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89-613: The Little Harpeth rises in Williamson County, Tennessee near the community of Clovercroft. From there it flows north-northwest, entering and largely draining the Nashville suburb of Brentwood , where it crosses the golf course belonging to the local country club . The Brentwood area marks where the stream begins a largely west-northwest course. Crossing into Davidson County , it passes Edwin Warner Park , one of

178-731: A classification yard in Nashville called Radnor Yard. Both the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers are navigable in Middle Tennessee. Historically, Middle Tennessee was predominately Democratic following the American Civil War , but the significant minority of African Americans joined the Republican Party. The white-dominated state legislature in the 1880s passed four laws that effectively disenfranchised most blacks and many poor whites, particularly due to

267-445: A geological dome . Both regions are characterized by porous limestone bedrock that lies close to the surface of the ground. This results in karst , which forms caves , underground streams, sinkholes , and depressions throughout the region. The Highland Rim is often divided into eastern and western halves. The Eastern Highland Rim is relatively flat, with gentle rolling hills, and the eastern Nashville Basin has similar terrain but

356-501: A series of sit-ins at segregated lunch counters in Nashville, which successfully resulted in the desegregation of facilities in the city. The construction of the Interstate Highway System in the latter 20th century facilitated suburbanization in the region and brought new industries to Middle Tennessee. Since 1970, the Nashville and Clarksville metropolitan areas have been two of the fastest-growing regions in

445-633: A cycle often related to economic tensions and settlement of finances after harvest. In the late 19th century, African Americans began fleeing Middle Tennessee to booming industrial cities in the Northeast and Midwest. This mass migration, which occurred in every Southern state and accelerated between 1915 and 1930, became known as the first wave of the Great Migration . It continued until 1970. The region's economy continued to be based primarily on agriculture, but coal mining expanded extensively in

534-622: A four-year term. The mayor is responsible for the county's fiscal management and its day-to-day business. Rogers C. Anderson has been mayor since 2002. The county mayor is assisted by directors of the Agricultural Exposition Park, Animal Control, Budget & Purchasing, Community Development, County Archives, Employee Benefits, Human Resources, Information Technology, Parks & Recreation, Emergency Management, Public Safety, Property Management, Risk Management, Solid Waste Management and WC-TV. The mayor works closely with

623-552: A generation in Kentucky. Many brought slaves with them to cultivate the labor-intensive tobacco crops, as well as to care for livestock In 1800, Abram Maury laid out Franklin, the county seat, which was carved out of a land grant he had purchased from Major Anthony Sharp. "The county was named in honor of Dr. Hugh Williamson of North Carolina, who had been a colonel in the North Carolina militia and had served three terms in

712-554: A geographic bias. The weather in Nashville is a decent mix of extremes. Plenty of sunshine in the summer, and crisp, cold air throughout the winter. Interstate 40 (I-40) traverses Middle Tennessee in an east to west alignment, passing through Nashville and its suburbs to the east. Interstate 65 (I-65) runs north to south through the region, serving Nashville and its suburbs to the north and south, including Brentwood , Franklin , and Spring Hill . Interstate 24 (I-24) enters

801-409: A northern bypass around downtown Nashville, Ellington Parkway , part of U.S. Route 31E (US 31E) in Nashville, SR 386 (Vietnam Veterans Boulevard), which serves Nashville's northwestern suburbs of Hendersonville and Gallatin , and SR 396 (Saturn Parkway), which connects Spring Hill and its General Motors plant to I-65. Middle Tennessee also has several other important corridors that are part of

890-501: A population of 160,781 representing 27.0% population growth since 2000. The census bureau lists Williamson as one of the 100 fastest-growing counties in the United States for the period 2000–2005. Since 1980, Republicans have won Williamson County with large majorities in presidential elections. In 2020 , Joe Biden obtained the highest percentage for a Democratic candidate since 1980 , but this represented barely one-third of

979-665: A population of about 170,000, is Middle Tennessee's second-largest city and the fifth-largest statewide. It is located in the northwest corner of the region near Kentucky. Murfreesboro , located about 35 miles (56 km) southeast of Nashville, is Middle Tennessee's third-largest city, with more than 150,000 residents. It is also the sixth-largest city in Tennessee and the largest suburb of Nashville. Other important suburbs of Nashville include Franklin , Hendersonville , Smyrna , Spring Hill , Gallatin , Mount Juliet , Lebanon , Columbia , Dickson , and Springfield . In addition to

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1068-580: A portion of Davidson County . This territory had long been inhabited by at least five Native American cultures, including the Cherokee , Chickasaw , Choctaw , Creek , and Shawnee . It is home to two Mississippian-period mound complexes, the Fewkes site and the Old Town site , built by people of a culture dated to about 1000 CE, which preceded such historic tribes. European-American settlers arrived in

1157-441: A total economic impact of about $ 10   billion per year and to contribute approximately 56,000 jobs to the Nashville area. The largest service industry in Middle Tennessee is healthcare. More than 300 healthcare firms are based in the Nashville area, including Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), the world's largest private operator of hospitals, Community Health Systems , the largest provider of general hospital services in

1246-441: Is a top equestrian location. The Tennessee Walking Horse was first bred in the region in the late 18th century and is today one of the most recognized horse breeds in the world. The Cumberland Plateau is a major source of timber, and reportedly ranks as one of the top producers of hardwood in the country. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) provides electric power to Middle Tennessee. TVA operates coal and gas fired plants in

1335-654: Is bisected by the Tennessee River, is defined by state law to be entirely within West Tennessee and that Bledsoe , Cumberland , and Marion counties are defined as part of East Tennessee despite being in the Central Time Zone. Consequently, Sequatchie County is often considered part of East Tennessee, despite being defined by law as part of Middle Tennessee. Two northeastern counties of Middle Tennessee, Fentress and Pickett , that supported

1424-481: Is considered part of the Upland South . Commodity crops such as cotton and tobacco were cultivated by migrant settlers in the region in the antebellum era , who were largely dependent on the labor of enslaved African Americans . In addition, planters bred and trained livestock, such as the world-famous Tennessee Walking Horse , which was developed as a breed in the region during this time. Middle Tennessee

1513-405: Is delineated according to state law as 41 of the state's 95 counties. Middle Tennessee contains the state's capital and largest city, Nashville , as well as Clarksville , the state's fifth largest city, and Murfreesboro , the state's sixth largest city and largest suburb of Nashville. The Nashville metropolitan area , located entirely within the region, is the most populous metropolitan area in

1602-481: Is dotted with more distinct hills in places. The western Nashville Basin and Western Highland Rim are more rugged, consisting of irregular knob-like hills separated by steep ravines and crooked stream valleys. The eastern Highland Rim has a higher average elevation, however, than the western portion. The eastern portion of Middle Tennessee consists of the western portion of the Cumberland Plateau , part of

1691-641: Is now Middle Tennessee were probably an expedition in 1540–1541 led by Spanish conquistador Hernando De Soto . By the late 17th century, the French had begun to explore the Cumberland River valley in Middle Tennessee. In 1714, a group of French traders constructed a trading post at a site along the Cumberland River in modern-day Nashville that became known as French Lick. These settlers quickly established an extensive fur trading network with

1780-400: Is now a city park called Centennial Park . The worst rail accident in U.S. history occurred on July 9, 1918, in Nashville when two passenger trains collided head on , killing 101 people and injuring 171. Human error was ultimately deemed to be the main cause of the accident. The Grand Ole Opry was first broadcast in 1925 in Nashville, and remains the longest-running radio program in

1869-525: Is raised throughout the region. Middle Tennessee is perhaps best known for its horticultural products and for being a prime breeding ground for horses . Warren County is one of the top producers of nursery products in the nation, and is nicknamed the "Nursery Capitol of the World". The soils of the Nashville Basin reportedly produce grasses which are favorable to horses, and as a result, the region

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1958-474: Is reportedly one of the fastest growing in the United States. Nicknamed "Music City", Nashville is perhaps best known as the home of country music. The Big Three record labels , as well as numerous independent labels, have offices in Nashville, mostly in the Music Row area. Today, Nashville is the second-largest music recording center, behind New York City . Nashville's music industry is estimated to have

2047-420: Is the eighth-largest city in the state. Its residents are affluent, with a high median income. The southern part of the county is still primarily rural and used for agriculture. Spring Hill is a growing city in this area. In addition, Williamson County's overall affluence is also due to an abundance of musicians and celebrities with part-time or full-time residences in it. According to the U.S. Census Bureau ,

2136-704: Is the largest manufacturing sector in Middle Tennessee. Nissan operates an assembly plant in Smyrna , which is the largest automotive assembly plant in North America, and also operates an engine plant in Decherd . General Motors operates an assembly plant in Spring Hill that was formerly the sole manufacturing facility for Saturn Corporation . Nissan relocated its North American headquarters from California to Franklin in 2005, and Mitsubishi Motors did

2225-478: Is the last Democrat to garner even 40 percent of the county's vote. As a measure of the county's Republican bent, it rejected Bill Clinton in 1992 and 1996 even with Tennessean Al Gore on the ticket as his running mate, and Gore only got 32 percent in his own run for president in 2000. The chief executive officer of Williamson County's government is the County Mayor , who is popularly elected at-large to

2314-726: The 2020 United States census , the population was 247,726. The county seat is Franklin , and the county is located in Middle Tennessee . The county is named after Hugh Williamson , a North Carolina politician who signed the U.S. Constitution . Williamson County is part of the Nashville-Davidson – Murfreesboro – Franklin , TN Metropolitan Statistical Area . In the 19th century, tobacco and hemp were cultivated here, and planters also raised blooded livestock, including horses and cattle. The Tennessee General Assembly created Williamson County on October 26, 1799, from

2403-452: The 2020 census it had 2,883,086 inhabitants living in its 41 counties, an increase of 427,175, or 17.39%, over the 2010 figure of 2,455,911 inhabitants. This represented the region's largest net population increase in history. Its population was 41.72% of the state's total. Its population density was 169.50 inhabitants per square mile (65.44/km ), making it the second-most densely populated Grand Division, behind East Tennessee . Prior to

2492-951: The American Battlefield Trust operates the Franklin Battlefield . The Natchez Trace Parkway begins in Nashville, and runs through the southwestern part of Middle Tennessee. In addition, the state operates many state parks in Middle Tennessee that preserve historic sites and natural features of the region. Middle Tennessee has an abundance of institutions of higher learning—most notably Vanderbilt , Belmont , Lipscomb , and Tennessee State universities in Nashville and Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville . Other prominent universities are Austin Peay State University in Clarksville,

2581-561: The Battle of Nashville the following month. The United States Colored Troops (USCT) played a major role in this campaign. During Reconstruction , Middle Tennessee's economy fell into a state of disrepair. The Ku Klux Klan was formed in Pulaski in December 1865 as a vigilante organization to advance the interests of former Confederates, including maintenance of white supremacy . In

2670-752: The Confederate States of America (CSA), although a few counties in the extreme southwest ( Wayne ) and northeast ( Macon and Fentress ) continued to favor the Union. A number of crucial campaigns and battles of the Civil War took place in Middle Tennessee. General Ulysses S. Grant and the U.S. Navy captured control of the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers in February 1862 at the battles of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson , essentially establishing Union control of Middle Tennessee. Union troops occupied

2759-680: The Franklin–Nashville campaign in the fall of 1864, when the Army of Tennessee under the command of General John Bell Hood unsuccessfully tried to lure Union General William Tecumseh Sherman , who was conducting the Atlanta campaign in Georgia, back into the region. Hood was defeated at the Battle of Franklin in November, then completely dispersed from the state by General George Thomas at

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2848-415: The Middle Tennessee region, it had resources of rich soil, which planters developed with slaves for a diversity of crops including rye, corn, oats, tobacco, hemp, potatoes, wheat, peas, barley, and hay. This diversity, plus timber resources, helped create a stable economy, as opposed to reliance on one cash crop. Slavery was an integral part of the local economy. By 1850, planters and smaller slaveholders in

2937-522: The National Highway System (NHS), including U.S. Routes 43 , 64 , 70S , 79 , and 231 , and State Routes 55 and 111 . Nashville International Airport (BNA) is the region's primary airport and the busiest airport in Tennessee. The WeGo Star is a commuter rail service that serves Nashville and its eastern suburbs of Mt. Juliet and Lebanon. CSX Transportation operates most freight trackage in Middle Tennessee, and runs

3026-1019: The Tennessee State Museum , and Jack Daniel's Distillery . A number of antebellum residences are preserved in the region, including The Hermitage , the home of Andrew Jackson , the Belle Meade Plantation , and several homes in Franklin. As well as the President James K. Polk Home & Museum in Columbia. The National Park Service preserves two Civil War battlefields in Middle Tennessee: Fort Donelson National Battlefield near Dover , and Stones River National Battlefield in Murfreesboro. In addition,

3115-592: The Union during the American Civil War are sometimes culturally considered part of East Tennessee, which had strongly supported the Union. Most of Middle Tennessee is located within the Highland Rim and Nashville Basin , both of which are part of the Interior Low Plateaus of the larger Interior Plains . The Highland Rim is an elevated plain that which completely surrounds the Nashville Basin,

3204-788: The University of the South in Sewanee , Cumberland University in Lebanon , University of Tennessee Southern in Pulaski and Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, which is the state's second-largest institution of higher learning, just behind the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Unlike the geographic designations of regions of most U.S. states , the term Middle Tennessee has legal as well as socioeconomic meaning. Middle Tennessee, West Tennessee , and East Tennessee are

3293-821: The Washington District in what is now East Tennessee to the French Lick. These settlers constructed Fort Nashborough , which they named for Francis Nash , a brigadier general of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War . The next year, the settlers signed the Cumberland Compact , which established the Cumberland Association , a representative form of government based on

3382-399: The 2010 census, Middle Tennessee was the second-most populous of the state's Grand Divisions, behind East Tennessee. Nashville, the state's capital and largest city, is located in north-central Middle Tennessee. It has nearly 700,000 residents, and anchors a 13-county metropolitan area with about 2 million residents that has been Tennessee's largest since the early 1990s. Clarksville , with

3471-658: The 24-member Board of County Commissioners, two members popularly elected to four-year terms from each of the 12 voting districts of roughly equal populations. A chairman of the board is elected by the membership annually. The Board of Commissioners appoints the members of the Planning Commission, Highway Commission, Beer Board, Board of Zoning Appeals, Building Board of Adjustments, County Records Committee, Library Board and others. The county's Assessor of Property, County Clerk, Circuit Court Clerk, Juvenile Court Clerk, Register of Deeds, Sheriff, Trustee and two judges of

3560-601: The American Civil War by the proportion of engaged soldiers who became casualties, the Battle of Stones River , was also fought here. In the 20th century, the Grand Ole Opry was established in Nashville, enhancing the city as the home of country music . Since the early 1970s, the region has been transformed by the entry of many new economic sectors, including automotive manufacturing, healthcare, finance, technology, tourism, and professional services. Both

3649-539: The Continental Congress." Many of the county's early inhabitants were veterans who had been paid in land grants after the Revolutionary War. Many veterans chose not to settle in the area and sold large sections of their land grants to speculators. These in turn subdivided the land and sold off smaller lots. In the antebellum years, the county was the second-wealthiest in the state. As part of

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3738-652: The Cumberland Plateau in Middle Tennessee in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In 1897, Tennessee celebrated its centennial of statehood one year late with the Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition in Nashville. A full-scale replica of the Parthenon in Athens was designed by architect William Crawford Smith and constructed for the celebration The site of the exposition

3827-712: The General Sessions Court are popularly elected to four-year terms. Other officials, including the Chancery Court Clerk, Election Administrator, and Highway Superintendent, are appointed for four-year terms. The latter two are appointed by the Election Commission and Highway Commission respectively, and the Chancery Court Clerk is appointed by the elected judges of Tennessee's 21st Judicial District. Williamson County Schools , which operates 50 schools, has K-12 education for most of

3916-536: The Nashville and Clarksville metropolitan areas are among the fastest-growing regions in the nation. Throughout the past 10,000 years, a number of different Native peoples are believed to have inhabited what is now Middle Tennessee. The region is believed to have been rich in game animals favored by Ice Age hunter-gatherers . During the Mississippian period (1000–1600 AD), Native Americans established chiefdoms and constructed numerous earthwork mounds in

4005-546: The Nashville and Clarksville metropolitan areas, Cookeville , located in the eastern part of the region, and Shelbyville , located about 50 miles (80 km) southeast of Nashville, anchor important population centers in Middle Tennessee. Other important cities in the region include Manchester , McMinnville , Tullahoma , Winchester , Lewisburg , and Lawrenceburg . A diversity of sectors drives Middle Tennessee's economy, including music and entertainment, automotive manufacturing, healthcare, and technology. The region's economy

4094-579: The North and Midwest for work and to escape Jim Crow oppression and violence. County population did not surpass its 1880 level until 1970, when it began to develop suburban housing in response to growth in Nashville. One of the first major manufacturers to establish operations in the county was the Dortch Stove works, which opened a factory in Franklin. The factory was later developed as a Magic Chef factory, producing electric and gas ranges. (Magic Chef

4183-931: The United States, Envision Healthcare , Vanguard Health Systems , Ardent Health Services , and LifePoint Health. Other important business sectors in the region include banking, finance, insurance, and publishing. The technology sector is also rapidly becoming an important aspect of Middle Tennessee's economy, with such tech giants as Amazon and Oracle pledging investments in the area in 2018 and 2021, respectively, that are expected to employ thousands. Other major corporations headquartered in Middle Tennessee include Caterpillar Inc. in Nashville, Acadia Senior Living in Franklin, Dollar General in Goodlettsville, Tractor Supply Company and Delek US in Brentwood, and Cracker Barrel in Lebanon. Automotive manufacturing

4272-404: The United States. This growth has accelerated since 1990, causing Middle Tennessee to surpass East Tennessee as the most populous of the state's grand divisions in the 2000s. The region's economy has been transformed by new economic sectors, including the automotive, healthcare, banking, technology, and entertainment industries. Unlike the geographic designations of regions of most U.S. states,

4361-434: The area altogether. The oppression of Jim Crow and related violence and the decline in the need for farm labor in the early 20th century, as mechanization was adopted, resulted in many blacks leaving Tennessee for industrial cities of the North and Midwest in the Great Migration . The total 1880 county population was not surpassed until 1970. Combined with the rapid increase in white newcomers in new suburban developments in

4450-571: The area by 1798, after the Revolutionary War. Fur traders had preceded them. Scots traders had intermarried with Native American women and had families with them. Both sides thought these relationships could benefit them. Most of the settlers were migrants from Virginia and North Carolina, part of a western movement across the Appalachian Mountains after the American Revolutionary War. Others came after living for

4539-493: The bloodiest battles of the entire war. In February, the Confederates took about 670 to 870 casualties in the Battle of Dover when Colonel Abner C. Harding defeated the 2500 Confederate troops with 800 Union soldiers. The next summer, Rosecrans's Tullahoma campaign forced Bragg's remaining troops in Middle Tennessee to flee to Chattanooga with little fighting. The last major battles in Middle Tennessee occurred during

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4628-618: The country . In 2006 it was the 17th-wealthiest county in the country according to the U.S. Census Bureau , but the Council for Community and Economic Research ranked Williamson County as America's wealthiest county (1st) when the local cost of living was factored into the equation with median household income. In 2010, Williamson County is listed 17th on the Forbes list of the 25 wealthiest counties in America . By 2006 Williamson County had

4717-452: The county has a total area of 584 square miles (1,510 km ), of which 582.8 square miles (1,509 km ) is land and 1.2 square miles (3.1 km ) (0.2%) is water. The Harpeth River and its tributary, the Little Harpeth River , are the county's primary streams. The county population decreased from a high in 1880 over most of the next several decades, due in large part to African Americans moving to towns and cities for work, or out of

4806-413: The county held 13,000 enslaved African Americans, who made up nearly half the population of more than 27,000 (see table below). Williamson County was severely affected by the war. Three battles were fought in the county: the Battle of Brentwood , the Battle of Thompson's Station , and the Battle of Franklin , which had some of the highest fatalities of the war. The large plantations that were part of

4895-480: The county since the late 20th century, African Americans now constitute a small minority. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 247,726 people, 84,393 households, and 68,001 families residing in the county. The population increase of 64,544, or 35.2% over the 2010 figure of 183,182 residents, represents the largest net increase in the county's history. As of the census of 2010 , there were 183,182 people, 64,886 households, and 51,242 households residing in

4984-490: The county's economic foundation were ravaged, and many of the county's youth were killed. Many Confederate casualties of the Battle of Franklin were buried in the McGavock Confederate Cemetery near the Carnton plantation house. Containing the bodies of 1,481 soldiers, it is the largest private Confederate cemetery in America. The county continued to be agricultural and rural into the early 1900s. "Most residents were farmers who raised corn, wheat, cotton and livestock." In

5073-409: The county. A portion of the city of Franklin is under the Franklin Special School District for K-8 and the Williamson County district for high school. 35°53′N 86°54′W  /  35.89°N 86.90°W  / 35.89; -86.90 Middle Tennessee Middle Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee that composes roughly the central portion of the state. It

5162-417: The county. The population density was 314.21 persons per square mile (121.32 persons/km ). The housing unit density was 111.30 units per square mile (42.97 units/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 90.05% White , 4.34% African American , 3.01% Asian , 0.22% Native American , 0.04% Pacific Islander , and 1.32% from two or more races . Those of Hispanic or Latino origins constituted 4.46% of

5251-411: The early years of the civil rights movement , the Highlander Folk School near Monteagle provided training to a number of activists in the movement, including Martin Luther King Jr. , Ralph Abernathy , John Lewis , and Rosa Parks . The Nashville Student Movement was organized as part of workshops on nonviolence taught by activist James Lawson . Between February and May 1960, the group organized

5340-400: The focal point of Radnor Lake State Natural Area. 35°56′02″N 86°45′36″W  /  35.9339519°N 86.759999°W  / 35.9339519; -86.759999 This article related to a river in Tennessee is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Williamson County, Tennessee Williamson County is a county in the U.S. state of Tennessee . As of

5429-427: The government known as the Watauga Association that had been established by the settlers of East Tennessee. Fort Nashborough later developed as the city of Nashville, and a number of other settlements were established nearby in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The first settlements in Middle Tennessee became known as the Cumberland Settlements. In 1790, what is now Tennessee became the Southwest Territory , and

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5518-411: The larger Appalachian Plateau of the Appalachian Mountains . The Cumberland Plateau has an average elevation of 2,000 feet (610 m), and is characterized by flat-topped tablelands separated by long, crooked stream valleys and rocky cliffs with numerous waterfalls . Middle Tennessee's highest elevation, at 2,382 feet (726 m), is found on the Cumberland Plateau in Grundy County . Under

5607-408: The largest municipal parks in the Southern United States , and provides a lovely setting for some of the picnic areas. From there, it flows into the main Harpeth River (colloquially called the "Big Harpeth") near the Bellevue area of Nashville. Its major tributaries are Beech Creek and Otter Creek , which is impounded several miles above its confluence with the Little Harpeth to form Radnor Lake,

5696-423: The local Native Americans, but by the 1740s the settlement had largely been abandoned. In the 1750s and 1760s, longhunters from Virginia explored much of Middle Tennessee, especially the Cumberland Plateau . In 1769, French-born fur trader Timothy Demonbreun established residence along the Cumberland River in present-day Nashville. In 1779, James Robertson and John Donelson led two groups of settlers from

5785-492: The mid-20th century, stimulating tremendous population growth in Williamson County. As residential suburban population has increased, the formerly rural county has invested in infrastructure and schools, and its character is rapidly changing. Between 1990 and 2000, the county's population increased 56.3 percent, mostly in the northern part, including Franklin and Brentwood . As of census estimates in 2012, Franklin has more than 66,000 residents (a five-fold increase since 1980), and

5874-406: The most common definition, the following 41 counties are included in Middle Tennessee: The Official Tourism Website of Tennessee has a definition of Middle Tennessee slightly different from the legal definition; the website includes Cumberland County while excluding Grundy and Sequatchie counties. Middle Tennessee is the largest in area and most populated of the state's three Grand Divisions. At

5963-419: The nation. This radio program helped establish Nashville as the national home of country music . During World War II Camp Forrest , located in Tullahoma , was one of the U.S. Army 's largest training bases. It was also used to house German, Italian, and Japanese prisoners of war. After the war, it was adapted as Arnold Air Force Base . The Vultee Aircraft Corporation operated a plant in Nashville during

6052-653: The population of Middle Tennessee. After the election of Abraham Lincoln that year, a majority of Middle Tennesseans voted against the state's ordinance of secession in February 1861. Many of these white voters supported the continuation of slavery but were skeptical about leaving the Union. Following the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter in April 1861, which started the Civil War , and President Lincoln's call to raise federal troops in response, many Middle Tennesseans changed their opinions about secession. In June 1861, Middle Tennessee voted in favor of Tennessee's second ordnance of secession, which resulted in Tennessee joining

6141-485: The population. Williamson County is estimated to be the county in Tennessee with the highest percentage of Asian residents. Of all of the households, 41.11% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 68.08% were married couples living together, 2.67% had a male householder with no wife present, 8.22% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.03% were non-families. 17.73% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.85% had someone living alone who

6230-435: The post-Reconstruction era and the early 20th century, white violence against African Americans increased in an effort to assert dominance. Five African Americans were lynched by white mobs in Williamson County. Among them was Amos Miller , a 23-year-old black man taken from the courtroom during his 1888 trial as a suspect in a sexual assault case, and hanged from the balcony of the county courthouse. The sexual assault victim

6319-464: The region in Clarksville and runs in a southeast to northwest alignment, passing through Nashville and its southeastern suburbs of La Vergne , Smyrna , and Murfreesboro , before exiting the region in the southeast. I-440 serves as a bypass around downtown Nashville, and I-840 is an outer bypass around Nashville, passing though suburban counties to the south. Other important freeways in Middle Tennessee include State Route 155 (SR 155/Briley Parkway),

6408-812: The region, including the Cumberland Fossil Plant , Gallatin Fossil Plant , and the Johnsonville Combustion Turbine Plant , as well as several hydroelectric dams. In addition, TVA also purchases power from dams on the Cumberland River and its tributaries operated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers . The largest provider of power to the region, however, is the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant in northern Alabama,

6497-757: The region, such as Mound Bottom in Cheatham County and the Castalian Springs site in Sumner County . By the late 17th century, for unknown reasons, there were few Native Americans left in Middle Tennessee, but the Cherokee and the Chickasaw claimed the region as their hunting grounds. Natives that had occupied what is now Middle Tennessee prior to this time may have died as a result of new infectious diseases indirectly introduced by European explorers. The first Europeans to reach what

6586-495: The same in 2019. Bridgestone has its North American corporate headquarters in Nashville, and operates manufacturing facilities throughout the region. Middle Tennessee is home to several automotive parts suppliers scattered throughout the region. Other products manufactured in Middle Tennessee include processed foods, consumer electronics, electrical equipment, computer products, chemicals, and firearms. Soybeans and tobacco are grown throughout Middle Tennessee, and beef cattle

6675-582: The second-largest nuclear plant in the United States. Tourism plays a major role in Middle Tennessee's economy. Nashville has the largest tourism economy in the state, and contains many attractions, mostly related to its musical heritage. Top attractions in the region include the Grand Ole Opry , Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum , Ryman Auditorium , Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center , Johnny Cash Museum , National Museum of African American Music , Frist Art Museum , The Parthenon ,

6764-480: The settlements in Middle Tennessee were organized into the Mero District, named after Spanish territorial governor Esteban Rodríguez Miró . In 1795, a survey conducted by the territorial legislature found that the majority of residents of Middle Tennessee were opposed to statehood, while the majority of residents of East Tennessee, of which there were approximately three times more, were in favor. Tennessee

6853-555: The state for the duration of the war. Union strength in the area, however, was tested by a series of Confederate offensives beginning in the summer of 1862, which culminated in Union General William Rosecrans 's Army of the Cumberland routing Confederate General Braxton Bragg 's Army of Tennessee at the Battle of Stones River in Murfreesboro in December 1862 and January 1863. This was one of

6942-499: The state's three Grand Divisions . According to the Tennessee State Constitution , no more than two of the state supreme court 's five justices can come from any one Grand Division. The Supreme Court rotates meeting in courthouses in each of the three divisions. The Supreme Court building for Middle Tennessee is in Nashville . A similar rule applies to certain other commissions and boards, in order to prevent

7031-571: The state's total land area. According to custom, Middle Tennessee consists of the portion of the state east of the Tennessee River 's western crossing of the state (in which it flows northward back into Tennessee after having flowed through northern Alabama ) and west of the dividing line between the Eastern and Central time zones . Exceptions to this rule are that Hardin County , which

7120-550: The state, and the Clarksville metropolitan area is the state's sixth most populous. Middle Tennessee is both the largest, in terms of land area, and the most populous of the state's three Grand Divisions. Geographically, Middle Tennessee is composed of the Highland Rim , which completely surrounds the Nashville Basin . The Cumberland Plateau is located in the eastern part of the region. Culturally, Middle Tennessee

7209-422: The term "Middle Tennessee" has legal as well as socioeconomic and cultural meaning. Middle Tennessee comprises one of the state's three Grand Divisions , whose boundaries are defined by state law. The others are East Tennessee and West Tennessee , each with distinctive history, geography, and demographics. The total land area of Middle Tennessee is 17,009.41 square miles (44,054.2 km ), representing 41.27% of

7298-492: The vote. Before 1964, Williamson County was a classic "Solid South" county. However, as seen in the table on county voting in presidential elections, from 1964 to 1972 the majority of voters shifted from the Democratic Party, which had long dominated county and state politics, to the Republican Party. Since the 1970s, Williamson County has been one of the most Republican suburban counties in the country. Jimmy Carter

7387-667: The war, employing mostly women. On February 25 and 26, 1946, a civil disturbance known as the "Columbia Race Riot" occurred in Columbia , instigated by a fight between a Black Navy veteran and a White repair apprentice. Described by the press as the "first major racial confrontation" following World War II, the event garnered national attention. It marked a new era of resistance by African-American veterans and others following their participation in World War II , which they believed had earned them their full rights as citizens. During

7476-496: The years following the Civil War, African Americans and their White allies in Middle Tennessee were targeted with acts of violence by former Confederates. Many freedmen (former slaves) became sharecroppers following the end of slavery, and were often disadvantaged by the planters' recordkeeping and contracts. The post-Reconstruction era in Middle Tennessee was characterized by continued White violence against African Americans, especially related to elections, and many were lynched in

7565-416: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.20. The age distribution was 29.28% under the age of 18, 61.00% ages 18 to 64, and 9.72% age 65 and older. The median age was 38.5 years. 51.23% of the population were females and 48.77% were males. Williamson County is ranked as the wealthiest county in Tennessee , as well as among the wealthiest counties in

7654-469: Was a 50-year-old woman. In 1924, 15-year-old Samuel Smith was lynched in Nolensville for shooting and wounding a white grocer. He was taken from a Nashville hospital by a mob and brought back to the town to be murdered. He was the last recorded lynching victim in the Nashville area. Numerous blacks left Williamson County from 1880 through 1950 as part of the Great Migration to industrial cities in

7743-440: Was a crucial region during the American Civil War . Tennessee was occupied by Federal troops from 1862 through the end of the war. Many battles and campaigns were waged by Confederates in this region, especially in efforts to control the major rivers. Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest conducted extensive raids through this area, destroying many Union assets in the 1864 Battle of Johnsonville . The bloodiest major battle of

7832-399: Was admitted to the Union as the 16th state the following year. During the antebellum era , a slavery -based agrarian economy took hold in Middle Tennessee, especially in the fertile soils of the Nashville Basin . Planters primarily grew cotton in the Nashville Basin, and tobacco and corn were cultivated in the Highland Rim . By 1860 , enslaved African Americans composed about 29% of

7921-494: Was prominent in the Midwest from 1929.) When the factory was closed due to extensive restructuring in the industry, the structure fell into disuse. The factory complex was restored in the late 1990s in an adaptation for offices, restaurants, retail and event spaces. It is considered a "model historic preservation adaptive reuse project." The completion of the Interstate Highway System contributed to Nashville's rapid expansion in

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