Putnam County, Tennessee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Putnam County
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Putnam County Courthouse
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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 | February 11, 1854 | |
| Named for | Israel Putnam | |
| Seat | Cookeville | |
| Largest city | Cookeville | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 403 sq mi (1,040 km2) | |
| • Land | 401 sq mi (1,040 km2) | |
| • Water | 1.5 sq mi (4 km2) 0.4%% | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 79,854 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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83,844  |
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| • Density | 198.15/sq mi (76.51/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) | |
| ZIP Codes |
38501, 38502, 38503, 38505, 38506, 38544, 38545, 38548, 39574, 38582
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| Area code | 931 | |
| Congressional district | 6th | |
Putnam County is a place in the state of Tennessee, USA. It's like a big neighborhood or district. In 2020, about 79,854 people lived here. The main town and center of the county is Cookeville. Putnam County is also part of the larger Cookeville area, which includes nearby towns.
Contents
History of Putnam County
Putnam County is named after Israel Putnam. He was a brave hero in the French and Indian War and a general in the American Revolutionary War. The county was first created on February 2, 1842. This happened when the Tennessee government made a law to form the county. It was made from parts of Jackson, Overton, Fentress, and White counties.
After a survey was done, officials were told to find a spot for the county seat. This main town was to be called "Monticello." However, some nearby counties argued that forming Putnam County was against the rules. They said it made their own areas too small. So, a court stopped Putnam County from continuing. In 1845, a judge said Putnam County was not legally set up and should be dissolved.
But in 1854, a new law was passed to bring Putnam County back. A new survey showed there was enough land this time. White Plains, near today's Algood, was the temporary county seat.
The law said the main county town should be named "Cookeville." This was to honor Richard F. Cooke. He was a state senator from 1851 to 1854. He represented many counties in the area. The first County Court chose a hilly piece of land owned by Charles Crook for the courthouse.
Putnam County was also a place where people mined for "saltpeter." Saltpeter is a key ingredient used to make gunpowder. People got it by digging up earth from local caves and processing it. Calfkiller Saltpeter Cave and Johnson Cave were big mining spots. Both caves still have signs of this old mining work. Other smaller caves in the county also had mining. Most saltpeter mining in Middle Tennessee happened during the War of 1812 and the Civil War.
Geography of Putnam County
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Putnam County covers about 403 square miles in total. Most of this, about 401 square miles, is land. Only a small part, about 1.5 square miles, is water.
The county is part of the larger Cumberland River area. Water from the southern part of the county flows into the Caney Fork river. Water from the northeastern part flows into the Obey River. The north-central and northwestern parts of the county drain into Cordell Hull Lake, which is part of the Cumberland River. Two rivers that flow into the Caney Fork, the Falling Water River and the Calfkiller River, start near Monterey in the eastern part of the county.
Neighboring Counties
- Overton County (to the northeast)
- Fentress County (to the northeast)
- Cumberland County (to the east)
- White County (to the south)
- DeKalb County (to the southwest)
- Smith County (to the west)
- Jackson County (to the northwest)
Protected Natural Areas
- Burgess Falls State Natural Area (part of it)
- Burgess Falls State Park (part of it)
People of Putnam County (Demographics)
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 8,558 | — | |
| 1870 | 8,698 | 1.6% | |
| 1880 | 11,501 | 32.2% | |
| 1890 | 13,683 | 19.0% | |
| 1900 | 16,890 | 23.4% | |
| 1910 | 20,023 | 18.5% | |
| 1920 | 22,231 | 11.0% | |
| 1930 | 23,759 | 6.9% | |
| 1940 | 26,250 | 10.5% | |
| 1950 | 29,869 | 13.8% | |
| 1960 | 29,236 | −2.1% | |
| 1970 | 35,487 | 21.4% | |
| 1980 | 47,690 | 34.4% | |
| 1990 | 51,373 | 7.7% | |
| 2000 | 62,315 | 21.3% | |
| 2010 | 72,321 | 16.1% | |
| 2020 | 79,854 | 10.4% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 83,844 | 15.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2014 |
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2020 Census Information
In 2020, there were 79,854 people living in Putnam County. There were 31,778 households, which are groups of people living together. Also, there were 19,395 families.
| Race | Number | Percentage |
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| White (not Hispanic) | 66,782 | 83.63% |
| Black or African American (not Hispanic) | 2,161 | 2.71% |
| Native American | 161 | 0.2% |
| Asian | 1,086 | 1.36% |
| Pacific Islander | 33 | 0.04% |
| Other/Mixed | 3,375 | 4.23% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 6,256 | 7.83% |
2010 Census Information
In 2010, the county had 72,321 people. About 92% of the people were White. About 2% were Black or African American. About 5.3% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.
The average age of people in the county was 34 years old. About 22.3% of the population was under 18 years old.
Education in Putnam County
Cookeville, the biggest town in Putnam County, is home to Tennessee Technological University. This university is well-known for its teaching programs and its strong engineering programs. It also has successful business graduates and creative arts and sciences programs. The College of Education is the largest college at Tennessee Tech. About 11,800 students attend the university. This means students make up about a fourth of Cookeville's population.
The Putnam County school system has about 12,000 students. They attend 18 different schools across the county. All the schools are officially recognized for their quality. Cookeville High School is the largest high school in the state outside of big cities. It is also one of only eight high schools in Tennessee that offers the International Baccalaureate program. This program is a special, challenging course of study for high school students.
Communities in Putnam County
Cities
- Algood
- Cookeville (This is the county seat, the main town for county government.)
Towns
Unincorporated Communities
These are smaller places that are not officially cities or towns.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Putnam (Tennessee) para niños
