West Tennessee facts for kids

Quick facts for kids West Tennessee
Grand Division
Clockwise, from top left: The Memphis Pyramid, Graceland, Beale Street, Pinson Mounds, Shiloh National Military Park, Reelfoot Lake
Nickname(s):  West TN, West Tenn.
The counties of Tennessee highlighted in red that are designated part of West Tennessee.
Country	United States
State	Tennessee
Largest city	Memphis
Area
• Land	27,600 km2 (10,650 sq mi)
Population  (2020)	1,557,649
• Density	56.47/km2 (146.26/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	West Tennessean

West Tennessee is one of three main parts of the state of Tennessee. It covers about a quarter of the state's western side. This area has 21 counties, located between the Tennessee River and the Mississippi River. State laws define its borders.

The land here is mostly flat with rich soil. It also has large areas that can flood near the Mississippi River. West Tennessee is the lowest and flattest of the three regions. It is also the smallest in land area and has the fewest people. Its biggest city is Memphis, which is the second largest city in Tennessee.

The Chickasaw people first lived in West Tennessee. It was the last part of Tennessee to be settled by Europeans. The United States officially gained control of the region in 1818. This happened through a deal called the Jackson Purchase. This was 22 years after Tennessee became a state. Because it is part of the Mississippi River basin, West Tennessee has very rich soil. This soil was perfect for growing a lot of cotton long ago.

History of West Tennessee

When Tennessee became a state in 1796, the land west of the Tennessee River was technically part of it. However, the Chickasaw people actually controlled this area. This was agreed upon in the 1786 Treaty of Hopewell.

The United States did not truly control West Tennessee until 1818. This happened through several agreements with the Chickasaw. This land deal is known as the Jackson Purchase. It was named after Andrew Jackson, who was one of the officials involved. The purchase also included the western part of Kentucky and some of northern Mississippi.

Most of the land bought was in Tennessee. However, the name "Jackson Purchase" often refers only to the part in Kentucky today. It is also a bit misleading. Jackson was a military officer at the time. He was one of several federal treaty commissioners. He did not negotiate the entire land deal by himself. Also, it was not done in just one treaty.

Geography of West Tennessee

Low's Map of Kentucky and neighboring Territories did not yet include West Tennessee, controlled by the Chickasaw Nation until 1818. From Low's Encyclopaedia

West Tennessee is located in the Mississippi Embayment. This area is part of the Gulf Coastal Plain. Because of this, the land is much flatter than the eastern parts of Tennessee. Areas right along the Mississippi River are in its alluvial floodplain.

However, many western counties are safe from floods. This is thanks to the Chickasaw Bluffs. These are ridges made of loess that rise 50–200 feet above the floodplain. Even though the land is lower and flatter than Middle and East Tennessee, there are some hills. These are mostly along the bluffs near the Mississippi River. There are also hills near the Tennessee River, known as the West Tennessee Highlands. Hilly areas are covered in forests. Most other land in West Tennessee is used for farming. The soil here comes from a prehistoric sea that dried up. Unlike the rest of the state, the solid rock layer is thousands of feet below the surface.

Rivers and Waterways

Besides the Mississippi and Tennessee rivers, West Tennessee has many other rivers and streams. In the past, most of these were slow-moving swamps or winding streams. In the 20th century, nearly all of them were straightened into channels.

Rivers that flow into the Mississippi River include the Obion River, Forked Deer River, Hatchie River, Loosahatchie River, Wolf River, and Nonconnah Creek. The Hatchie River is special because it has not been straightened. Rivers that flow into the Tennessee River are the Big Sandy River and Beech River.

Underground Water Supply

West Tennessee sits on top of an artesian aquifer. This is a natural underground water storage area. This aquifer is the main source of water for Memphis and Shelby County. Many other communities also get their water from it. In the Memphis area, the loess and gravel layers act like a cap over the sandy aquifer. The rest of West Tennessee helps to refill this aquifer with water. This aquifer provides some of the cleanest water in the United States.

Earthquake Risk

The entire West Tennessee region has a fairly high risk of earthquakes. This is especially true for areas closest to the Mississippi River. This area is at the edge of the New Madrid Seismic Zone. In 1811 and 1812, three of the biggest earthquakes in American history hit this region. At that time, few European settlers lived there. Some reports say the earthquakes briefly made the Mississippi River flow backward. A lasting result of these earthquakes is Reelfoot Lake. This is a large but shallow lake in northwestern Tennessee that was created by the quakes.

Counties in West Tennessee

West Tennessee is made up of 21 counties:

Major Cities and Towns

Here are the cities and towns in West Tennessee with more than 10,000 people (based on the 2010 Census):

Seven of the thirteen largest cities in West Tennessee are in Shelby County. This county includes Memphis and its six nearby towns.

• Memphis (662,897 people)
• Jackson (65,211 people)
• Bartlett (54,613 people)
• Collierville (43,965 people)
• Germantown (38,844 people)
• Dyersburg (17,145 people)
• Lakeland (12,430 people)
• Arlington (11,517 people)
• Martin (11,473 people)
• Union City (10,895 people)
• Brownsville (10,292 people)
• Millington (10,176 people)
• Paris (10,156 people)

Population of West Tennessee

West Tennessee has slightly fewer people and is smaller in land area than the other two Grand Divisions. In the 2020 census, West Tennessee had 1,557,649 residents. This was a small decrease of about 5,000 people from the 2010 count. This was the first time any of Tennessee's three Grand Divisions saw a decrease in its total population.

About 22.5% of the state's total population lives in West Tennessee. The population density was about 146 people per square mile. Around 60% of West Tennessee's population lives in Shelby County.

From 2000 to 2010, West Tennessee's population grew much slower than the rest of the state and the country. The population grew only 4.2% in that 10-year period. Many counties in West Tennessee are not on major transportation routes. They also rely a lot on farming. As there are fewer farms and factories, job opportunities decrease. This causes young people to move away for work. Because of this, the population in West Tennessee is getting older. Many counties have more people over 65 than the state average.

Economy of West Tennessee

Farming is the biggest part of West Tennessee's economy. Tennessee ranks seventh in the United States for growing cotton. Almost all of this cotton is grown in West Tennessee. The northern part of West Tennessee also grows more corn and soybeans than any other region in the state. Other important farm products include beef cattle, sorghum, wheat, poultry, and timber.

Discovery Park of America in Union City, Tennessee.

West Tennessee also has many factories. They make things like car parts, chemicals, electronics, appliances, and metal products. In 2021, Ford and SK Innovation announced a huge project. They will build a complex called "Blue Oval City" near Stanton. This facility will make electric vehicles and batteries. It is expected to open in 2025. This project will cost about $5.6 billion, making it the most expensive single investment in Tennessee's history. It will also create about 5,700 jobs.

Large companies based in the region include FedEx, International Paper, First Horizon Corporation, and AutoZone. All of these are located in Memphis. Tourism is also a big part of the region's economy. Many visitors come for its musical history. Popular places to visit include Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley, Beale Street, Sun Studio, the National Civil Rights Museum, the Memphis Zoo, and the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. All of these are in Memphis. Other attractions include the Casey Jones Home & Railroad Museum in Jackson. There is also the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center/Tina Turner Museum in Brownsville. And don't forget Discovery Park of America in Union City. The National Park Service also manages Shiloh National Military Park and Fort Donelson National Battlefield in West Tennessee.

Phone Area Codes

Before 2001, all of West Tennessee used the area code 901. As the population grew, West Tennessee needed two area codes. Memphis and its nearby towns, along with Fayette and Tipton counties, kept the 901 area code. The rest of West Tennessee was given the area code 731. The Memphis area is one of the largest cities where you don't need to dial 10 digits for local calls. It is expected to stay this way for many years.

Transportation in West Tennessee

Roads and Highways

Interstate 40 (I-40) is the main interstate highway in West Tennessee. It runs for about 134 miles (216 km). It starts at the Mississippi River in Memphis and crosses the Tennessee River in Benton County. Along the way, it passes near Brownsville and through Jackson.

Interstate 240 (I-240) is a loop route that goes around the south side of Memphis. Interstate 55 (I-55) runs for about 13 miles (21 km). It is entirely within southwest Memphis, from the Mississippi state line to the Mississippi River. I-155 is in the northwestern part of West Tennessee. It runs from the Mississippi River to Dyersburg. I-269 acts as an outer bypass around Memphis, going east of the city. An extension of I-69 is planned. It would run from the Mississippi state line in Memphis to the Kentucky line near South Fulton.

Here are some of the U.S. Highways that go through West Tennessee:

Train Travel

Freight trains travel across West Tennessee on many railway lines. Norfolk Southern has a line that runs through the southern counties from Memphis to Alabama. They also have a line from South Fulton through Martin, Milan, Jackson, and Selmer into Mississippi. Canadian National runs a line from South Fulton, through Union City, Dyersburg, and Memphis. From Memphis, this line splits into two. One goes through the Mississippi Delta, and the other through the center of Mississippi.

BNSF runs through Memphis from Mississippi to downtown Memphis. It crosses the River on the Frisco Bridge. Union Pacific has a short line through Memphis. It crosses the river on the Harahan Bridge and connects with other lines. CSX runs a line from Memphis through Brownsville, Humboldt, Milan, McKenzie, and Camden. It then crosses the Tennessee River. Many other smaller railroads also exist throughout the region.

There are three special train facilities around Memphis. These are called intermodal facilities. One is run by Norfolk Southern in Rossville. Another is run by BNSF in Southeast Memphis. The third is run by Canadian National in Southwest Memphis.

Amtrak offers passenger train service called the City of New Orleans. This train uses the Canadian National rail line. There are two stops in West Tennessee along this route. One is in Downtown Memphis at Central Station. The other is in Newbern, north of Dyersburg.

Airports

West Tennessee has one international airport, Memphis International Airport (MEM). This airport is the busiest freight airport in the world. This is because it is the main hub for FedEx.

West Tennessee also has two important regional airports. McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport (MKL) is located outside of Jackson. Dyersburg Regional Airport (DYR) is southwest of Dyersburg. In addition to these, there are several smaller airports for general aviation. There are also two former military airstrips. Arnold Field in Lauderdale County has an airstrip. Millington Regional Jetport serves as a backup landing strip for FedEx.

Universities and Colleges

Public universities and colleges in West Tennessee include the University of Memphis and the University of Tennessee at Martin. There are also community colleges like Dyersburg State Community College, Jackson State Community College, and Southwest Tennessee Community College. The University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis has state medical, dental, nursing, and pharmacy schools. It also has a graduate program in health sciences. The University of Memphis has a branch campus in Jackson. It took over the former Lambuth University campus.

Private colleges in the region include Christian Brothers University, LeMoyne–Owen College, Rhodes College, Union University, Lane College, Bethel University, and Freed-Hardeman University.