Weakley County, Tennessee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Weakley County
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Weakley County Courthouse in Dresden
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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 | October 21, 1823 | |
| Named for | Robert Weakley | |
| Seat | Dresden | |
| Largest city | Martin | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 582 sq mi (1,510 km2) | |
| • Land | 580 sq mi (1,500 km2) | |
| • Water | 1.4 sq mi (4 km2) 0.2%% | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 32,902  |
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| • Density | 57/sq mi (22/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) | |
| Congressional district | 8th | |
Weakley County is a place in the northwest part of Tennessee. It's called a county. In 2020, about 32,902 people lived here.
The main town, or county seat, is Dresden. The biggest city is Martin. It's where the University of Tennessee at Martin is located.
Weakley County was created on October 21, 1823. It is named after Robert Weakley, who was a U.S. Congressman. The area around Martin is also known as the Martin, TN Micropolitan Statistical Area. This means it's a small city area with close ties to nearby communities.
Contents
History of Weakley County
Weakley County was formed in October 1823. The land was once owned by the Chickasaw people. They gave this land to the United States in a special agreement called the Treaty of 1818.
The county was named after Colonel Robert Weakley. He was a member of the House of Representatives. He also led the State Senate. Colonel Weakley was chosen to talk with the Chickasaw people about the land.
In the 1800s, Weakley County grew a lot of corn. It was the biggest corn producer in Tennessee. Later, in the second half of the 1900s, soybeans became the most important crop.
Geography and Nature
Weakley County covers about 582 square miles. Most of this area, about 580 square miles, is land. The rest, about 1.4 square miles, is water.
Three parts of the Obion River flow through the county. The North Fork is in the northern part. The Middle Fork goes through the middle. The South Fork flows across the southern part. The Obion River eventually flows into the big Mississippi River.
Neighboring Counties
Weakley County shares its borders with several other counties:
- Hickman County, Kentucky (to the northwest)
- Graves County, Kentucky (to the north)
- Henry County (to the east)
- Carroll County (to the southeast)
- Gibson County (to the southwest)
- Obion County (to the west)
Protected Natural Areas
Weakley County is home to several protected natural areas. These places help keep nature safe.
- Bean Switch Refuge
- Big Cypress Tree State Natural Area
- Big Cypress Tree State Park
- Harts Mill Wetland Wildlife Management Area (part of it)
- Obion River Wildlife Management Area (part of it)
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1830 | 4,797 | — | |
| 1840 | 9,870 | 105.8% | |
| 1850 | 14,608 | 48.0% | |
| 1860 | 18,216 | 24.7% | |
| 1870 | 20,755 | 13.9% | |
| 1880 | 24,538 | 18.2% | |
| 1890 | 28,955 | 18.0% | |
| 1900 | 32,546 | 12.4% | |
| 1910 | 31,929 | −1.9% | |
| 1920 | 31,053 | −2.7% | |
| 1930 | 29,262 | −5.8% | |
| 1940 | 29,498 | 0.8% | |
| 1950 | 27,962 | −5.2% | |
| 1960 | 24,227 | −13.4% | |
| 1970 | 28,827 | 19.0% | |
| 1980 | 32,896 | 14.1% | |
| 1990 | 31,972 | −2.8% | |
| 2000 | 34,895 | 9.1% | |
| 2010 | 35,021 | 0.4% | |
| 2020 | 32,902 | −6.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2014 |
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The 2020 United States census counted 32,902 people living in Weakley County. There were 13,640 households and 8,677 families.
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 27,813 | 84.53% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 2,593 | 7.88% |
| Native American | 52 | 0.16% |
| Asian | 192 | 0.58% |
| Pacific Islander | 3 | 0.01% |
| Other/Mixed | 1,344 | 4.08% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 905 | 2.75% |
Media and Communication
Weakley County has several ways for people to get news and entertainment.
Radio Stations
- WWGY 99.3
- WRQR-FM 105.5
- WENK-AM 1240
- WTPR-AM 710
- WTPR-FM 101.7
- WCMT-AM 1410 100.5FM
- WCMT-FM 101.3
- WUTM-FM 90.3
- WCDZ FM 95.1 and 102.9FM
Newspapers
- Dresden Enterprise is a newspaper in Dresden, the county seat.
- The Weakley County Press is a newspaper located in Martin.
- The Pacer is the student newspaper for the University of Tennessee at Martin.
Education in Weakley County
The Weakley County Schools district manages public schools in the area. You can find more information on their website: http://www.weakleyschools.com/
| School Name | Team Mascot | School Colors | School Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dresden Elementary School | Lions | Black, Gold | http://www.des.weakleyschools.com/ |
| Dresden Middle School | Lions | Black/Gold | http://www.dms.weakleyschools.com/ |
| Dresden High School | Lions | Black/Gold | http://www.dhs.weakleyschools.com/ |
| Gleason School | Bulldogs | Orange/Black | http://www.gls.weakleyschools.com/cms/One.aspx |
| Greenfield School | Yellowjackets | Black/Orange | http://www.grs.weakleyschools.com/ |
| Martin Elementary School | Chargers | Blue/White | http://www.mes.weakleyschools.com/ |
| Martin Middle School | Chargers | Blue/White | http://www.mms.weakleyschools.com/ |
| Martin Primary School | N/A | Blue/Yellow | http://www.mps.weakleyschools.com/ |
| Sharon School | Eagles | Purple/Yellow | http://www.ss.weakleyschools.com/ |
| Westview High School | Chargers | Royal Blue/Yellow Gold | http://www.whs.weakleyschools.com/ |
Communities in Weakley County
Weakley County has several cities, towns, and smaller communities.
Cities
- Greenfield
- Martin
- McKenzie (most of this city is in Carroll County and a small part in Henry County)
Towns
Unincorporated Communities
These are smaller places that are not officially cities or towns.
- Austin Springs
- Boydsville
- Dukedom (part of it)
- Gardner
- Latham
- Palmersville
Images for kids
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A park in Sharon
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Weakley para niños
