Pikeville, Tennessee facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pikeville, Tennessee
City
Water tower in Pikeville
Location of Pikeville within Bledsoe County, Tennessee
Country	United States
State	Tennessee
County	Bledsoe
Established	1816
Incorporated	1830
Area
• Total	2.443 sq mi (6.326 km2)
• Land	2.443 sq mi (6.326 km2)
• Water	0.000 sq mi (0.000 km2)
Elevation	860 ft (262 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,824
• Estimate  (2023)	1,880
• Density	769.74/sq mi (297.19/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Code	37367
Area code(s)	423
FIPS code	47-58120
GNIS feature ID	1297464
Sales tax	7.0%

Pikeville is a city in and the county seat of Bledsoe County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,824 at the 2020 census.

History

The Sequatchie River valley was part of Cherokee lands until 1805, when the Cherokee ceded it to the U.S. as part of the Treaty of Tellico. By the late 18th century, the valley had been identified by hunters, one of whom, Anthony Bledsoe (1739-1788), became the county's namesake. Bledsoe County was formed in 1807, with the town of Madison as its county seat.

Carl Mydans photo showing local residents "spelling" themselves in front of a Pikeville store in 1936

Pikeville was established in 1816 on lands purchased from Charles Love a land speculator from Virginia. The origin of the town's name is unknown, although some have suggested that it was named for explorer General Zebulon Pike. By 1818, the Bledsoe County seat had been moved from Madison to Pikeville. The town was incorporated in 1830.

J.V. Wigle (1890–1970), a combustion engineer from Michigan and laboratory assistant at Eastern Michigan University, met a local woman, Mattie Lawson, and settled down in Pikeville. He first brought electricity to town when he electrified the house where he lived near the corner of Poplar and Wiegle streets (Wiegle Street, named after J.V. Wigle, is misspelled). In addition to bringing electricity to Pikeville, Wigle bottled Coca-Cola and made wrought iron railings in the community. He was granted two U.S. patents in 1931 (1,798,289 & 1,814,535) for a coin selecting device and a braking mechanism. His two sons attended the engineering school at Vanderbilt University. His son Tom (1933–2006) helped build U.S. Route 127 heading north out of town as it rises up the mountain near the county line, during a summer job between semesters at Vanderbilt. Wigle is buried with his wife in Pikeville City Cemetery in the family plot, along with Tom Wigle.

Geography

Courthouse Square in Pikeville

Pikeville is located at 35°36′20.24″N 85°11′19.86″W / 35.6056222°N 85.1888500°W / 35.6056222; -85.1888500 (35.6056232, -85.1888499). The city is situated in the northern half of the Sequatchie Valley, a deep, narrow, and fertile valley that presents as a large rupture in the southern Cumberland Plateau. The walls of the plateau, namely Walden Ridge and Little Mountain, rise prominently to the east and west, respectively. The Sequatchie River passes through the eastern section of Pikeville.

The primary highway running through Pikeville is U.S. Route 127, which connects the city to Crossville atop the plateau to the north and Dunlap to the south. In Pikeville, US-127 splits, with the main route running along Main Street through the city's business district and courthouse square, and a bypass running through a newer commercial area in the western part of the city. State Route 30, which connects Pikeville with Spencer and the Fall Creek Falls State Park area atop the plateau to the west and Dayton across the plateau to the east, runs congruent with US-127 through most of the city.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 12.118 square miles (31.39 km²), all land.

Climate

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 1,824 people, 704 households, and 434 families residing in the city. The population density was 746.6 inhabitants per square mile (288.3/km²). There were 808 housing units. The racial makeup of the city was 92.1% White, 2.2% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 0.6% from some other races and 4.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 2.36% of the population.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 1,608 people, 665 households, and 403 families residing in the city. The population density was 659.0 inhabitants per square mile (254.4/km²). There were 797 housing units at an average density of 326.6 inhabitants per square mile (126.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.6% White, 2.8% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.0% from some other races and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 3.6% of the population.

Historic buildings

• John Bridgeman House- Historical landmark in downtown Pikeville
• Bellview School- Rural schoolhouse built in 1928; now used as a community center
• Bledsoe County Court House
• Lincoln School- A Rosenwald school built in the 1920s
• Pikeville Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church- Originally a Freedmen's Bureau school built in 1870; converted to AME Zion church in 1888
• Dr. James A. Ross House- Home and office of Dr. James Ross, built c. 1872; now home to the Museum of Bledsoe County History

Notable people

• Josiah M. Anderson, born near Pikeville, United States Congressman
• Ramona Barnes (1938-2003), Alaska state legislator, was born in Pikeville.
• James B. Frazier, Governor of Tennessee (1903–1905) and U.S. Senator
• Theron Hale, Grand Ole Opry fiddler, born in Pikeville in 1883.
• Jeanelle C. Moore, First Lady of North Carolina
• John A. Murrell (1806?-1844), bandit, known for the Mystic Clan or Mystic Confederacy and Murrell Insurrection Conspiracy
• James G. Spears, Civil War general

See also

In Spanish: Pikeville (Tennessee) para niños