Germantown, Tennessee | |
---|---|
![]() Historic downtown Germantown | |
![]() Location of Germantown in Shelby County, Tennessee. | |
Coordinates: 35°5′20″N89°47′38″W / 35.08889°N 89.79389°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Tennessee |
County | Shelby |
Founded | 1825 |
Incorporated | 1841 |
Government | |
• Mayor | Mike Palazzolo |
Area | |
• Total | 20.01 sq mi (51.83 km2) |
• Land | 19.99 sq mi (51.76 km2) |
• Water | 0.03 sq mi (0.06 km2) |
Elevation | 377 ft (115 m) |
Population | |
• Total | 41,333 |
• Density | 2,068.10/sq mi (798.49/km2) |
Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
ZIP codes | 38125, 38138, 38139 |
Area code | 901 |
FIPS code | 47-28960 [3] |
GNIS feature ID | 1285318 [4] |
Website | http://www.germantown-tn.gov/ |
Germantown is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 41,333 at the 2020 census. [5]
Germantown is a suburb of Memphis, bordering it to the east-southeast. Germantown was founded in 1841 by mostly German emigrants. The town hosts Festivals year round to celebrate their history and German Culture. In the city center is the "Old Germantown" neighborhood, anchored by a railroad depot (a 1948 reproduction of the 1868 original) and railroad tracks that recall the community's earliest days of development as an outpost along the Memphis and Charleston Railroad.
The city hosts many horse shows and competitions annually, most notably the Germantown Charity Horse Show in June. Other major annual events include the Germantown Festival, an arts and crafts fair, in early September.
Germantown has the lowest crime rate for any city its size in the State of Tennessee and the police and fire departments have average emergency response time of five minutes (police just under 4 minutes & fire department 5.2 minutes). [6] The parks and recreation department is nationally accredited. The Arbor Day Foundation has designated Germantown a "Tree City USA" for 23 consecutive years. [7] Only 3.2% of Germantown citizens are below the poverty line. [8]
Germantown is located at 35°5′20″N89°47′38″W / 35.08889°N 89.79389°W (35.089023, −89.793997). [9] It is part of the Memphis metropolitan area.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 17.6 square miles (46 km2), of which 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2), or 0.17%, is water.
Germantown was founded along the Chickasaw Trace on a ridge between the Wolf River and Nonconnah Creek, about 16 miles east of the Mississippi River.
The first settlers arrived in Germantown about 1825. Between 1825 and 1830, Miss Frances Wright established Nashoba Plantation, a utopian community intended to educate emancipated slaves and teach them a trade. By 1830, the first store was opened as more settlers moved into the area.
The community became known as Pea Ridge in 1833. Town lots were laid out in 1834 by surveyor N. T. German. The name was changed to Germantown in 1836. This coincidentally also reflected the settling of German families.
The town was incorporated in 1841. The Memphis-Charleston Railroad was built through the community in 1852. Germantown experienced setbacks through the period of the Civil War (1861–1865); the yellow fever epidemics reduced its population to a few hundred.
The town rebounded slowly. Churches destroyed in the war were rebuilt, schools were constructed and the population began to return around the turn of the century. The city name was briefly changed to Neshoba, a Chickasaw word meaning 'wolf', during World War I, because of widespread anti-German sentiment in the United States at that time.
During the twentieth century, the community derived its strength through involvement of citizens, as evidenced in the churches, garden clubs and civic organizations. The Poplar Pike Improvement Association and the Germantown Civic Club played vital roles in the physical and social development of the community.
In the last half of the century, after WWII the population grew from about 400 to more than 40,000. Over several decades, elected and civic leadership, with support of citizens, worked proactively to control suburban growth through development regulations, aesthetic controls and strategic planning efforts. [10]
"Old Germantown" is centered around the railroad depot in downtown Germantown on Germantown Road. This was chosen as a central location by settlers in the late 19th century due to its high ground and central location. The depot was rebuilt in 1948 to replace the original structure from 1868. The depot is now home to the Germantown Train Museum. There are signs to commemorate historical sites and parks in "Old Germantown." [11]
Fort Germantown, located on Honey Tree Drive off of Poplar Pike is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It was at this site that 250 Union Soldiers built their fortification from the ground in order to guard the Memphis and Charleston railroad during the Civil War. Now, there are replicas of Howitzer cannons to mark the fort. [11]
The John Gray House, located in Municipal Park, built prior to 1851 is one of the oldest brick homes in Shelby County. Originally located in Eads, TN, it was moved to Germantown in 1989 to prevent demolition. [12]
The City of Germantown operates under a Mayor-Alderman form of government. The mayor and five aldermen are elected for four year terms and are part-time positions. The Board of Mayor and Aldermen is the legislative and policy-making body of the city. The mayor does not vote except to break a tie. By charter, the mayor is the chief administrative officer; however, oversight of day-to-day management is assigned to a professional city administrator, appointed by the mayor but subject to board approval. Mike Palazzolo was elected as Mayor in November 2015 and re-elected in 2018.
More than 200 citizens annually volunteer their time, expertise and energy in service on the city's 20-plus advisory commissions and boards. Most appointments, made by the mayor and aldermen each December, are for one year terms; most groups meet monthly. Their responsibilities range from recommendations on City government matters and community interests to identifying opportunities, challenges and solutions to conducting special activities. The commissions are Audit, Beautification, Design Review, Economic Development, Education, Environmental, Financial, Athletic Club, Great Hall, Historic, Industrial Development, Neighborhood Preservation, Parks and Recreation, Personnel, Planning, Public Safety Education, Retirement Plan Administration, Other Postemployment Benefits, Senior Citizens, and Telecommunications. The boards are Zoning Appeals, Industrial Development and Library. [13]
Germantown is served by two school districts, Shelby County Schools and Germantown Municipal School District.
Elementary Schools: Farmington Elementary School, Forest Hill Elementary School, Dogwood Elementary School, Riverdale Elementary K-8 School (GMSD) and Germantown Elementary School (SCS)
Middle School: Houston Middle School, Riverdale Elementary K-8 School (GMSD) and Germantown Middle School (SCS)
High School: Houston High School (GMSD) In 2015, Houston High School was rated by The Washington Post [14] as one of America's Most Challenging High Schools. Germantown High School (SCS) Germantown High School is an International Baccalaureate School, Blue Ribbon School, and is one of the largest high schools in the state of Tennessee, rated as a Reward School in Tennessee [15] for Growth and Achievement measured by perfect scores of 5 each of the past 5 years.
Jason Manuel, former principal of Houston Middle School, is Superintendent of Germantown Municipal Schools. The School Board consists of 5 at large elected positions.
Germantown Elementary, Middle, and High School remain with the Shelby County Schools district, although they are located within the borders of the city of Germantown and continue to serve a large proportion of Germantown K-12 students as well as students from unincorporated Shelby County.
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1850 | 245 | — | |
1870 | 197 | — | |
1880 | 223 | 13.2% | |
1890 | 268 | 20.2% | |
1900 | 270 | 0.7% | |
1910 | 247 | −8.5% | |
1920 | 263 | 6.5% | |
1930 | 322 | 22.4% | |
1940 | 402 | 24.8% | |
1950 | 408 | 1.5% | |
1960 | 1,104 | 170.6% | |
1970 | 3,474 | 214.7% | |
1980 | 21,467 | 517.9% | |
1990 | 32,893 | 53.2% | |
2000 | 37,348 | 13.5% | |
2010 | 38,844 | 4.0% | |
2020 | 41,333 | 6.4% | |
Sources: [17] [18] [2] |
Race | Num. | Perc. |
---|---|---|
White (non-Hispanic) | 34,033 | 82.34% |
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 1,671 | 4.04% |
Native American | 64 | 0.15% |
Asian | 2,855 | 6.91% |
Pacific Islander | 5 | 0.01% |
Other/Mixed | 1,463 | 3.54% |
Hispanic or Latino | 1,242 | 3.0% |
As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 41,333 people, 14,696 households, and 11,682 families residing in the city.
As of the 2010 census, [20] there were 38,844 people, 14,910 households, and 11,750 families residing in the city, with 15,536 housing units. The racial makeup of the city was 89.54% White, 3.57% Black, 0.21% Native American, 5.15% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.42% from other races, and 1.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.89% of the population.
There were 14,910 households, out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.5% were married couples living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 21.9% were non-families. 19.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.2% under the age of 20, 3.5% from 20 to 24, 19.2% from 25 to 44, 35.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.7 years. There were 18,800 males, of whom 14,023 were over the age of 18. There were 20,044 females, of whom 15,447 were over the age of 18.
The median income for a household in the city according to the 2010 census was $112,979, and the median income for a family was $127,216. Males had a median income of $93,401 versus $54,592 for females. The per capita income for the city was $54,157. About 1.9% of families and 2.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.8% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.
A total of 27 parks allow for a park within walking distance of every residence. The community has more than 700 acres of parkland. More than 11.4 miles of greenway links parkland and neighborhoods.
The Community Library was constructed in 1996 and the Regional History and Genealogy Center opened in FY07.
The Germantown Performing Arts Centre (GPAC) is an acoustically perfect 800-seat theater featuring top artists from around the world.
The Germantown Athletic Club is a 118,000 square foot indoor athletic complex that opened in 1989 and expanded in 2003 to include two outdoor pools.
The Great Hall & Conference Center is an 8,000 square feet rental facility space for accommodation of meetings, weddings and receptions. [21]
The Commissary is a Memphis-style barbecue restaurant located in "Old Germantown."
Notable celebrities who currently reside or have previously resided in Germantown include:
Fire Protection: Number of Stations - 4, Number of Regular Firefighters - 71, Number of Volunteer Firefighters - 25, Insurance Service Office Rating - Class I
Police Protection: Number of Regular Police Officers - 108, Number of Reserve Police Officers - 30
Recreation and Culture: Number of Parks - 27, Acreage - 748, Number of Libraries - 2, Volumes - 143,520
Water System: Number of Consumers - 13,479, Miles of Water Main - 208, Well Capacity - 25 million gallons per day, Treatment Plant Capacity - 25 million gallons per day, Storage Capacity - 7.875 million gallons, Average Daily Consumption - 7.5 million gallons per day, Peak Day Pumpage - 15.120 million gallons
Sewer System: Number of Consumers - 13,270, Miles of Sewer Main - 211, Treatment - Provided by City of Memphis [33]
Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County, in the southwesternmost part of the state, and is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-most populous city in Tennessee after Nashville.
Bristol is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 17,219. It is the twin city of Bristol, Tennessee, just across the state line, which runs down the middle of its main street, State Street. It is surrounded on three sides by Washington County, Virginia, which is combined with the city for statistical purposes. It is a principal city in the Kingsport–Bristol metropolitan area, which had a population of 307,614 in 2020. The metro area is a component of the larger Tri-Cities region of Tennessee and Virginia, with a population of 508,260 in 2020.
Shelby County is the westernmost county in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 929,744. It is the largest of the state's 95 counties, both in terms of population and geographic area. Its county seat is Memphis, a port on the Mississippi River and the second most populous city in Tennessee. The county was named for Governor Isaac Shelby (1750–1826) of Kentucky. It is one of only two remaining counties in Tennessee with a majority African American population, along with Haywood County.
Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 41,990. Its county seat is Somerville. The county was named after the Marquis de la Fayette, French hero of the American Revolution. A part of the Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metropolitan Statistical Area, Fayette County is culturally alike to the Mississippi Delta and was a major area of cotton plantations dependent on slave labor in the nineteenth century.
Olive Branch is the 6th most populous city in Mississippi, US, located in DeSoto County. At the 2020 census the population was 39,711. Olive Branch is part of the Memphis Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region that consists of three counties in southwest Tennessee, five counties in northwest Mississippi, and two counties in eastern Arkansas. Olive Branch was the fastest-growing city in the United States, with a growth rate of 838% as of 2010 in a thirty year time frame. Along with other rapidly growing places in DeSoto County, Olive Branch attributes most of its growth and development to the exodus of large numbers of families from central Memphis.
Southaven is a city in DeSoto County, Mississippi, United States. It is a principal city in Greater Memphis. The 2020 census reported a population of 54,648, making it the 3rd most populous city in Mississippi and the 2nd most populous suburb of Memphis. Southaven is traversed north to south by the I-55/I-69 freeway. The city's name derives from the fact that Southaven is located south of Whitehaven, a neighborhood in Memphis.
Hickory Withe is an unincorporated community in Fayette County, Tennessee, United States, and is within the Memphis metropolitan area. For several years it functioned as an incorporated town, and was so treated at the 2000 census, at which time it had a population of 2,574.
Arlington is a town in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 2,569 at the 2000 census, 11,517 at the 2010 census, and 14,549 at the 2020 Census. From 2010 until 2020 the town's population grew by 26.326%. It is one of the seven municipalities in Shelby County. The town lies wholly within the borders of Shelby County.
Bartlett is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 57,786 at the 2020 U.S. Census.
Collierville is a town in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and a suburb located in the Memphis metropolitan area. With a population of 51,324 in the 2020 census, Collierville is the third largest municipality in the county after Memphis and Bartlett. It is home to the Carriage Crossing shopping mall and is served by Collierville Schools.
Lakeland is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and a part of the Memphis metropolitan area. The population was 12,430 at the 2010 census.
Millington is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and is a part of the Memphis metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 10,176. Millington was granted the title "Flag City Tennessee" by the Tennessee State Legislature. The Naval Support Activity Mid-South is located at the former Memphis Naval Air Station, whose function was changed in 1993 from a training base to an administrative one. There is also a general aviation airport that features the third longest runway in Tennessee.
Atoka is a local government area with a town charter in Tipton County, Tennessee, United States. In 1888, Atoka was a stop on the Newport News & Mississippi Valley Railroad. Today the City of New Orleans Amtrak passenger train makes its daily route between New Orleans and Chicago, through Atoka. The population was 10,008 at the 2020 census, making the Town of Atoka the largest municipality in Tipton County.
Willis is a city in Montgomery County, Texas, United States, located eight miles north of Conroe in north central Montgomery County. The city began to develop in 1870 after what is now the Union Pacific Railroad built track through the area. As a part of the Piney Woods, the Willis economy has historically been driven by lumber, agriculture, and the manufacture of lumber and agriculture equipment. From the late nineteenth to early twentieth century, it produced tobacco as a commodity crop. Competition from Cuba reduced its contribution to the economy.
The Memphis–Clarksdale-Forrest City Combined Statistical Area, TN–MS–AR (CSA) is the commercial and cultural hub of the Mid-South or Ark-Miss-Tenn. The census-defined combined statistical area covers eleven counties in three states, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas. As of 2020 census, the Memphis metropolitan area had a population of 1,389,905 The Forrest City, Arkansas Micropolitan area was added to the Memphis area in 2012 to form the Memphis–Forrest City Combined Statistical area. In 2023 the Clarksdale, Mississippi Micropolitan area was also added to form the new Memphis-Clarksdale-Forrest City Combined Statistical Area which as of 2023 had a population of roughly 1.4 million people according to census estimates.
Memphis-Shelby County Schools(MSCS), previously known as Shelby County Schools (SCS), is a public school district that serves the city of Memphis, Tennessee, United States, as well as most of the unincorporated areas of Shelby County. MSCS is the 23rd largest school district in the United States and the largest in Tennessee.
The 8th congressional district of Tennessee is a congressional district in West Tennessee. It has been represented by Republican David Kustoff since January 2017. The district appears rural on a map, but the bulk of its vote is cast in the suburban and exurban areas around Memphis, such as Germantown, Bartlett, and Collierville, as well as Fayette and Tipton counties. This area boasts some of the highest median incomes in the state.
Cordova is a community in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States. Cordova lies east of Memphis, north of Germantown, south of Bartlett, and northwest of Collierville at an elevation of 361 feet.
The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Memphis, Tennessee, US.
The Germantown Municipal School District (GMSD) is a municipal school district serving Germantown, Tennessee, United States. The school district was formed in 2013.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link){{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)