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97-500: Jackson Male Academy was founded in 1823 just after West Tennessee was opened for settlement. Only five years earlier in 1818 was the land purchased from the Chickasaw Indians. Union University was established in 1875 in a consolidation of Southwestern Baptist College at Murfreesboro and West Tennessee College at Jackson. In 1907, T. T. Eaton, a trustee of Southwestern Baptist University, left his 6,000 volume library to

194-459: A 75-year-old man was killed when the tornado destroyed his house at F4 intensity. The National Weather Service documented that he was attempting to shield his wheelchair-bound wife when the tornado struck. As the tornado continued into Van Wert, it maintained F4 intensity. In Van Wert, 43 homes and five businesses were destroyed and 164 homes and 27 businesses were damaged. The Twin Cinemas and

291-597: A backup landing strip for FedEx. The public universities and colleges in West Tennessee are the University of Memphis , the University of Tennessee at Martin , Dyersburg State Community College , Jackson State Community College , Southwest Tennessee Community College , and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, which has state medical, dental, nursing, and pharmacy schools, as well as

388-536: A charter that vested the rights, authority, and property of Union University in the Tennessee Convention. This charter included the election of the university's trustees. Two years later, the Convention consolidated Hall-Moody Junior College at Martin (1900–1927) with Union University; the former Hall-Moody campus subsequently became the location of the University of Tennessee Junior College , now

485-412: A code of conduct that prohibits among other things, homosexual behavior and advocacy, as well as premarital sex and alcohol. However, former students have said that the anti-gay policies are enforced much more strictly than others. While heterosexual students received small fines for violations, homosexual students were given the choice of conversion therapy or expulsion. In 2008, Union denied access to

582-411: A desire to take Union to a more rigorous, conservative path. During his administration, which lasted until 2014, the university: On February 5, 2008, at 7:02 p.m., the university was struck by an EF4 tornado , with winds between 166 and 200 miles per hour (267 and 322 km/h). The tornado destroyed 18 dormitory buildings and caused over $ 40 million worth of damage to the campus, which suffered

679-523: A direct hit, rendering almost 80% of the dormitory space to be either totally destroyed or unlivable. None of the approximately 1,800 students on campus at the time were killed. Fifty-one students were taken to Jackson-Madison General Hospital. While most students were released after being treated, nine were kept overnight. Some students were trapped for hours while emergency crews worked to rescue them. A total of 31 buildings received damage of varying degrees. The devastation captured nationwide attention and

776-646: A graduate program in health sciences. The University of Memphis has a branch campus in Jackson after taking over the former Lambuth University campus. Private institutions of higher education located in the region include Christian Brothers University , LeMoyne–Owen College , Rhodes College , Union University , Lane College , Bethel University , and Freed-Hardeman University . 35°42′N 89°12′W  /  35.7°N 89.2°W  / 35.7; -89.2 Veterans Day Weekend tornado outbreak of 2002 The 2002 Veterans Day weekend tornado outbreak

873-477: A national talking point on the issue of eminent domain and grassroots lobbying when the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) attempted to construct the highway through the city's Overton Park . A local activist group began fighting the project in 1957, and in 1971, the U.S. Supreme Court sided with the group and established the framework for judicial review of government agencies in

970-633: A number of African American sharecroppers in majority-Black Fayette and Haywood counties were evicted from their lands in retaliation for registering to vote. In response, they formed a makeshift encampment called Tent City with the assistance of Black landowners, which lasted until 1962. On April 4, 1968, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis by James Earl Ray . King had traveled to Memphis days before to support striking African American sanitation workers . The construction of Interstate 40 through Memphis became

1067-568: A part of northern Mississippi . Although the vast majority of the purchase area lies in Tennessee, the term " Jackson Purchase " is used today mostly to refer solely to the Kentuckian portion of the acquisition. After West Tennessee was opened to European settlement in 1818, cotton planters began exploiting the fertile soils of the region in the 1820s, and an agrarian economy , heavily dependent on African American slave labor took hold in

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1164-530: A powerful and negatively-tilted upper-level trough upwards of 150 kn (175 mph; 280 km/h) was observed driving east-southeastward toward the U.S. Central and Southern Plains . While a shortwave trough at the leading edge of this feature progressed across the Texas Panhandle, a surface area of low pressure resided across the Central and Northern Plains . Southerly flow associated with

1261-472: A result, multiple tornadoes occurred across Arkansas, Tennessee, and Missouri on November 9. A far more widespread and severe event occurred the following day, with three distinct tornado outbreaks focused across areas from Illinois to Pennsylvania; Tennessee and Kentucky; and areas from Mississippi to South Carolina. The most intense tornado of the outbreak was a violent F4 tornado that occurred near Van Wert, Ohio . A total of 76 tornadoes occurred during

1358-592: A rival area university, reportedly offered to open its dormitories to displaced Union students. The congregation of Englewood Baptist Church, which owned the Old English Inn in Jackson, voted unanimously to open the inn to Union students. The church's move accommodated almost 300 students until December 2008. The university also expected that around 200 students would be housed in the private homes of Union faculty, staff and friends. The February 5, 2008, event

1455-446: A role as bedroom suburbs of metropolitan areas ) recorded a growth rate of more than 10% from 2000 to 2010. Many West Tennessee counties are not on the state's major transportation routes (railroads or highways) and have no air transport to speak of; and rely heavily on agriculture. With fewer farms and farmers, and the continuing decline of manufacturing, economic opportunities diminish in these counties, and young residents look outside

1552-700: A series of offensives into West Tennessee between December 1862 and January 1863, which resulted in Confederate victories in minor battles at Lexington and Jackson , as well as a disputed outcome at Parker's Crossroads . The raids failed to completely stop Grant's movement southward. One of the most notorious events of the war occurred in April 1864 in Lauderdale County, when Confederate troops under Forrest's command massacred hundreds of surrendering Union soldiers , most of whom were Black. Like most of

1649-705: A squall line ahead of a cold front , the presence of strong shear and dry air in the mid-levels supported the line's breakdown into supercells and bowing segments. Ahead of this activity, additional discrete supercells overspread much of Ohio owing to a prefrontal trough. A long-tracked, violent F4 tornado began in Van Wert and tracked for over 52 mi (84 km), killing 4 people and injuring 17 others. An F3 tornado near Tiffin killed one person and injured two others. An F2 tornado in Clark, Pennsylvania , killed 1 person. Numerous other tornadoes were recorded throughout

1746-484: A strongly sheared environment, with storm relative helicity – a measure of the potential for cyclonic updrafts – around 800 m2/s2. Despite initial concern that the lower levels of the atmosphere were not quite as favorable, evening atmospheric soundings from Little Rock, Arkansas, and Memphis, Tennessee, showcased an extremely favorable environment for significant tornadoes. Clusters of supercells tracked from Arkansas into Tennessee over ensuing hours, and in fact,

1843-592: A washer and dryer. All private living spaces have a window and the common areas have cable TV access. There is no student housing at the Germantown campus. Temporary off campus housing was at The Jett (the former Old English Inn) for the majority of the spring 2008 semester. Union (Tenn.) athletic teams are the Bulldogs. The university is a member of the NCAA Division II level, primarily competing in

1940-568: Is 290 acres (1.2 km) and includes a 2,200-seat gymnasium, dormitories for men and women including a married housing complex, separate lodges for the fraternities and sororities, academic halls, an administration center, baseball and softball parks, two soccer fields, and wellness center. Union also has a 35-acre (140,000 m) campus in Germantown, Tennessee , (suburban Memphis ) offering graduate degrees in business, education, Christian studies & nursing. The degrees in education include

2037-800: Is at the edge of the New Madrid Seismic Zone . In 1811 and 1812, three of the largest quakes in American history hit this region when it had few European settlers. By some reports, the earthquakes briefly reversed the flow of the Mississippi River . A lasting legacy of the earthquakes is the Reelfoot Lake , a large but shallow body of water in northwestern Tennessee that was created by the earthquakes. There are 21 counties in West Tennessee: Seven of

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2134-473: Is expected to be operational in 2025, will cost approximately $ 5.6 billion, making it the most expensive single investment in state history, and employ approximately 5,700. Large corporations based in the region include FedEx , International Paper , First Horizon Corporation , and AutoZone , all based in Memphis. Tourism also plays a major role in the region's economy, especially attractions related to its musical heritage. Major attractions include Graceland ,

2231-705: Is flatter than the eastern parts of the state. Areas along the Mississippi River are located within the Mississippi Alluvial Plain , which is primarily a floodplain with many swamps . However, much of the western counties of the region are protected from flooding by the Chickasaw Bluffs , ridges of loess rising 50 to 200 feet (15 to 61 m) above the floodplain. Although the land is lower and flatter than Middle and East Tennessee, some hilly terrain exists, especially along

2328-490: Is in Jackson . Similar rules apply to certain other state commissions and boards, as well, to prevent them from showing any geographical biases. Until the year 2001, West Tennessee, including all of Hardin County , was in the area code 901 . After a large amount of population growth necessitated two area codes for West Tennessee, Memphis , its northern and eastern suburbs, as well as Fayette and Tipton counties, retained

2425-462: Is the hub for FedEx , it is the busiest freight airport in the world. West Tennessee also has two important regional airports. McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport (MKL) is located outside of Jackson and Dyersburg Regional Airport (DYR) is southwest of Dyersburg. In addition to these, several general aviation exist along with two former military airstrips. Arnold Field in Lauderdale County maintains an airstrip and Millington Regional Jetport serves as

2522-425: The 901 area code , with the remainder of West Tennessee being placed into area code 731 . The Memphis area is one of the largest metropolitan areas that does not require 10-digit dialing, and it is anticipated it will remain this way for many years to come. Interstate 40 (I-40) is West Tennessee's primary interstate highway , which runs for 134 miles (216 km) from the Mississippi River in Memphis and crosses

2619-590: The Fujita scale , with several homes and businesses sustaining F4 damage in the city of Van Wert. The tornado touched down approximately four miles (6.4 km) northeast of the village of Willshire, Ohio in Van Wert County and began moving northeast towards the city of Van Wert . Right after touching down, the tornado rapidly intensified to F4 intensity as it crossed Zook Road approximately five miles (8.0 km) southwest of Van Wert. Around Zook Road,

2716-816: The Gulf South Conference (GSC) since the 2012–13 academic year. They were also a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA), primarily competing as an independent in the Mid-East Region of the Division I level. The Bulldogs previously competed in the defunct TranSouth Athletic Conference (TranSouth or TSAC) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 1996–97 to 2011–12. Union began

2813-508: The Northeast and Midwest for better economic opportunities and to escape increasing racial segregation imposed by Jim Crow laws passed by the state legislature. During this time, many West Tennessee residents, Black and White, also relocated from rural areas to Memphis and other cities in the state. Beginning during this time and lasting until the latter 20th century, Memphis experienced an explosive population and economic boom, whereas

2910-500: The Republican Party in this part of the state. West Tennessee is represented by part of the 7th district , and all of the 8th and 9th districts. The 7th district covers Benton, Decatur, Henderson, Hardeman, Chester, McNairy, and Hardin counties. The 8th district represents the remaining counties except for Memphis and Millington, which are represented by the 9th district. The Supreme Court building for West Tennessee

3007-597: The Soulforce Equality Ride , an effort to fight discrimination against gay people. Students were warned to have no contact with the group, and one student who approached them was subsequently investigated. Soulforce participants were arrested for trespassing. In 2015, Union withdrew from the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities after two council colleges changed their policies to allow hiring faculty members in same-sex marriages. Four members of

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3104-648: The University of Tennessee at Martin . In 1948 the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools granted Union University accreditation. In 1962 Union developed a nursing program with the assistance of Jackson-Madison County General Hospital at the request of local physicians. In 1975 Union moved from downtown Jackson, Tennessee , to a new campus located near the Highway 45-Bypass in north Jackson. During President Robert Craig (1967–85) and President Hyran Barefoot's (1987–1996) administrations: From

3201-517: The antebellum period that was heavily dependent on slave labor . As a result, it forms the northwestern tip of the Black Belt . The first Europeans to reach what is now West Tennessee were part of an expedition led by Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto , who in 1541 became the first Europeans to reach the Mississippi River south of present-day Memphis. In 1673, a French expedition led by missionary Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet explored

3298-500: The landmark case of Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe . The group's efforts eventually resulted in TDOT cancelling the route in 1981. Since the 1960s, West Tennessee has seen cycles of population booms and stagnation. Agriculture has remained a central tenet of the region's economy, and despite the creation of new economic sectors and employment opportunities, the region has not overall benefitted from these changes as much as

3395-666: The 20th century. Rivers that empty into the Mississippi River include the Obion River , Forked Deer River , Hatchie River (which has not been channelized), Loosahatchie River , Wolf River , and Nonconnah Creek . Rivers that empty into the Tennessee River include the Big Sandy River and Beech River . West Tennessee sits on top of an artesian aquifer. This aquifer is the main source of water for Memphis and Shelby County , as well as many other communities. In

3492-558: The 3-day period, collectively resulting in 36 deaths and 303 injuries. As of 2022, the event ranks as the third-largest tornado outbreak on record in November. The first signs for organized severe weather became apparent on November 7, when the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) outlined a Slight risk across portions of the mid- Mississippi and western Ohio River valleys valid for November 9. On that day,

3589-621: The Civil War. In February 1862, the U.S. Navy , under the command of General Ulysses S. Grant , captured the Tennessee River in February 1862 at the Battle of Fort Henry near the Kentucky border. Grant then proceeded south to Pittsburg Landing, and two months later held off a Confederate counterattack, led by Albert Sidney Johnston and P. G. T. Beauregard at the Battle of Shiloh , which

3686-479: The February 5, 2008 tornado was about 15 times as bad at the 2002 tornado. The damage caused by the February 5th tornado was estimated at $ 40 million. Presidents of the university have included: Union University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Its business program is also accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). The campus

3783-655: The High and Moderate risk areas showed a very unstable environment with surface-based CAPE values in the 2,000–3,000 J/kg range. Despite the presence of a cap , this inversion was weak and expected to be eroded by warming daytime temperatures. Meanwhile, deep-layer wind shear of 50–60 kn (60–70 mph; 95–110 km/h) overspread the area. Though shear profiles were largely unidirectional initially, low-level winds were expected to become more conducive for discrete supercells and tornadoes. As expected, temperatures climbing to around 80 °F (27 °C) and dewpoints reaching

3880-535: The M.Ed., M.A.Ed., Ed.S., and Ed.D. Union's newest location is in Hendersonville, Tennessee , a suburb of Nashville . This campus offers graduate degrees in education and Christian studies. In Jackson, Union has apartment-style living. Each student has a separate private bedroom that shares a common living space with three roommates. All apartments feature a high-speed Internet connection, as well as kitchen unit. Some apartments feature private phone lines or

3977-486: The Memphis area and areas along the bluffs, the loess and gravel serves as a cap over the sand making up the aquifer. The rest of West Tennessee serves as a recharge area for the aquifer. This aquifer provides some of the cleanest water in the United States. The entire West Tennessee region, especially the area closest to the Mississippi River, lies in a zone of fairly high estimated risk for earthquakes . This area

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4074-914: The Memphis area. One is operated by Norfolk Southern in Rossville, one operated by BNSF in Southeast Memphis, and one operated by Canadian National in Southwest Memphis. Amtrak runs the City of New Orleans passenger rail service along the CN rail line. There are two stops in West Tennessee along this route, which are in Downtown Memphis at Central Station and in Newbern north of Dyersburg. West Tennessee has one international airport, Memphis International Airport (MEM). Because it

4171-464: The Mississippi River to Dyersburg. I-269 serves as an outer bypass around Memphis, passing to the east of the city. An extension of I-69 is proposed to run from the Mississippi state line in Memphis to the Kentucky line near South Fulton. The U.S. Highways that travel through West Tennessee are: Freight railways crisscross West Tennessee. Norfolk Southern maintains a line running through

4268-537: The Mississippi River, becoming the first Europeans to map the Mississippi Valley. In 1682, a French expedition led by René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle constructed Fort Prudhomme on the Chickasaw Bluffs along the Mississippi River north of present-day Memphis. In 1739, the French constructed Fort Assumption under the command of Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville on the Mississippi River at

4365-487: The NCCAA in volleyball (2003), men's soccer (2004), softball (2001, 2002, 2004, 2013) and women's basketball (2014). There are six social fraternities and sororities on campus, two music fraternities and numerous academic fraternities. Each of these groups is relatively large in size relative to the size of the institution and consistently contributes to philanthropies, both regionally and globally. The number of members in

4462-604: The River on the Frisco Bridge . Union Pacific maintains a short line through Memphis crossing the river on the Harahan Bridge and connects with other lines in the area. CSX runs a line from Memphis through Memphis, Brownsville, Humboldt, Milan, McKenzie, and Camden, then crossing the Tennessee River. Many other short line railroads exist scattered throughout the region. There are three intermodal facilities around

4559-590: The South, West Tennessee was greatly devastated by the effects of the Civil War. After the War and during the beginning of Reconstruction , most large cotton plantations were divided into smaller farms. Most freed slaves were forced into sharecropping , and many also worked as agricultural wage laborers. The region was characterized by racial tension between former slaves and their White allies and former Confederates, which often resulted in violence and lynchings perpetrated by

4656-481: The Tennessee River in Benton County , passing near Brownsville and through Jackson in between. Interstate 240 (I-240) is an auxiliary bypass route of I-40 that runs to the south of Memphis. Interstate 55 (I-55) runs for 13 miles (21 km), entirely within southwest Memphis, from the Mississippi state line to the Mississippi River. I-155 is located in the northwestern part of West Tennessee, running from

4753-706: The Tennessee River in Hardin County, and resulted in the electrification of many rural parts of the region. During World War II , the U.S. Army constructed an ammunition plant in Milan , which also later produced ammunition for the Korean War and Vietnam War . As part of the second wave of the Great Migration , African Americans fled West Tennessee in greater numbers than before, which further exacerbated population decline in rural counties. In 1960,

4850-616: The Union defined the region as part of the state. West Tennessee did not come under American control until it was obtained in a series of cessions by the Chickasaw in 1818, an acquisition known as the Jackson Purchase , which was negotiated by Andrew Jackson , who later became the 7th President of the United States, and former-Kentucky governor Isaac Shelby . This purchase also included the westernmost area of Kentucky as well as

4947-446: The afternoon hours, the tornado outbreak unfolded in three distinct locations. To the north across Indiana and Ohio, temperatures rose into the lower 70s and dewpoints climbed into the mid-60s °F, supporting CAPE values of 1,000–2,000 J/kg. In addition, significant pressure falls in the region contributed to backed surface winds, aiding in favorable low-level shear profiles. Although storms in this region were initially congealed into

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5044-411: The afternoon. The event evolved into more of a significant damaging wind episode as storms progressed farther east into Pennsylvania by the evening hours. With the northern outbreak unfolding, a central outbreak simultaneously overspread portions of Tennessee and Kentucky, while a southern outbreak spanned areas from Mississippi into South Carolina. Surface observations and atmospheric soundings across

5141-453: The area for jobs, leading to substantial out-migration. Thus, the population in West Tennessee is increasingly older, with median ages above the state average in most counties; and the over-65 age group constitutes a larger percentage of the total population than the state average, leading in turn to a below-replacement-rate birth/death ratio, and economic decline, including empty and neglected housing and business structures. Agriculture plays

5238-463: The area. Much like the outbreak farther north, the event transitioned into more of a damaging wind event by the evening hours, though a few tornadoes still occurred during the early morning hours across Georgia and South Carolina. On November 10, a violent tornado struck the city of Van Wert and the community of Roselms in Ohio . The National Weather Service rated the worst of the damage F4 on

5335-496: The bluffs bordering the Mississippi River and the land bordering the Tennessee River, known as the West Tennessee Highlands. Hilly land in these areas is forested. Otherwise, most of the land in West Tennessee is used as farmland. The soil in this part of the state comes from when a prehistoric sea dried up and left sediment in its place. Unlike in the rest of the state, bedrock is buried a few thousand feet below

5432-578: The city of Van Wert. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration later stated that out of the entire tornado outbreak, which included a total of 76 tornadoes, the Van Wert–Roselms tornado was the most remembered, due to "the heroic efforts of [Scott Shaffer] at the Van Wert Cinemas. After hearing the tornado warning that was broadcast over the county's warning system, the manager led 60 patrons to interior hallways and restrooms. This

5529-562: The city to temporarily lose its charter. Many rural West Tennesseans relocated to Memphis and other cities during the latter 19th century. While the region remained predominantly rural, Memphis experienced modest industrialization, and became known as the "Cotton Capitol of the World" during the late 19th century. As part of the first wave of the Great Migration , many African American West Tennesseans relocated to industrial cities in

5626-536: The college. Eaton was a former professor of Union University at Murfreesboro , where his father, Joseph H. Eaton, was a former president. Later that year Southwestern changed its name to Union University to honor the Eatons and others from Union at Murfreesboro who had impacted Southwestern as faculty, administrators, trustees, and contributors. In 1925 the Tennessee Baptist Convention secured

5723-522: The cyclone prompted the northward advection of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico , with dewpoints rising into the lower 60s °F as far north as southern Illinois; this moisture promoted modest destabilization and mid-level convective available potential energy (CAPE) values from 500 to 1,000 J/kg. As the shortwave trough continued eastward, it aided in the formation of thunderstorms across northeastern Arkansas around 00:00 UTC. These storms resided in

5820-572: The early 1950s to the early 1970s, Union operated an Extension Center in the Memphis area. From 1987 to 1995, Union offered the degree-completion program leading to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN track) in Memphis. At that time there were over 300 graduates of this program. David S. Dockery was elected as the fifteenth president of Union University in December 1995. Dockery brought

5917-583: The entire state overall. West Tennessee is the smallest of the state's three Grand Divisions, and has a land area of approximately 10,650 square miles (27,600 km ), about 25.8% of the state's total land area. The region is bounded by the Mississippi River to the west, and the Tennessee River to the east, except for in Hardin County , which is bisected by the Tennessee River. The region's boundaries have been expanded slightly to include all of this county. The states of Kentucky and Mississippi provide

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6014-542: The exception of the southeastern parts of the region along the Tennessee River, where the terrains and soils did not allow for large plantations as in most of West Tennessee. As a result, most residents of this area were Unionists . In 1860, slaves composed more than one third of West Tennessee's population, compared to about one fourth statewide. This was the highest percentage of the state's three Grand Divisions, although Middle Tennessee had more slaves. A number of crucial battles and events took place in West Tennessee during

6111-571: The five buildings in the Vision Industrial Park sustained F4 damage. In the Twin Cinemas, 60 people, mostly children, were inside watching a movie when the tornado destroyed the building. Vehicles from the cinema parking lot were thrown into the seats of the cinema. An 18-year-old was killed after driving near the cinema and having his car thrown into the cinema seats. Three county engineering buildings were also destroyed by

6208-425: The former British Prime Minister. Union's Forum is an annual speaker series that has brought several national figures to Union, including Peggy Wehmeyer , William Kristol , Michael Medved , Robert Novak , Stephen Carter , Morton Kondracke , Clarence Page , Juan Williams , and Margaret Carlson . West Tennessee West Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee that roughly comprises

6305-432: The fourteen cities in West Tennessee with a population greater than 10,000 are located within Shelby County, which comprises Memphis and its six suburbs. West Tennessee is by slight amounts less populous and smaller in land area than the other two Grand Divisions. At the 2020 census , West Tennessee had 1,557,649 inhabitants living in its 21 counties, a decrease of 4,992, or 0.32%, over the 2010 figure of 1,562,650. This

6402-524: The home of Elvis Presley , Beale Street , Sun Studio , the National Civil Rights Museum , the Memphis Zoo , and the Stax Museum of American Soul Music , all in Memphis; the Casey Jones Home & Railroad Museum in Jackson, the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center/ Tina Turner Museum in Brownsville , and Discovery Park of America in Union City . The National Park Service operates Shiloh National Military Park , and Fort Donelson National Battlefield in West Tennessee. Historically, West Tennessee

6499-440: The largest role in the economy of West Tennessee out of all of the state's Grand Divisions, and is arguably still the region's largest economic sector. Tennessee ranks seventh in the nation in the production of cotton , nearly all of which is grown in West Tennessee. The northern half of West Tennessee also produces more corn and soybeans than any other region in the state. Other important agricultural commodities cultivated in

6596-407: The latter, and continued for many decades afterwards. One of the worst acts of racial violence in the Reconstruction era occurred in Memphis in 1866 , when White mobs attacked and looted Black neighborhoods in the city, killing 46. A number of deadly epidemics swept though the region during this time, including yellow fever , which killed more than one-tenth of Memphis' residents in 1878 and caused

6693-533: The mid-60s °F allowed for deep convective development into the afternoon. Multiple swaths of supercells developed throughout the region, including one in middle Tennessee, a second from central Mississippi into northwestern Alabama, and a third from northeastern Louisiana into central Mississippi. Fatal tornadoes occurred near Shelbyville , Joyner , and Crossville in Tennessee; Carbon Hill , Saragossa , and Centre in Alabama; and Crawford in Mississippi. Numerous other tornadoes were documented throughout

6790-438: The organization issued a High risk of severe weather. Morning upper-air analyses showed mid- to upper-level winds of 100–150 kn (115–175 mph; 185–280 km/h) across the southern Rocky Mountains , as well as an embedded shortwave trough moving east toward the Mississippi and Ohio River valleys. At the surface, a strong area of low pressure was positioned over Wisconsin and moving northeastward toward Ontario. Throughout

6887-535: The persistence of these storms resulted in the formation of a weak outflow boundary that further enhanced the tornado threat. A total of 10 tornadoes occurred throughout the evening of November 9, including multiple strong tornadoes and one that killed two people near Huntingdon, Tennessee . On November 10, the SPC warned of the potential for a significant tornado outbreak and/or widespread damaging wind episode across northeastern Mississippi, much of Tennessee, northwestern Alabama, and much of Kentucky, where

6984-512: The population of most West Tennessee counties remained relatively stagnant or declined. Smaller cities such as Jackson and Dyersburg also experienced modest industrialization during this time. West Tennessee was particularly devastated by the Great Depression , even by national standards. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) played a much lesser role in the region than in the rest of the state, but constructed Pickwick Landing Dam on

7081-581: The present-day location of Memphis, which they used as a base against the Chickasaw during the 1739 Campaign of the Chickasaw Wars . In 1795, Spanish Governor-General of Louisiana , Francisco Luis Héctor de Carondelet , sent his lieutenant governor, Manuel Gayoso de Lemos , to negotiate an agreement with the local Chickasaw so that a fort could be erected on the Chickasaw Bluffs in present-day Memphis. Fort San Fernando De Las Barrancas

7178-602: The region include beef cattle , sorghum , wheat , poultry , and timber and forestry products. West Tennessee is home to manufacturing establishments which produce such products as automotive components, chemicals, electronics, appliances, and fabricated metal products. On September 27, 2021, it was announced that Ford and SK Innovation would construct a complex at the Memphis Regional Megasite near Stanton called " Blue Oval City " to manufacture electric vehicles and batteries . The facility, which

7275-551: The region. West Tennessee quickly became one of the most productive cotton-producing regions in the nation, along with much of the Deep South and the largest cotton-farming region in Tennessee. After the election of Abraham Lincoln as president in 1860 , most West Tennesseans favored joining the Confederacy in order to preserve the slavery-based economy of the region. This was true throughout most of West Tennessee, with

7372-542: The respective northern and southern boundaries, with the exception of a portion of Lauderdale County , Alabama , which lies southeast of the portion of Hardin County east of the Tennessee River. West Tennessee borders Arkansas and Missouri to the west. West Tennessee is located almost entirely within the Mississippi Embayment , part of the Gulf Coastal Plain . Because of this, the terrain

7469-931: The school's actions by pointing to the college's religious exemption from the prohibitions on discrimination in Title IX , which it had applied for and received from the U.S. Department of Education , and to the college's statement of principles, which all students agree to follow. Union's Scholarship Banquet has brought prominent national and international figures to Union including: former presidents George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush , former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice , former Secretary of State Colin Powell , former Russian president and Nobel Prize winner Mikhail Gorbachev , former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher , former Senator Bob Dole , presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani , former British Prime Minister John Major , Tony Blair, and Winston S. Churchill , Grandson of

7566-408: The social fraternities can range between 20 and 80 members per chapter. The fraternities and sororities are an active presence on campus through philanthropy, intramural sports and Greek Olympics. The fraternities represented on campus are: The sororities represented on campus are: The academic fraternities are: Union University is known for its intolerance of LGBT persons. The school has

7663-560: The southern counties from Memphis to the shoals area of Alabama. They also maintain a line which runs from South Fulton through Martin, Milan, Jackson, and Selmer crossing into Mississippi. Canadian National runs a line from South Fulton, through Union City, Dyersburg and Memphis. From here the line splits into two: one runs through the Mississippi Delta and the other one runs through the center of Mississippi. BNSF runs through Memphis from Mississippi to downtown Memphis, crossing

7760-431: The state and national average (11.5% and 9.7% respectively) from 2000 to 2010, significantly less than that of Middle and East Tennessee (18.0% and 10.4%). West Tennessee's population grew only 4.2% during the 10-year period; predominantly black Haywood County was the most rapidly diminishing county in the state, losing 5.1% of its population. Only three counties ( Chester , Fayette , and Tipton , all increasingly playing

7857-621: The surface. West Tennessee's highest elevation is approximately 840 feet (260 m) in Hardin County east of the Tennessee River, which is slightly lower than the state's mean elevation of 900 feet (270 m); the region's highest elevation west of the Tennessee River is approximately 740 feet (230 m) in Chester County . Several rivers and streams, besides the Mississippi and Tennessee, exist in West Tennessee. All of them were originally slowly moving swamps or low-gradient meandering streams before nearly all of them were channelized in

7954-536: The three Grand Divisions. Its largest city is Memphis , the state's second most populous city. West Tennessee was originally inhabited by the Chickasaw , and was the last of the three Grand Divisions to be settled by Europeans. The region officially became part of the United States with the Jackson Purchase in 1818, 22 years after Tennessee's statehood. As part of the Mississippi River basin, West Tennessee enjoys rich soil that led to large-scale cotton farming during

8051-531: The three-year transition to full NCAA Division II membership in 2011. Union (Tenn.) competes in 11 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf and soccer; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball and volleyball. Former sports included cheerleading. In the NAIA, Union captured five women's basketball national titles (1998, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010). Union also has won national titles in

8148-427: The tornado continued to skip and caused F0 damage to outbuildings and trees along a path of 12 miles (19 km). The tornado lifted approximately two miles (3.2 km) southeast of Malinta . In total, the tornado killed four people and injured 17 others along a path of 53 miles (85 km), while reaching a peak width of 880 yards (800 m). The tornado caused at least $ 30 million (2002 USD) in damage just in

8245-497: The tornado destroyed a mobile home in Continental , killing a man and his wife. After traveling seven miles (11 km) through the county, the tornado rapidly weakened to F0 intensity just before it crossed into Defiance County . While traveling three miles (4.8 km) through Defiance County, the tornado skipped and caused F0 damage to five homes and some outbuildings before crossing into Henry County . In Henry County,

8342-551: The tornado in Van Wert. After passing through the Vision Industrial Park, several homes and business in Van Wert sustained F3 to F4 damage. The tornado continued northeast out of Van Wert and crossed into Paulding County , where it struck the community of Roselms . Only one building remained standing in Roselms after the tornado. Every structure in Roselms sustained up to F3 damage, and the entire nine-mile (14 km) track of

8439-556: The tornado through Paulding County was rated F3 by the National Weather Service. The Dayton Daily Newspaper reported that in Paulding County, 23 homes, 32 barns, and a church were completely leveled and 19 additional homes were damaged. The Washington Township building was also leveled by the tornado. The tornado continued northeast at F3 intensity as it crossed into Putnam County . In Putnam County,

8536-663: The university faculty signed the 2017 Nashville Statement , an evangelical Christian statement of faith relating to human sexuality and gender roles that was perceived by some as expressing homophobia , transphobia , and misogyny . In 2020, the school rescinded an admissions offer to a gay graduate-level nursing student, Alex Duron, after investigating his sexual orientation. Duron subsequently joined an unsuccessful lawsuit, Elizabeth Hunter, et al. v. U.S. Department of Education , seeking to end discrimination against LGBTQ+ students at publicly funded religious colleges and universities. Union University president Dub Oliver defended

8633-484: The western quarter of the state. The region includes 21 counties between the Tennessee and Mississippi rivers, delineated by state law. Its geography consists primarily of flat lands with rich soil and vast floodplain areas of the Mississippi River. Of the three regions, West Tennessee is the most sharply defined geographically, and is the lowest-lying. It is both the least populous and smallest, in land area, of

8730-535: Was an unusually severe and expansive severe weather event across portions of the Central and Eastern United States from the evening hours of November 9 into the early morning hours of Veterans Day , November 11, 2002. A series of troughs tracked eastward across the United States, providing strong wind shear , while anomalously warm and unstable air surged northward into the Ohio River Valley . As

8827-452: Was established in May of that year to defend Spanish claims and prevent further westward expansion of the United States. The part of Tennessee west of the Tennessee River was first recognized as Chickasaw territory by the 1786 Treaty of Hopewell , and continued to be after Tennessee's statehood in 1796. However, both the state's constitution and the legislative act that admitted Tennessee to

8924-405: Was featured by CNN , Fox News , The New York Times and numerous regional news outlets. Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff , FEMA Director R. David Paulison and Governor of Tennessee Phil Bredesen all visited the campus after the disaster. The Commercial Appeal reported that due to extensive damage, the campus would not reopen until February 18. Lambuth University ,

9021-465: Was only a few minutes before the tornado destroyed the theater. Besides leveling the building, 3 cars were tossed into the seats that were previously occupied by moviegoers, many of which were children." 2. A 71 year old Briceville Volunteer Fire Department Firefighter in Anderson County, TN. Suffered a fatal heart attack while checking residences and clearing debris from roadways just after

9118-547: 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 the requirement of payment of a poll tax in order to register to vote, which reduced the competitiveness of

9215-502: Was the bloodiest battle of the war at the time. This battle claimed the life of Johnston, and remained one of the most costly engagements of the entire war. Memphis fell to the Union in June after a naval battle on the Mississippi River, which effectively resulted in the Union gaining control of West Tennessee. In an effort to disrupt Grant's campaign southward along the Mississippi River, Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest launched

9312-464: Was the first recorded net population decrease in any of the state's three Grand Divisions in history. West Tennessee's population was about 22.54% of the state's total, and its population density was about 146.26 inhabitants per square mile (56.47/km ). About 60% of the population of West Tennessee resides in Shelby County. West Tennessee registered a population growth rate significantly below

9409-487: Was the second time in just over five years that the campus was hit by a tornado. On the evening of November 10, 2002, during the Veterans Day Weekend tornado outbreak , the university was struck by an F1 tornado , with winds of approximately 100 miles per hour, which did approximately 2 million dollars worth of damage to the university. There were no serious injuries. Union president David Dockery stated that

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