Monroe County, Tennessee


Monroe County is a county on the southeastern border of the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2010 census, the population was 44,519. Its county seat is Madisonville.

History

During the early part of the 18th century, the Cherokee Nation occupied territory and established towns or villages extending through much of what is now described as the Upper and Deep South. European Americans tended to refer to these areas by geography: Lower Towns, Upper Towns and the Overhill Towns, ranging from the Piedmont of the Carolinas to across the Appalachian Mountains in present-day Tennessee, and down into Georgia and what developed as Alabama.
The Overhill Towns had developed along the Little Tennessee and Tellico rivers throughout Monroe County, Tennessee. These included Chota, Tanasi and Great Tellico, which at various times were each considered the Cherokee principal town. Also in this area were Citico, Toqua, Tomotley, Mialoquo, Chilhowee and Tallassee.
Archaeological excavations at the Citico site suggest the area was inhabited for thousands of years before the arrival of European settlers. Artifacts uncovered from the Icehouse Bottom site near Vonore date to as early as 7500 B.C., during the Archaic period. These earliest occupants were from indigenous cultures that preceded the Cherokee, who are believed to have migrated south from the Great Lakes area approximately in 1000 CE. Theirs is an Iroquoian language, and most other Iroquoian tribes have historically been in the Great Lakes area.
The British had established Fort Loudoun on the Little Tennessee River in 1756, as part of an agreement with the Cherokee, during the French and Indian War. This was theNorth American front during the Seven Years' War between Britain and France. After relations soured between the British and Cherokee in 1760, the Cherokee laid siege to the fort, and killed most of its garrison.
Monroe County was established in 1819 after the signing of the Calhoun Treaty, in which the Cherokee ceded claims to lands stretching from the Little Tennessee River south to the Hiwassee River. The county was named for President James Monroe.
Some of the state's first gold mines were located in Monroe County. Placer mining took place on Coker Creek in the early 1830s.
Monroe County was one of the few East Tennessee counties to support secession at the outbreak of the American Civil War. On June 8, 1861, the county voted in favor of Tennessee's Ordinance of Secession by a margin of 1,096 to 774.
In the early 20th century, the Babcock Lumber Company conducted extensive logging operations in the Tellico Plains area. During the same period, the Aluminum Company of America began building a string of dams along the Little Tennessee, among them Calderwood, Santeetlah and Cheoah, to power its aluminum smelting operations in nearby Alcoa.
The last major project was the construction of Tellico Dam by the Tennessee Valley Authority, completed in 1979, which was for flood control, hydroelectric power, and recreation related to the large Tellico Reservoir. This water body was created in the lower 33 miles of the Little Tennessee River. Although the project had been opposed by many residents in the county, where several communities were abandoned before the flooding and owners relocated, others supported the project. In addition, the project was found to threaten an endangered species, and the snail darter controversy delayed completion of the dam for some time. The TVA project has provided numerous new economic and recreational opportunities.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and is water. The Unicoi Mountains, part of the greater Blue Ridge chain, dominate the southeastern part of the county. The crest of this range marks Monroe's boundaries with the North Carolina counties, Graham and Cherokee, and contains the county's highest elevation of at Haw Knob.
The Little Tennessee River flows along Monroe County's border with Blount County to the northeast. Three artificial lakes— Tellico Lake, Chilhowee Lake and Calderwood Lake— were developed in this section of the river. The Tellico River, a tributary of the Little Tennessee, drains much of the southwestern part of the county. The Bald River, noted for scenic Bald River Falls, is a tributary of the Tellico River. Sweetwater Creek, a tributary of the Tennessee River, drains a portion of northern Monroe County.

Adjacent counties

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 44,519 people and 20,581 housing units residing in the county. The population density was 70.00 persons per square mile and the housing unit density was 32.36 units per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 95.23% White, 2.14% Black or African American, 0.48% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, and 1.48% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origins were 3.30% of the population.
As of the census of 2000, there were 38,961 people, 15,329 households, and 11,236 families residing in the county. The population density was 61 people per square mile. There were 17,287 housing units at an average density of 27 per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 94.87% White, 2.27% Black or African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.86% from other races, and 1.26% from two or more races. 1.76% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 15,329 households out of which 32.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.40% were married couples living together, 10.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.70% were non-families. 23.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the county, the population was spread out with 24.70% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 28.60% from 25 to 44, 24.80% from 45 to 64, and 13.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 97.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,337, and the median income for a family was $34,902. Males had a median income of $29,621 versus $21,064 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,951. 15.50% of the population and 12.00% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 19.40% of those under the age of 18 and 17.70% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Education

serves most of the county for all grades and the county for high school. Residents of Sweetwater are served by Sweetwater City Schools for elementary through junior high school.
Tennessee Meiji Gakuin High School was located in Sweetwater from 1989 to 2007.

Parks, forests, and natural features

A portion of the county is included in the Cherokee National Forest. The Monroe section of the forest includes two federally designated wilderness areas— Citico Creek and Bald River Gorge. The Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest is located just across the North Carolina border to the east. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is located just across the Blount County border to the northeast.
The Cherohala Skyway, a national scenic byway, connects Tellico Plains with Robbinsville, North Carolina. Crossing the Unicoi Mountains, the road peaks at an elevation of over 5,000 feet.
Fort Loudoun State Park is located near Vonore, and includes a replica of the 18th-century colonial Fort Loudoun. The Tellico Blockhouse site lies opposite the river from Fort Loudoun, and includes a layout of the 1790s-era blockhouse. The Sequoyah Museum, dedicated to the Cherokee scholar, is located near Fort Loudoun.
The Lost Sea is a commercial cave located 7 miles southeast of Sweetwater in Monroe County. The underground lake for which it is named is the largest in North America. The cave tour features a ride on the lake in boats with electric motors. The lake was discovered by Ben Sands in 1905 when he was only 13 years old. In 1940, the skeletons and footprints of two Pleistocene jaguars were discovered in the cave. They were excavated by George Gaylord Simpson of the American Museum.

Transportation

runs through the center of the county and through the cities of Madisonville and Vonore. U.S. Route 11 runs through the northwester part of the county and through the center of Sweetwater. State Route 68 runs in a northwest–southeast direction through the lower half of the county, passing through Sweetwater, Madisonville, and Tellico Plains. State Route 39 connects Tellico Plains to Englewood in McMinn County. State Route 72 connects southern Vonore to Loudon. Interstate 75 is located in the extreme northeastern tip of the county west of Sweetwater, and contains two exits in Monroe County. Secondary state routes in Monroe County include State Routes 165, 307, 315, 322, and 360.
The Monroe County Airport is a county-owned, public-use airport located two nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Madisonville.

Communities

Cities