

2020 census

Dyer County racial composition
Race Num. Perc.
White (non-Hispanic) 28,272 76.82%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 5,335 14.5%
Native American 81 0.22%
Asian 213 0.58%
Pacific Islander 11 0.03%
Other/Mixed 1,586 4.31%
Hispanic or Latino 1,303 3.54%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 36,801 people, 15,120 households, and 10,566 families residing in the county.

Education

  • Dyersburg State Community College - established 1969.
  • Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Northwest - located in Newbern, established 1965.

Media

Newspapers

State Gazette – 3 days/week (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday); general news. The paper has served Dyersburg and Northwest Tennessee since 1865.

Communities

City

Dyersburg (county seat)

  • Bruce
  • Edinburgh
  • Gardner Heights
  • Lakewood
  • Lattawoods
  • Milltown
  • Pioneer
  • Southtown
  • The Farms
  • Twin Oaks
  • Pill Hill

Towns

Newbern

  • Crowne Point
  • Flower Valley
  • Oakview

Unincorporated communities

Civil Districts from 1920 Census

  • District 1 - Tigrett
  • District 2 - Bonicord
  • District 3 - Bruceville
  • District 4 - Dyersburg
  • District 5 - Hurricane Hill, Millsfield, Nauvoo
  • District 6 - Newbern
  • District 7 - RoEllen
  • District 8 - Tatumville
  • District 9 - Churchton, Edgewood, Templeton
  • District 10 - Finley, Richwood
  • District 11 - Chic, Midway
  • District 12 - Fowlkes
  • District 13 - Unionville
  • District 14 - Rushsbough, Tigertail
  • District 15 - Trimble
  • District 16 - Bogota, Miston
  • District 17 - Lenox
  • District 18 - Tannemo
  • District 19 - Booths Point, Heloise
  • District 20 - Lane

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Dyer para niños

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