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Coordinates: 35°27′N 84°15′W / 35.45°N 84.25°W / 35.45; -84.25
| Monroe County, Tennessee | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of Tennessee |
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 Tennessee's location in the U.S. |
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| Statistics | |
| Founded | November 13, 1819 |
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| Seat | Madisonville |
| Largest City | Sweetwater |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
653 sq mi (1,691 km²) 636 sq mi (1,647 km²) 17 sq mi (44 km²), 2.6% |
| PopulationEst. - (2015) - Density |
45,771 70/sq mi (27/km²) |
| Time zone | Eastern: UTC-5/-4 |
| Website: www.monroegovernment.org | |
| Named for: James Monroe | |
Monroe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2010 census, the population was 44,519. Its county seat is Madisonville.
During the 18th century, towns and villages of the Overhill Cherokee were scattered along the Little Tennessee River and Tellico River throughout Monroe County. These included Chota, Tanasi (the name source of "Tennessee") and Great Tellico, which at various times were Cherokee principal towns, as well as Citico, Toqua, Tomotley, Mialoquo, Chilhowee and Tallassee. Archaeological excavations at the Citico site suggest the area was inhabited for thousands of years before the arrival of European settlers. Artifacts uncovered from the Icehouse Bottom site near Vonore date to as early as 7500 B.C., during the Archaic period.
Fort Loudoun was built by the British in 1756 as part of an agreement with the Cherokee. After relations soured between the British and Cherokee in 1760, the Cherokee laid siege to the fort, and killed most of its garrison.
Monroe County was established in 1819 after the signing of the Calhoun Treaty, in which the Cherokee relinquished claims to lands stretching from the Little Tennessee River south to the Hiwassee River. The county was named for President James Monroe.
Some of the state's first gold mines were located in Monroe County. Placer mining took place on Coker Creek (near Tellico Plains) in the early 1830s.
Monroe County was one of the few East Tennessee counties to support secession at the outbreak of the Civil War. On June 8, 1861, the county voted in favor of Tennessee's Ordinance of Secession by a margin of 1,096 to 774.
In the early 20th century, the Babcock Lumber Company conducted extensive logging operations in the Tellico Plains area. During the same period, the Aluminum Company of America began building a string of dams along the Little Tennessee, among them Calderwood, Santeetlah and Cheoah, to power its aluminum smelting operations in nearby Alcoa. The construction of Tellico Dam by the Tennessee Valley Authority in the 1970s, although staunchly opposed by many Monroe Countians, provided a number of new economic and recreational opportunities.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 653 square miles (1,690 km2), of which 636 square miles (1,650 km2) is land and 17 square miles (44 km2) (2.6%) is water. The Unicoi Mountains, part of the greater Blue Ridge chain, dominate the southeastern part of the county. The crest of this range marks Monroe's boundaries with the North Carolina counties, Graham and Cherokee.
The Little Tennessee River flows along Monroe County's border with Blount County to the northeast. Three artificial lakes— Tellico Lake, Chilhowee Lake and Calderwood Lake— occupy this section of the river. The Tellico River, a tributary of the Little Tennessee, drains much of the southwestern part of the county. The Bald River, noted for the scenic Bald River Falls, is a tributary of the Tellico River. Sweetwater Creek, a tributary of the Tennessee River, drains a portion of northern Monroe County.
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1820 | 2,529 | — | |
| 1830 | 13,708 | 442.0% | |
| 1840 | 12,056 | −12.1% | |
| 1850 | 11,874 | −1.5% | |
| 1860 | 12,607 | 6.2% | |
| 1870 | 12,589 | −0.1% | |
| 1880 | 14,283 | 13.5% | |
| 1890 | 15,329 | 7.3% | |
| 1900 | 18,585 | 21.2% | |
| 1910 | 20,716 | 11.5% | |
| 1920 | 22,060 | 6.5% | |
| 1930 | 21,377 | −3.1% | |
| 1940 | 24,275 | 13.6% | |
| 1950 | 24,513 | 1.0% | |
| 1960 | 23,316 | −4.9% | |
| 1970 | 23,475 | 0.7% | |
| 1980 | 28,700 | 22.3% | |
| 1990 | 30,541 | 6.4% | |
| 2000 | 38,961 | 27.6% | |
| 2010 | 44,519 | 14.3% | |
| Est. 2015 | 45,771 | 2.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2014 |
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As of the census of 2000, there were 38,961 people, 15,329 households, and 11,236 families residing in the county. The population density was 61 people per square mile (24/km²). There were 17,287 housing units at an average density of 27 per square mile (11/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.87% White, 2.27% Black or African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.86% from other races, and 1.26% from two or more races. 1.76% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 15,329 households out of which 32.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.40% were married couples living together, 10.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.70% were non-families. 23.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the county, the population was spread out with 24.70% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 28.60% from 25 to 44, 24.80% from 45 to 64, and 13.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 97.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,337, and the median income for a family was $34,902. Males had a median income of $29,621 versus $21,064 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,951. 15.50% of the population and 12.00% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 19.40% of those under the age of 18 and 17.70% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
A portion of the county is included in the Cherokee National Forest. The Monroe section of the forest includes two federally designated wilderness areas— Citico Creek and Bald River Gorge. The Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest is located just across the North Carolina border to the east. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is located just across the Blount County border to the northeast.
The Cherohala Skyway, a national scenic byway, connects Tellico Plains with Robbinsville, North Carolina. Crossing the Unicoi Mountains, the road peaks at an elevation of over 5,000 feet.
Fort Loudoun State Park is located near Vonore, and includes a replica of the 18th-century colonial Fort Loudoun. The Tellico Blockhouse site lies opposite the river from Fort Loudoun, and includes a layout of the 1790s-era blockhouse (marked by stones and posts). The Sequoyah Museum, dedicated to the Cherokee scholar, is located near Fort Loudoun.
The Lost Sea is a commercial cave located 7 miles southeast of Sweetwater in Monroe County. The underground lake for which it is named is the largest in North America. The cave tour features a ride on the lake in boats with electric motors. The lake was discovered by Ben Sands in 1905 when he was only 13 years old. In 1940, the skeletons and footprints of two Pleistocene jaguars (Panthera onca augusta) were discovered in the cave. They were excavated by George Gaylord Simpson of the American Museum.
The Monroe County Airport is a county-owned, public-use airport located two nautical miles (3.7 km) northwest of the central business district of Madisonville.
