Pikeville, Tennessee
Bledsoe County Courthouse in Pikeville
Location of Pikeville, Tennessee
Coordinates: 35°36′27″N 85°11′29″W / 35.6075, -85.19139
Country	United States
State	Tennessee
County	Bledsoe
Area
- Total	2.4 sq mi (6.3 km²)
- Land	2.4 sq mi (6.3 km²)
- Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km²)
Elevation	860 ft (262 m)
Population (2000)
- Total	1,781
- Density	734.5/sq mi (283.6/km²)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
- Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code	37367
Area code(s)	423
FIPS code	47-58120[1]
GNIS feature ID	1297464[2]

Pikeville is a city in and the county seat of Bledsoe County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,781 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Bledsoe County^[3].

Geography

Pikeville is located at 35°36′27″N, 85°11′29″W (35.607470, -85.191340).^[4] The city is situated in the northern half of the Sequatchie Valley, a deep fertile valley that presents as a large rupture in the southern Cumberland Plateau. The walls of the plateau— namely Walden Ridge and Little Mountain— rise prominently to the east and west respectively. The Sequatchie River passes through the eastern section of Pikeville.

Pikeville is centered just east of the junction of U.S. Route 127, which connects the valley to Crossville to the north and Chattanooga to the south, and State Route 30, which connects Pikeville with Spencer to the west. Fall Creek Falls State Park is located atop the plateau to the west.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.4 square miles (6.3 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 1,785 people, 748 households, and 479 families residing in the city. The population density was 734.5 people per square mile (284.2/km²). There were 859 housing units at an average density of 354.3/sq mi (137.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.95% White, 3.09% African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.28% from other races, and 1.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.84% of the population.

Pikeville, with the Cumberland Plateau in the distance

There were 747 households out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.1% were married couples living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.0% were non-families. 34.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.94.

Local residents "spelling" themselves in front of a Pikeville store in 1936 (photo by Carl Mydans for the Farm Security Administration)

In the city the population was spread out with 26.3% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 87.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $23,438, and the median income for a family was $30,365. Males had a median income of $27,500 versus $19,097 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,754. About 19.5% of families and 25.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.3% of those under age 18 and 22.3% of those age 65 or over.

History

The Bridgman House in Pikeville, built in 1815

The Sequatchie Valley was part of Cherokee lands until 1805, when the Cherokee ceded it to the U.S. as part of the Treaty of Tellico. The valley was probably named after an obscure Cherokee chief. By the late 1700s, the valley had been identified by long hunters, one of whom, Anthony Bledsoe, became the county's namesake. Bledsoe County was formed in 1807, with the small town of Madison as its county seat.^[5]

Pikeville was established in 1816 on lands donated by Charles Love, an early Sequatchie settler. The origin of the town's name is unknown, although some have suggested that it was named for explorer General Zebulon Pike (1779-1813). By 1818, the Bledsoe County seat had been moved from Madison to Pikeville. The town was incorporated in 1830.^[5]

Notable residents

• Josiah M. Anderson, born near Pikeville, United States Congressman from Tennessee^[6]

References

External links

• Pikeville, Tennessee is at coordinates 35°36′27″N 85°11′29″W / 35.60747, -85.19134 (Pikeville, Tennessee)Coordinates: 35°36′27″N 85°11′29″W / 35.60747, -85.19134 (Pikeville, Tennessee)

v â€¢ d â€¢ e Municipalities and communities of Bledsoe County, Tennessee County seat: Pikeville City Pikeville Unincorporated communities Cold Spring | Dill | Lees Station | Lusk | Melvine | Mount Crest | New Harmony | Pailo | Summer City