Hawkins County, Tennessee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hawkins County
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The Hawkins County Courthouse in Rogersville, built c. 1836, is the oldest courthouse in Tennessee
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Location within the U.S. state of Tennessee
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 Tennessee's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Tennessee |
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| Founded | 1787 | ||
| Named for | Benjamin Hawkins | ||
| Seat | Rogersville | ||
| Largest city | Church Hill | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 500 sq mi (1,000 km2) | ||
| • Land | 487 sq mi (1,260 km2) | ||
| • Water | 13 sq mi (30 km2) 2.5%% | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 56,721  |
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| • Density | 117/sq mi (45/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | ||
| Congressional district | 1st | ||
Hawkins County is a county located in the state of Tennessee in the United States. In 2020, about 56,721 people lived there. The main town, or county seat, is Rogersville. Hawkins County is part of a larger area known as the "Tri-Cities" region.
Contents
History of Hawkins County
Hawkins County was formed in 1787. It was named after Benjamin Hawkins, who was a U.S. Senator from North Carolina. At that time, Tennessee was part of North Carolina.
A man named William Armstrong received a large piece of land here in the 1780s. He built a place called Stony Point. In 1797, Louis Philippe, a French prince who later became King of France, visited Armstrong's estate.
During the American Civil War, Hawkins County saw some fighting. The Battle of Rogersville happened here on November 6, 1863.
For many years, there were plans to build a large state park called Poor Valley State Park in western Hawkins County. This park was meant to help the area's economy, but the plans stopped in the 1970s.
Geography of Hawkins County
Hawkins County covers a total area of 500 square miles. About 487 square miles of this is land, and 13 square miles (2.5%) is water.
Neighboring Counties
Hawkins County shares borders with several other counties:
- Scott County, Virginia (north)
- Sullivan County (east)
- Washington County (southeast)
- Greene County (south)
- Hamblen County and Grainger County (southwest)
- Hancock County (west)
Protected Areas and Historic Sites
- Kyles Ford Wildlife Management Area (part)
- Bays Mountain Park (part)
- Amis House
People of Hawkins County
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1800 | 6,563 | — | |
| 1810 | 7,643 | 16.5% | |
| 1820 | 10,949 | 43.3% | |
| 1830 | 13,683 | 25.0% | |
| 1840 | 15,035 | 9.9% | |
| 1850 | 13,370 | −11.1% | |
| 1860 | 16,162 | 20.9% | |
| 1870 | 15,837 | −2.0% | |
| 1880 | 20,610 | 30.1% | |
| 1890 | 22,246 | 7.9% | |
| 1900 | 24,267 | 9.1% | |
| 1910 | 23,587 | −2.8% | |
| 1920 | 22,918 | −2.8% | |
| 1930 | 24,117 | 5.2% | |
| 1940 | 28,523 | 18.3% | |
| 1950 | 30,494 | 6.9% | |
| 1960 | 30,468 | −0.1% | |
| 1970 | 33,726 | 10.7% | |
| 1980 | 43,751 | 29.7% | |
| 1990 | 44,565 | 1.9% | |
| 2000 | 53,563 | 20.2% | |
| 2010 | 56,833 | 6.1% | |
| 2020 | 56,721 | −0.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2014 |
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2020 Census Information
In 2020, there were 56,721 people living in Hawkins County. Most people (about 93.13%) identified as White. About 1.18% were Black or African American, and 0.45% were Asian. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up about 1.57% of the population.
2010 Census Information
In 2010, there were 56,833 people in the county. About 96.5% were White, and 1.3% were Black or African American. Many residents shared their family backgrounds, with 47.0% having American ancestry, 9.0% English, 8.0% German, and 7.4% Irish.
Economy of Hawkins County
The economy of Hawkins County relies on several large employers. Here are some of the top employers in the county as of 2018:
| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawkins County Board of Education | 1,100 |
| 2 | BAE Systems Inc. | 850 |
| 3 | AGC Flat Glass North America, Inc. | 550 |
| 4 | Barrette Outdoor Living, Inc. | 500 |
| 5 | Cooper-Standard Automotive | 450 |
| 6 | Hutchinson Sealing Systems | 370 |
| 7 | TRW Automotive | 335 |
| 8 | Walmart (Kingsport) | 300 |
| 9 | Sam Dong, Inc. | 215 |
| 10 | Baldor Electric Company | 207 |
Transportation in Hawkins County
Major Roads
Many important roads pass through Hawkins County:
U.S. Route 11W
U.S. Route 11E
State Route 31
State Route 66
State Route 70, also known as the Trail of the Lonesome Pine
State Route 66
State Route 94- State Route 113
- State Route 344
- State Route 346
- State Route 347
State Route 172 used to go into Hawkins County, but now it ends in Greene County.
Airports
The Hawkins County Airport is a public airport owned by the county. It is located about 7 miles northeast of Rogersville.
Communities in Hawkins County
Hawkins County has several cities, towns, and smaller communities.
Cities
- Church Hill
- Kingsport (partly in Hawkins County)
Towns
- Bean Station (mostly in Grainger County)
- Bulls Gap
- Mount Carmel
- Rogersville (the county seat)
- Surgoinsville
Census-designated place
Unincorporated communities
These are smaller communities that are not officially cities or towns:
Education in Hawkins County
Students in Hawkins County attend schools in several different school districts:
- Hawkins County School District
- Kingsport City School District
- Rogersville City Schools (for elementary students; older students go to Hawkins County schools)
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Hawkins para niños
