Misplaced Pages

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54-488: The Federal Road ran from the location of modern-day Ringgold to Athens , Georgia , passing southeast through the Cherokee Nation and the modern day Georgia counties of Walker , Catoosa , Whitfield , Murray , Gilmer , Pickens , Dawson , Forsyth , Hall , Jackson , and Clarke counties . The Georgia Road was built from 1803 to 1805 through the newly formed Cherokee Nation on a land concession secured with

108-587: A busy trading post recognized as the center of the Cherokee Nation. Over a series of treaties with the United States between 1819 and 1835, the Cherokee had been mostly moved out of the area. If any Cherokee wished to stay in the area, the head of the family would have to leave the tribe and become an American citizen . Once a citizen, they would be entitled to 640 acres (260 ha) of land. At

162-517: A civil nature. The current chancellors are Pamela Fleenor and Jeffrey Atherton. The clerk and master handles fees and paperwork associated with the court and sometimes serves as a chancellor. The circuit court hears both criminal and civil cases, including adoption and divorce matters, contract disputes, name changes , as well as hearing appeals from lower courts. The current circuit court judges are J.B. Bennett, Michael Dumitru, Marie Williams, and Kyle Hedrick. The circuit court clerk handles

216-421: A county mayor and nine districts, each of which elect a commissioner to serve on the county's county commission. The citizens of Hamilton County elect the mayor every four years. The current mayor is Weston Wamp , who has served since September 2022. The fourth mayor of Hamilton County, Mayor Wamp is the youngest person to ever hold the office. The mayor serves as the head of the county's executive branch and as

270-480: A female householder with no husband present, and 32.70% were non-families. 27.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.95. In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.20% under the age of 18, 9.60% from 18 to 24, 29.00% from 25 to 44, 24.30% from 45 to 64, and 13.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age

324-404: A major transport route into the 1840s, but parts of the road fell into disuse as newer roads were opened. This U.S. state of Georgia road or road transport-related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Ringgold, Georgia Ringgold is a city in and the county seat of Catoosa County, Georgia , United States. Its population was 3,414 at the 2020 census. It

378-449: A minor. Children are referred to the juvenile court for reasons of delinquency, status offenses , and dependency and neglect issues. The current juvenile court judge is Robert Philyaw. He is supported in his work by magistrates that serve in the court. They are Cynthia LeCroy-Schemel, Troy McDougal, and Chris Gott in the juvenile court and Kathy Clark, Chris Albright, and Marsha Smith in the child support division. The juvenile court clerk

432-689: A path of destruction. The tornado killed twenty people along a 48 miles (77 km) path across Catoosa County and over the state line in Hamilton and Bradley counties. Eight died in Ringgold, including an entire family of four, and at least thirty others were injured. Many homes, businesses, and schools were damaged or destroyed. Ringgold is located near the center of Catoosa County at 34°55′2″N 85°6′57″W  /  34.91722°N 85.11583°W  / 34.91722; -85.11583 (34.917170, -85.115698). U.S. Routes 41 and 76 pass through

486-410: A preliminary hearing basis to determine if there is sufficient cause for the case to be bound over to the grand jury. There are generally no juries in this division, either. The current judges are Christie Mahn Sell, Alexander McVeagh, Clarence Shattuck, Lila Statom, and Gary Starnes. The court shares clerks with the criminal court and circuit court. The juvenile court handles all cases which involve

540-451: Is Claire McVay. The chief of staff is appointed by the mayor and is responsible for overseeing and coordinating all areas of county general government, and coordinating specific initiatives. The chief of staff also serves as a point of contact for the county commission and other elected officials. The office's main purpose is to assist the county mayor carry out his initiatives in an efficient and effective manner. The assessor of property

594-482: Is Marc Gravitt. The county trustee is elected to act as the county government's treasurer, collect county property taxes, account for money regularly, and invest temporarily idle county funds. The current county trustee is Bill Hullander. The county sheriff is elected to enforce the law and protect citizens. The current sheriff is Austin Garrett. Hamilton County has nine elected county commissioners to make up

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648-428: Is elected for a four-year term by the citizens. The clerk maintains and files all paperwork and fees for this court. They also act as a collection agent for the state to process child support. The current juvenile court clerk is Gary Behler. Hamilton County has an elected sheriff. Recent past sheriffs: As of the 2020 United States census , there were 366,207 people, 148,157 households, and 91,469 families residing in

702-654: Is elected to find and list the value of all property in Hamilton County. Property is reappraised every four years. The current assessor of property is Marty Haynes. The county clerk is elected to issue vehicle tags, marriage and business licenses, and other documents. The current county clerk is William (Bill) Knowles. The register of deeds is elected to record deeds and other legal documents, including powers of attorney , mortgages, marriages, and military discharges. The register's office also collects and accounts for all fees and taxes. The current register of deeds

756-488: Is part of the Chattanooga , TN- GA Metropolitan Statistical Area . The county was created on October 25, 1819. Hamilton County expanded to meet the state line with Georgia after absorbing parts of three different counties including Bledsoe , Marion , and Rhea . Part of the traditional Cherokee homeland, the county was created after the Cherokee signed a treaty in 1817 with the United States and ceded land north of

810-646: Is part of the Chattanooga, Tennessee –GA Metropolitan Statistical Area . Ringgold was founded in 1846 and incorporated as a city in 1847. It was named after Samuel Ringgold , a hero of the Battle of Palo Alto in the Mexican–American War . Ringgold is where The General locomotive stopped during the Great Locomotive Chase on April 12, 1862. Ringgold is also home to the historic Ringgold Depot, which still contains bullet marks from

864-608: Is responsible for maintaining the records of the court. The court clerk's office is divided into three divisions: criminal division of the general sessions courts, the delinquent collection division, and the criminal courts. The current court clerk is Vince Dean. The general sessions court is composed of two divisions: civil and criminal. The civil division has limited jurisdiction with no jury trials. A person may represent her/himself without an attorney. The criminal division only issues judgments for misdemeanor criminal cases and traffic offenses. It only has jurisdiction for felony cases on

918-535: The Civil War . The Battle of Ringgold Gap took place on November 27, 1863. Confederate Major General Patrick Cleburne with 4,100 men used the mountain pass known as the Ringgold Gap to stall the advance of Union Major General Joseph Hooker and his troops. Hooker's troops were over 12,000 strong. It was a Confederate victory because it allowed Confederate artillery and wagon trains to move safely through

972-541: The U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 576 square miles (1,490 km ), of which 542 square miles (1,400 km ) is land and 33 square miles (85 km ) (5.8%) is water. Hamilton County is one of the few counties in the United States to border 10 other counties. Raccoon Mountain Caverns is a show cave located 8 miles northwest of downtown Chattanooga. It was originally explored in 1929 by Leo Lambert who developed trails and installed lights and opened

1026-498: The 1805 Treaty of Tellico . The Georgia Road opened in 1805. In 1819 the road was improved and called 'the Federal Road' but no federal funds were used in its creation. As white travelers passed on the road, some settled near the road. They built homes and farms encroaching on Cherokee territory. In 1830, Georgia took the remaining Cherokee territory and distributed it to settlers in 1832. The Federal Road continued to serve as

1080-572: The Dallas settlement declined. The county seat was finally moved to Chattanooga in 1835. During the Civil War, Hamilton County was the site of an important saltpeter mine. This material is the main ingredient of gunpowder and was obtained by leaching the earth from caves. Lookout Mountain Cave was a major source of saltpeter during the Civil War. The mine was operated by Robert Cravens , who owned

1134-503: The Hiwassee River. In the 21st century, Hamilton County is the eighth-highest income Tennessee location by per capita income ($ 26,588). For thousands of years, indigenous cultures occupied this region, especially along the rivers and creeks. The area was long occupied by the historic Cherokee Nation . In the early 19th century, it was being led by John Ross . The city that is now known as Chattanooga developed at Ross's Landing,

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1188-724: The Ringgold Gap unharmed while inflicting high Union casualties. The Whitman-Anderson House is located in Ringgold and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). From their house, the Whitman family watched the Battle of Ringgold Gap, during which William Whitman's general store was destroyed. After the Confederates evacuated Ringgold, General Grant requisitioned the Whitman's house as his headquarters. After General Grant moved on, General Sherman ordered

1242-415: The U.S. government a legal basis for the forced removal of the Cherokee, opening their former lands for settlement. Some Cherokee leaders had agreed to this, in the belief that removal was inevitable and they could negotiate decent conditions for their people. The majority of the Cherokee opposed removal. Hamilton County was formed on October 25, 1819, from portions of Rhea County and Cherokee land that

1296-792: The Victim Witness Assistance Program. The current district attorney is Coty Wamp, having been elected to an 8-year term in 2022. Previously serving as the general counsel for the Hamilton County sheriff's office, Wamp is the first female to ever hold the office. The Chancery Court hears cases involving civil matters, including domestic relations, worker's compensation , estates, trusts, contracts, review of administrative action of governmental agencies and boards, collection of delinquent taxes, guardianships , and conservatorships , dissolution of partnerships and corporations, enforcement of liens , boundary lines, breach of contract, fraud, election contests, and other matters of

1350-582: The building of the Appalachians. Taylor Ridge runs through Ringgold; a gap in the ridge is located just east of the city center, with the part of the ridge running to the south called Taylors Ridge and to the north called White Oak Mountain. South Chickamauga Creek , a tributary of the Tennessee River , runs through Ringgold. The climate in this area is characterized by relatively high temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout

1404-417: The burning of the town of Ringgold, but spared the Whitman house, which remained in the Whitman family until 1902. On March 14, 2002, a sudden heavy fog played havoc with morning traffic and contributed to one of the worst traffic pileups in history; 125 vehicles crashed on Interstate 75 North and four people died. On April 27, 2011, an EF4 tornado touched down in Ringgold and Catoosa County, leaving

1458-587: The cave from June 1862 through July 1863. This mining ceased when Chattanooga was occupied by federal forces in 1863. They stayed through the end of the war. After the war, Tennessee rejoined the Union, and the state started to recover from the war. The long occupation had caused a breakdown in civil society. James County was established by the Tennessee General Assembly in January 1871 and

1512-412: The cave to the public on June 28, 1931. The cave was opened under the name Tennessee Caverns. The operators of the cave claim that its explored length is over 5.5 miles (8.9 km). The Crystal Caverns Cave Spider, Nesticus furtivus , is only known from this one cave. Cave guides will occasionally spot one of these rare spiders and point it out to tourists. Ruby Falls Cave is a show cave located on

1566-483: The center of town as Nashville Street, leading northwest 17 miles (27 km) to downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee , and southeast 15 miles (24 km) to Dalton, Georgia . Interstate 75 passes through the southern part of the city with access from 348; the highway leads northwest to Chattanooga and southeast 101 miles (163 km) to Atlanta . According to the United States Census Bureau ,

1620-516: The citizens of Hamilton County. The district attorney serves to prosecute all individuals who violate the criminal law in Hamilton County, which is made up of the 11th Judicial District of Tennessee. The office also prosecutes all felony, state misdemeanor, and juvenile delinquency cases brought before the Hamilton County Juvenile Court. It represents crime victims in victim compensation hearings and maintains and supervises

1674-564: The city has a total area of 4.7 square miles (12.3 km ), of which 0.004 square miles (0.01 km ), or 0.11%, is water. Ringgold is situated in the Valley and Ridge geologic province of the Appalachian Mountains , characterized by long north-northeasterly trending ridges separated by valleys. The topography was formed by the erosion of alternating layers of hard and soft sedimentary rock that were folded and faulted during

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1728-539: The city was 91.33% White , 6.32% African American , 0.25% Native American , 0.50% Asian , 0.58% from other races , and 1.03% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.82% of the population. There were 1,033 households, of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.6% were married couples living together, 17.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.6% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.5% had someone living alone who

1782-498: The county was $ 27,052. About 12.1% of families and 16.2% of the population were below the poverty line , including 24.5% of those under the age of 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 and over. As of the census of 2000, there were 307,896 people, 124,444 households, and 83,750 families residing in the county. The population density was 568 inhabitants per square mile (219/km ). There were 134,692 housing units at an average density of 248 units per square mile (96/km ). The racial makeup of

1836-421: The county was 76.32% White , 20.14% Black or African American , 0.29% Native American , 1.27% Asian , 0.06% Pacific Islander , 0.77% from other races , and 1.14% from two or more races. 1.78% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 124,444 households, out of which 28.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.20% were married couples living together, 13.50% had

1890-400: The county's chief fiscal officer. The mayor oversees the budget preparation process and administers the budget and financial reports and oversees the day-to-day operations of county government, including implementation of all laws and policies. The mayor also gives the county commission recommendations and keeps them up to date about the county's financial condition. The current chief of staff

1944-428: The county. As of the census of 2010, there were 336,463 people, 136,682 households, and 88,149 families residing in the county. The population density was 620.78 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 74.75% White , 20.21% Black or African American , 0.35% Native American , 1.86% Asian , 0.09% Pacific Islander , and 1.46% from two or more races . Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 4.46% of

1998-492: The district, there are ten elementary schools, three middle schools, and three high schools. The district has 606 full-time teachers and over 9,809 students. Ringgold High School is the zoned high school. In 1954 the Ringgold Elementary School was destroyed in a fire. Hamilton County, Tennessee Hamilton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee . It is located in

2052-714: The famous Point Park, and Sunset Rock. Point Park is a national military park that is a tribute to the battle of Lookout mountain that took place during the American Civil War. Lookout Mountain was the area in which the last battle of the Cherokee Indians took place. It also as battlegrounds during the American Civil War and served as a base for General Ulysses S. Grant troops during the American Civil War . There are many other important areas to note on Lookout Mountain . Hamilton County has

2106-400: The legislative body of the county. The citizens of Hamilton County elect commissioners for four year terms to represent their districts. The commission chooses from among its members commissioners to serve as the chairman and chairman pro tempore, the presiding officers for the commission. They each serve one year terms. The incumbent county commissioners are: All court clerks are elected by

2160-512: The paperwork and fees associated with this court. The current circuit court clerk is Larry Henry. The criminal court handles both felony and misdemeanor cases. Cases are brought to the criminal court after a grand jury issues an indictment , or after an appeal is granted from a lower court. Trials in this court are typically have juries , however, a judge may hear a case without a jury. The current criminal court judges are Barry Steelman, Tom Greenholtz, and Don Poole. The criminal court clerk

2214-433: The population. Out of all of the households, 25.49% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 46.34% were married couples living together, 13.86% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.29% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.51% were non-families. 29.35% of households were made up of individuals, and 10.34% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

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2268-413: The side of Lookout Mountain south of downtown Chattanooga. It was discovered by accident on December 28, 1928, when it was intersected by an elevator shaft that was being drilled to develop Lookout Mountain Cave as a commercial cave. Ruby Falls Cave was intersected at a depth of 260 feet from the surface and Lookout Mountain Cave was reached later at a depth of 420 feet below the surface. The entire project

2322-534: The southern part of East Tennessee on the border with Georgia . As of the 2020 census , the population was 366,207, making it the fourth-most populous county in Tennessee. Its county seat is Chattanooga , located along the Tennessee River. The county was named for Alexander Hamilton , the first secretary of the treasury . Hamilton County is one of 95 counties within Tennessee. Hamilton County

2376-562: The surrounding property. In May 1861, Cravens contracted with the Tennessee Military and Financial Board to deliver 20,000 pounds (9,100 kg) of saltpeter. On May 24, he reported that he had ten hoppers already set up in his cave. Cravens was also mining Nickajack Cave in nearby Marion County. In 1862 he quit mining at Lookout Mountain Cave and rented the cave to the Confederate Nitre and Mining Bureau , which mined

2430-525: The three men who were responsible for founding the county, would conduct all county business in the county seat. The original county seat was in the home of Hasten Poe, who owned a popular tavern located near those three men's farms. In 1822 the County Court was moved to the farm of Ashael Rawlings in Dallas, Tennessee ; he was the newly appointed county clerk. After the county seat was moved to Harrison ,

2484-408: The time of death, the person's heirs would be entitled to the land. Of the 107 reservations reported to Congress in 1819, only 39 were listed as fee simple . The other 68 reservations were allowed to continue as long as the family stayed on the land. Once the family moved, the land could be sold. This provision made it easier to remove the Cherokee from the area. The 1835 Treaty of New Echota provided

2538-661: The year. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Ringgold has a humid subtropical climate , abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 3,414 people, 1,565 households, and 878 families residing in the city. At the 2000 census , there were 2,422 people, 1,033 households and 644 families residing in the city. The population density was 617.0 inhabitants per square mile (238.2/km ). There were 1,116 housing units at an average density of 284.3 units per square mile (109.8 units/km ). The racial makeup of

2592-409: Was $ 26,834 and the median family income was $ 35,132. Males had a median income of $ 26,943 compared with $ 21,074 for females. The per capita income was $ 15,612. About 14.5% of families and 16.7% of the population were below the poverty line , including 26.1% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over. The Catoosa County Public Schools educates students from pre-school to grade twelve. In

2646-464: Was 2.39, and the average family size was 2.95. In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.58% under the age of 18, 63.73% ages 18 to 64, and 14.69% aged 65 and older. The media age was 39.3 years. 51.88% of the population were females, and 48.12% were males. The median household income in the county was $ 46,544, and the median family income was $ 60,184. Males had a median income of $ 45,835 versus $ 34,342 for females. The per capita income for

2700-414: Was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 91.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.10 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 38,930, and the median income for a family was $ 48,037. Males had a median income of $ 35,413 versus $ 24,505 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 21,593. About 9.20% of families and 12.10% of the population were below

2754-431: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.85. 23.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 11.6% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.7 males. The median household income

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2808-701: Was ceded to the U.S. It was named after Alexander Hamilton , an officer in the American Revolutionary War , member of the Continental Congress , the first U.S. secretary of treasury , and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. At the time of the 1820 census, the county counted 821 residents, including 16 blacks, 39 slaves, and about 100 Cherokee living on six reservations. The original legislature ruled that John Gamble, William Lauderdale, and John Patterson,

2862-473: Was named after Jesse J. James. In early 1919 James County went bankrupt; it became a part of Hamilton County in April. As of the 2017 census, Hamilton County is the fourth-most populated county in the state, with a population of 361,613. The growth rate is 1% per year over the last five years. Hamilton County has census records dating to the 1830s. The average income of Hamilton County is $ 26,560. According to

2916-429: Was the work of cave developer Leo Lambert. He named the new cave's waterfall after his wife Ruby. The lower cave, Lookout Mountain Cave, opened to the public on December 30, 1929. Ruby Falls opened to the public on June 16, 1930. Ruby Falls Cave, with its spectacular waterfall proved the more popular of the two caves and it is the only cave open to the public at the present time. Areas such as Lookout Mountain including

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