Dickson County, Tennessee

Charlotte, Dickson County's capital, was built on 50 acres of land purchased from Charles Stewart. Charlotte was nearly entirely destroyed after a tornado occurred within its city limits, decimating its jail, courthouse, & roughly 80% of the county's records. On October 25, 1803, the Tennessee General Assembly passed a bill creating Dickson County, the 25th of Tennessee's 95 counties. It was formed from parts of Montgomery and Robertson counties, and was named for William Dickson, a Nashville physician then serving in the United States Congress. Other important iron manufacturers included Anthony and Bernard Van Leer and George F. and Richard C. Napier. Iron production was chiefly accomplished through slave labor. Although iron production declined in importance in the post-Civil War period, the furnace was still in production in the early 1940s. Governor Frank G. Clement On November 4, 1952, Frank G. Clement (1920–1969) of Dickson was elected Governor of Tennessee. He served as governor from 1953 to 1959, and again from 1963 to 1967. Known for his energetic speaking ability, he delivered the keynote address at the 1956 Democratic National Convention. The Hotel Halbrook, where Clement was born, still stands in Dickson, and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today the Hotel operates as the Clement Railroad Hotel Museum. ==Geography==

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.3%) is water. Dickson County is bordered on the northeast by the Cumberland River. The Harpeth River passes along the county's eastern border. Ruskin Cave, site of the former socialist colony, is located northwest of Dickson. Adjacent counties • Montgomery County (north) • Cheatham County (east) • Williamson County (southeast) • Hickman County (south) • Humphreys County (southwest) • Houston County (northwest) State protected areas • Cheatham Lake Wildlife Management Area (part) • Hotel Halbrook Railroad and Local History Museum (state historic site) • Montgomery Bell State Natural Area • Montgomery Bell State Park ==Demographics==

2020 census As of the 2020 census, there were 54,315 people, 21,154 households, and 13,030 families residing in the county. The median age was 41.0 years; 22.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.6% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 96.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.2 males age 18 and over. Of the 21,154 households in the county, 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 50.2% were married-couple households, 17.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 25.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. 30.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 69.5% lived in rural areas. 2000 census As of the census of 2000, there were 43,156 people, 16,473 households, and 12,173 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 17,614 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 93.25% European American, 4.58% Black or African American, 0.40% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.47% from other races, and 1.01% from two or more races. 1.12% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 16,473 households, out of which 35.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.30% were married couples living together, 11.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.10% were non-families. 22.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.02. In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.60% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 30.70% from 25 to 44, 22.90% from 45 to 64, and 11.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.90 males. The median income for a household in the county was $39,056, and the median income for a family was $45,575. Males had a median income of $32,252 versus $23,686 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,043. About 8.10% of families and 10.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.90% of those under age 18 and 11.80% of those age 65 or over. ==Government==

Historically, Dickson County has been a Democratic stronghold; Ulysses Grant carried it in 1868, but after that, it did not vote Republican again until Nixon's 1972 landslide. It has trended powerfully Republican starting in the beginning of the 21st century. An early sign of this could be seen in its back-to-back votes for Reagan in 1984 and George H. W. Bush in 1988, even though it had generally voted Democratic in elections in which the Democratic nominee was losing substantially worse nationally than Dukakis was in 1988 (for example, giving Adlai Stevenson over 70% of its vote in both of his runs). Not only this, but George H. W. Bush was even able to slightly improve on Reagan's vote share, despite the small national swing towards the Democrats in 1988. However, in the subsequent three elections, Bill Clinton recaptured the county by double digit margins, and Tennessee native Al Gore carried it by over 8%. In 2004, it switched to giving George W. Bush a 10.2% margin, however, and, as of 2024, has voted Republican in every subsequent election, giving the Republican nominee an increased vote share every time. Neither Hillary Clinton in 2016 nor Delaware native Joe Biden in 2020 was able to reach so much as a third of the county's vote. County Commission The 12-member county commission is the legislative body of Dickson County. One commissioner is elected from each of the county's 12 commission districts. The county mayor chairs the commission. Responsibilities Commissioners are charged with appropriating funds for the county departments, setting the property tax rate and creating personnel policies for county employees. Terms The commissioners are chosen in the August general elections and serve four-year terms. These elections coincide with the state's gubernatorial primaries and begin September 1 of each non-presidential even-numbered year. Commission meetings The county commission meets for a work session the first Monday evening of each month. Regular sessions are held the third Monday evening of each month. At this meeting, matters are brought before the commission for action. When meeting dates fall on holidays, the meeting is generally held the next evening. Current Commissioners County Officials Dickson County has various elected officials to carry out the necessary duties of the county government. County Officials are chosen in the August general elections, along with the County Commissioners, and serve four-year terms. These elections are on the first Thursday in August and coincide with the state's gubernatorial primaries. The terms begin September 1 of each non-presidential even-numbered year. The exception to this is the Assessor of Property whose election occurs on the same schedule but in the presidential election years. Department Heads The Mayor makes the appointments for non elected county government departments. Judicial Branch Officials The judicial officials are chosen in the August general elections, along with other elected officials and county commissioners, and serve four-year terms (with the exception of the General Sessions and the Juvenile Court Judges, who serve an eight-year term, with elections coinciding with every other gubernatorial primary). These elections coincide with the state's gubernatorial primaries and they assume office on September 1 of each non-presidential even-numbered year. ==Education==

The Dickson County School District serves the entirety of the county. Since 2024, the current Director of Schools is Dr. Christie Southerland. Serving around 8,500 students, the Dickson County School System ranks 23rd in student population among 142 school districts in Tennessee. The District employs around 1,200 people. Board of education The Dickson County Board of Education is a committee of six elected officials responsible for governing the counties' educational system. Each member represents one of the six districts that make up Dickson County. The Board was created and empowered by State Law with authority to oversee the operation of Dickson County Schools. The Board meets every 4th Thursday of the month unless otherwise noted. The Board chooses the Director of Schools. Dr. Christie Southerland is the Director of Schools and has been in that position since 2024. History Prior to the 1920s, numerous private high schools and colleges existed in Dickson County. These included the Tracy Academy, Charlotte Female School, Alexander Campbell School, Edgewood Academy and Normal College, the Dickson Academy, Dickson Normal School (where Hattie Carraway, the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate, was educated), Glenwylde Academy, and Ruskin Cave College. Most of these closed before or during the Great Depression. Elementary Schools • Centennial • Charlotte • Dickson • Oakmont • The Discovery School • Sullivan • Stuart-Burns • Vanleer • White Bluff Middle Schools • Charlotte • Burns • Dickson • William James High Schools • Creek Wood • Dickson County Alternative School • New Directions Academy Higher Education Dickson County is home to two campuses for higher education. The Tennessee College of Applied Technology – Dickson, under the Tennessee Board of Regents, provides career and technical education programs. Some programs include administrative office technology, automotive technology, computer information technology, cosmetology, various health programs (dental, nursing, etc.), digital graphic design, HVAC/refrigeration, mechatronics, and welding, among many others. Nashville State Community College maintains a satellite campus in Dickson, offering associate degrees to prepare students to transfer to four-year universities or enter the workforce. ==Communities==

City • Dickson Towns • Burns • Charlotte (county seat) • Slayden • Vanleer • White Bluff Unincorporated communities • Abiff • Bellsburg • Cumberland Furnace • Promise Land • Tennessee City • Sylvia ==See also==