Gibson County, Tennessee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gibson County
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Gibson County Courthouse in Trenton
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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 |
| State |  Tennessee |
| Founded | 1823 |
| Named for | John H. Gibson |
| Seat | Trenton |
| Largest city | Humboldt |
| Area | |
| • Total | 604 sq mi (1,560 km2) |
| • Land | 603 sq mi (1,560 km2) |
| • Water | 0.9 sq mi (2 km2) 0.2%% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 49,045  |
| • Density | 82/sq mi (32/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 8th |
Gibson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2010 census, the population was 49,683. Its county seat is Trenton. The county was formed in 1823 and named for John H. Gibson, a soldier of the Natchez Expedition and the Creek War.
Contents
History
| Gibson County Sheriff's Department |
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| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Operations jurisdiction | Gibson, Tennessee, United States |
| Size | 604 sq mi |
| Legal jurisdiction | As per operations jurisdiction |
| General nature | |
| Operational structure | |
| Agency executive |
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| Facilities | |
| Stations | 1 |
| Jails | 1 |
Gibson County is located in what was known as "Indian Land": territory that was legally occupied by Chickasaw Native American people. The Chickasaw Cession, proclaimed on January 7, 1819, eliminated those rights and opened the region for settlement and exploitation by white settlers and speculators.
Soon after the Chickasaw Cession, the first log cabin in what was to become Gibson County had been built by Thomas Fite about eight miles (13 km) east of present-day Trenton. From 1819 the area was part of Carroll County but, as settlement progressed, citizens petitioned for the formation of a new county. The county was established by private act on October 21, 1823 and was named in honor of Colonel John H. Gibson who had died earlier that year. Gibson was a native of Bedford County, Tennessee who was commissioned Lieutenant in the Tennessee Militia; he took part in the War of 1812, the campaign to Natchez of 1813, and fought in the Creek Wars of 1813.
In its early years, Gibson County grew rapidly, chiefly because the land had less dense forest growth than some adjacent areas and was therefore more easily prepared to farm cotton and corn. By the end of 1824, the county had 273,143 acres (1,105.37 km2) of taxable land. The county's first cotton gin was built in 1826.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 604 square miles (1,560 km2), of which 603 square miles (1,560 km2) is land and 0.9 square miles (2.3 km2) (0.2%) is water.
Adjacent counties
- Weakley County (northeast)
- Carroll County (east)
- Madison County (south)
- Crockett County (southwest)
- Dyer County (west)
- Obion County (northwest)
State protected areas
- Horns Bluff Refuge (part)
- Maness Swamp Refuge
- Obion River Wildlife Management Area (part)
- Tigrett Wildlife Management Area (part)
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1830 | 5,801 | — | |
| 1840 | 13,689 | 136.0% | |
| 1850 | 19,548 | 42.8% | |
| 1860 | 21,777 | 11.4% | |
| 1870 | 25,666 | 17.9% | |
| 1880 | 32,685 | 27.3% | |
| 1890 | 33,859 | 3.6% | |
| 1900 | 39,408 | 16.4% | |
| 1910 | 41,630 | 5.6% | |
| 1920 | 43,388 | 4.2% | |
| 1930 | 46,528 | 7.2% | |
| 1940 | 44,835 | −3.6% | |
| 1950 | 48,132 | 7.4% | |
| 1960 | 44,699 | −7.1% | |
| 1970 | 47,871 | 7.1% | |
| 1980 | 49,467 | 3.3% | |
| 1990 | 46,315 | −6.4% | |
| 2000 | 48,152 | 4.0% | |
| 2010 | 49,683 | 3.2% | |
| 2018 (est.) | 49,045 | −1.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2014 |
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2020 census
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 37,930 | 75.21% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 8,929 | 17.71% |
| Native American | 97 | 0.19% |
| Asian | 200 | 0.4% |
| Pacific Islander | 15 | 0.03% |
| Other/Mixed | 1,819 | 3.61% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1,439 | 2.85% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 50,429 people, 19,320 households, and 12,987 families residing in the county.
Transportation
Airports
There are two airports located in Gibson County:
- Humboldt Municipal Airport (M53), which is owned by City of Humboldt.
- Gibson County Airport (TGC), located midway between Trenton and Milan and owned by City of Milan and Gibson Co.
Events
The Gibson County Fair is held each August in Trenton. The fair is billed as the "oldest continuously running fair in the South." The fair was first held in 1856 and has been held annually since 1869.
The West Tennessee Strawberry Festival had been held annually during the first full week of May in Humboldt since 1934. The festival has drawn up to 100,000 people from across the area. Popular festival events include Thursday's traditional Jr. Parade, which is one of the world's largest non-motorized parades, Friday's Grand Floats Parade, the Horse Show, Governor's Luncheon, Carnival, Prayer Breakfast, Car Show, 5K and 10K Runs, and Festival Beauty Reviews.
Communities
Cities
Towns
- Bradford
- Gibson
- Kenton (partial)
- Rutherford
Unincorporated communities
Notable natives
- Doug Atkins, Hall of Fame NFL football player
- Wallace Wade, football coach
- Avery Williamson, NFL linebacker
Education
Gibson County has five special school districts: Bradford, Gibson County, Humboldt, Milan and Trenton. Each district has its own school board and director of schools. There are six high schools in the county.
High schools
| School | Location | Mascot | Colors |
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| Bradford High School | Bradford | Red Devils | |
| Gibson County High School | Dyer | Pioneers | |
| Humboldt High School | Humboldt | Vikings | |
| Milan High School | Milan | Bulldogs | |
| Peabody High School | Trenton | Golden Tide | |
| South Gibson County High School | Medina | Hornets |
Images for kids
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Gibson (Tennessee) para niños
