Tellico Plains, Tennessee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tellico Plains, Tennessee
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| Town of Tellico Plains | |
Tellico Plains town square
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Location of Tellico Plains in Monroe County, Tennessee.
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 Tellico Plains, Tennessee
Location in Tennessee
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| Country | United States |
| State | Tennessee |
| County | Monroe |
| Incorporated | 1911 |
| Named for | Great Tellico |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.95 sq mi (5.06 km2) |
| • Land | 1.95 sq mi (5.06 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 866 ft (264 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 762 |
| • Density | 390.37/sq mi (150.72/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
37385
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| Area code(s) | 423 |
| FIPS code | 47-73260 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2406725 |
Tellico Plains is a small town located in Monroe County, Tennessee, United States. In 2020, about 762 people lived there. Tellico Plains is surrounded by several smaller communities like Coker Creek, Belltown, and Rafter.
Contents
History of Tellico Plains
The land around the Tellico River has been home to different groups of indigenous peoples for thousands of years. The Muscogee people lived here before moving further south. Later, in the late 1700s, the Cherokee people settled in this area. They had to move here because European settlers were taking their lands to the east and north.
Early Trade and Cherokee Life
From 1795 to 1807, the United States government had a fur trade center here. This was a place where people could trade animal furs.
Tellico Plains is built on the old site of a very important Cherokee town called Great Tellico. This town was a major center for the Overhill Cherokee in the late 1700s. Two important Native American trails met at Great Tellico: the Trading Path and the Warrior Path. These trails connected many different communities far away.
European Settlers and the Civil War
Later, European Americans moved into the area. They started farms, mostly growing food for themselves. In the 1840s, Elisha Johnson, who used to be the mayor of Rochester, New York, bought a large farm here. He built a big house called the Tellico River Mansion. He and his brother Ebenezer Johnson, who was once the mayor of Buffalo, New York, also bought the Tellico Iron and Manufacturing Company. This company made iron.
During the American Civil War, the Confederate army took over the iron works to make weapons. But General William Sherman's Union Army soldiers destroyed the Tellico Iron Works. General Sherman did not punish Elisha Johnson for helping the Confederates because Johnson was from the North and had some Northern sympathies. Johnson then moved back North and died in New York.
Gold Rush and Logging
Nearby, in a place called Coker Creek, there was a small gold rush in the late 1800s. Today, Coker Creek has a fun tourist spot where you can try gold panning. Visitors can rent pans and learn how to look for gold. You can also explore old gold mines in the hills, but they are not in good condition. Some commercial gold mining still happens on private land nearby.
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, a company called the Babcock Lumber Company used Tellico Plains as its main base. They cut down many trees in the Tellico River area. After they finished cutting down most of the trees, they sold their land to the US Forest Service. The Forest Service has been working for many years to help the forests grow back.
Tellico Plains officially became a town in 1911. Its first mayor was Columbus Jenkins.
Modern Attractions
Today, Tellico Plains is home to the Charles Hall Museum. The town is also the starting point for the Trans America Trail. This is a popular route for off-road vehicles that goes all the way to Oregon and the Pacific Ocean.
Geography and Climate
Tellico Plains covers about 1.6 square miles (4.1 square kilometers) of land.
The town is located on the Tellico River. This is where the river flows out of the tall Appalachian Mountains and into the less rugged Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians.
Weather in Tellico Plains
| Climate data for Tellico Plains, Tennessee (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1896–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 83 (28) |
83 (28) |
89 (32) |
91 (33) |
95 (35) |
101 (38) |
105 (41) |
103 (39) |
101 (38) |
98 (37) |
86 (30) |
79 (26) |
105 (41) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 70.6 (21.4) |
74.3 (23.5) |
79.9 (26.6) |
87.0 (30.6) |
89.8 (32.1) |
94.6 (34.8) |
96.4 (35.8) |
96.0 (35.6) |
93.5 (34.2) |
86.8 (30.4) |
78.1 (25.6) |
70.5 (21.4) |
98.1 (36.7) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 50.5 (10.3) |
55.3 (12.9) |
63.9 (17.7) |
73.4 (23.0) |
80.8 (27.1) |
87.2 (30.7) |
90.0 (32.2) |
89.2 (31.8) |
84.3 (29.1) |
73.9 (23.3) |
62.1 (16.7) |
53.7 (12.1) |
72.0 (22.2) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 39.2 (4.0) |
43.2 (6.2) |
50.6 (10.3) |
58.7 (14.8) |
67.5 (19.7) |
75.0 (23.9) |
78.1 (25.6) |
76.9 (24.9) |
70.7 (21.5) |
59.3 (15.2) |
48.4 (9.1) |
42.4 (5.8) |
59.2 (15.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 27.9 (−2.3) |
31.2 (−0.4) |
37.3 (2.9) |
44.0 (6.7) |
54.1 (12.3) |
62.7 (17.1) |
66.2 (19.0) |
64.6 (18.1) |
57.2 (14.0) |
44.7 (7.1) |
34.7 (1.5) |
31.0 (−0.6) |
46.3 (8.0) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 9.0 (−12.8) |
16.1 (−8.8) |
22.0 (−5.6) |
29.6 (−1.3) |
38.5 (3.6) |
52.2 (11.2) |
57.5 (14.2) |
55.7 (13.2) |
44.0 (6.7) |
29.2 (−1.6) |
20.0 (−6.7) |
16.7 (−8.5) |
8.1 (−13.3) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −9 (−23) |
−15 (−26) |
3 (−16) |
19 (−7) |
31 (−1) |
41 (5) |
47 (8) |
51 (11) |
31 (−1) |
22 (−6) |
11 (−12) |
3 (−16) |
−15 (−26) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 4.63 (118) |
4.86 (123) |
4.91 (125) |
4.80 (122) |
4.92 (125) |
4.48 (114) |
5.34 (136) |
4.14 (105) |
4.08 (104) |
3.15 (80) |
4.76 (121) |
5.18 (132) |
55.25 (1,405) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 1.0 (2.5) |
1.3 (3.3) |
0.3 (0.76) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.1 (0.25) |
2.8 (7.06) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 8.7 | 10.3 | 9.4 | 8.6 | 9.6 | 9.9 | 11.6 | 9.5 | 7.0 | 6.3 | 7.5 | 10.0 | 108.4 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 1.7 |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service | |||||||||||||
People of Tellico Plains
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1920 | 1,220 | — | |
| 1930 | 902 | −26.1% | |
| 1940 | 899 | −0.3% | |
| 1950 | 833 | −7.3% | |
| 1960 | 794 | −4.7% | |
| 1970 | 773 | −2.6% | |
| 1980 | 698 | −9.7% | |
| 1990 | 657 | −5.9% | |
| 2000 | 859 | 30.7% | |
| 2010 | 880 | 2.4% | |
| 2020 | 762 | −13.4% | |
| Sources: | |||
In 2000, there were 859 people living in Tellico Plains. There were 393 households, and 227 of them were families. The town had about 550 people per square mile.
About 27.7% of households had children under 18 living with them. About 41.5% were married couples. The average household had 2.19 people, and the average family had 2.92 people.
The population was spread out by age:
- 22.9% were under 18
- 8.5% were 18 to 24
- 26.7% were 25 to 44
- 26.9% were 45 to 64
- 15.0% were 65 or older
The average age in the town was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were about 95 males.
Economy
The economy of Tellico Plains is mainly supported by the Cherohala Skyway and the Cherokee National Forest. These natural attractions bring visitors and jobs to the area.
Notable People
- Bill Ervin (1932-), a racing driver
- Josh Graves (1928-2006), an American bluegrass musician
- Ray Jenkins (1897–1980), a defense attorney
- Ebenezer Johnson (1786–1849), the first Mayor of Buffalo, New York
- Mike Stratton (1941-2020), an American football player
- Harry O. Stratton (1910-1972)
- Jill Wagner (1979-), an actress
- Moytoy of Tellico (1687-1741), a Cherokee leader
Schools in Tellico Plains
Monroe County Schools manages the public schools in the area.
- Tellico Plains High School
- Tellico Plains Junior High School
- Tellico Plains Elementary School
- Monroe County Christian Academy
Some areas outside of Tellico Plains that use a Tellico Plains mailing address are served by:
- Rural Vale Elementary School
- Coker Creek Elementary School, in Coker Creek
See also
In Spanish: Tellico Plains (Tennessee) para niños
